88 THE SPORTING FISH 



The Perch selected for iUustration was a Kennet 

 fish ot 3 lbs. weight — one of the most perfectly 

 shaped specimens that I ever met with. 



The Perch lives long out of water (resembling 

 in that respect Carp and Tench), and if carried 

 with care and occasionally moistened will, in cold 

 weather, exist for several hours in this condition. 

 Yarrell says that Perch are constantly exhibited in 

 the markets of Catholic countries, — where doubt- 

 less they are a popular article of " fast ;" — and that 

 on these occasions, when not sold, they are taken 

 back to the [:)onds from which they came to be re- 

 marketed at another opportunity. 



The size to which the Perch will attain is some- 

 what doubtful. The largest specimen that I ever 

 remember to have met with was preserved in a 

 small inn in Perthshire. It was very imperfectly 

 stuffed, and had no doubt shrunk considerably in 

 the operation ; but the label stated that it weighed 

 7 lbs. when caught, and from its appearance it cer- 

 tainly could not have weighed less than five or six. 

 Perch of 2 and 3 lbs. are by no means uncommon, 

 and specimens of even 4 lbs. are probably less rare 

 than may be supposed. Such fish have been taken 

 in the Pen Ponds, Richmond Park ; and Pennant 

 records the capture of one in the Serpentine which 

 weighed 8 lbs. Donovan speaks of a Perch of 

 5 lbs., caught in Bala Lake. One of 6 lbs. was 

 taken by Mr. Hunt, of Brades, Staffordshire, from 

 the Birmingham Canal ; and two fish of 8 lbs. each 



