32 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



Fig. 6. Different sorts of traps for fresh-water f3shiiig. 



a: wicker-work trap {videmjarde). 



h: network tra]) (gariiiiijarde), 



mmMMMMMM 



c: sinking trap {sanhnjdrde), 



d: flat-l)ottonied sinking trap. 



e: metliod of fixing tlie funnel in Uie traii. 



when it (.•ollects iu shoals. It tlieu a.sseuibles in lai-gc 

 or small bodies and makes its Ava}' to shalloAV spots in 

 the creeks where it is sure of iinding small liy and 

 insects. At this time its movements are very quick 

 and active, and it may often be seen to leaj) out of 

 the water in its pursuit of the smaller tishes. During 

 the chase it suddenh" slaiis the surface of the water 



Avith its tail and thus produces a sound not unlike that 

 of expectoration. The fisherman imitates this sound 

 b}' snapping his fingers in the water, and some persons 

 believe that by this means they can entice the fish to 

 the place whence the sound proceeds. 



As we have already mentioned, the Perch is a fish 

 of prey, and since on account of its courage and daring 

 it lias no difficulty in finding food, and does not remain 

 at other spots than those Avhere it can procure food in 

 aliiuidance, it is generally in good condition all the 

 year roinid. Its flesh is white, firm and wholesome, 

 and has the ])eculiarity, uncommon among fishes, that 

 one can eat it dail}- for a long time without becoming 

 tired of it. The flavour of the fish greatly depends. 

 hoAve\er, upon the nature of the water it inhabits. 

 Those perch Avhich are caught in shalloAv lakes Avith a 

 grassy bottom are smaller, leaner and of Avorse flaAour 

 than those Avhich are taken in larger lakes Avith a stony 

 bottom and dee]j, clear, riuming water. The salt-water 

 Perch is the most highly esteemed, and holds in Sweden 

 the same place as the Rhine Perch has long held in 

 France and the Perch of Lake Leman in Switzerland. 

 In domestic economy this fish A\'Ould be of much more 

 value, if it could be preserved for future use without 

 losing too much of its flavour. This is, however, an 

 impossibility. It lias been sometimes salted, sometimes 

 dried, but the delicate flavour which the fish possesses 

 when eaten fresh, entirely disappears under this process. 

 It is only poor people who dr)' the Perch in the sun 

 and eat it to stay their hunger; among people in better 

 circumstances it is always sent to table fresh. Expe- 

 rience has also taught us that the Perch cannot be kept 

 Ion"' out of the water before its flesh loses flavour. 

 In order to avoid this, recourse is sometimes had to the 

 expedient of throwing the fish into the pan alive and 

 boiling it Avithout cleaning it at all. 



It is nattu'ul that a fish so valuable for culinar\" 

 purposes should be eagerly sought after. In spring the 

 Perch is caught in traps {mjdrdar, fig. 6) at the spots 

 where it deposits its spawn. The tra))s are either large, 

 in which case they are set in a kind (jf weir (rerke), 

 or small, in Avhicli case they are set singly and are 

 called sinking-traps. The 'rerke is a method of fishing 

 practised in the North from prehistoric times. Parallel 

 rows of stakes ai'e fixed in the bottom of the lake, 

 and the s|)aces between them are alternately filled with 

 pine-branches or left open to receive the traps. This 

 weir is constructed at the s[)ot ■\vliere the Perch spawns, 



