46 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



to CuviER and Steindachner, the fish generally has 

 small black spots irregularly scattered over the body. 

 In other respects our tigure is calculated to give a 

 correct idea of the ajjpearance of the fish. By the 

 character given first in our diagnosis of the species 

 it is distinguished from the American species of the 

 genus, and by the t^vo last cliaracters from Roccus 

 punctatus", the species found in the Mediterranean, off 

 the coasts of the Spanish Peninsula, the Avest coast of 

 France and the island of Teneritte. In southern Avaters 

 it often attains a length of 1 m., but the largest spe- 

 cimens found in Scandinavia have been about 350 mm. 

 in length, measured from tip of the snout to the end 

 of the middle rays in the caudal fin. 



The fame of the Sea-perch dates from the early 

 classical times'. Aristotle described it and knew — 

 among other things — that it betakes* itself to the river- 

 mouths to spawn. Archestrates calls the Sea-perch 

 of Miletus the 'child of the gods'. For its voracity 

 {jiciQce Tijf ^a/ip6T)]Ta) it received the name of lahrax 

 among the Greeks, and for the same reason the Romans 

 called it tvolf {lupus). But it was also considered a 

 very sagacious creature. It enjoyed the reputation of 

 being able, if enclosed in a net, to dig a hole in the 

 sand in order to escape, and when taken on the hook, 

 to enlarge the wound and thus get free. A fact -which 

 has been demonstrated jjy Americans' and Englishmen'' 

 in our own times, Avas also known then, namely, that 

 the Sea-perch may be kept alive in fresh water and 

 that when it is so kept, the delicate flavour of its flesh 

 increases. The Romans most highly esteemed the Sea- 

 perch Avhich lived in the dirty Avater of the Tiber, 

 betAveen the two bridges, a taste Avhich Avas long ago 

 (in the fifteenth century) stigmatised by Rondelet as 

 uiiAvholesome. 



The habitat of this fish is the Mediterranean Avith 

 the adjoining parts of the Atlantic, as far as England 



and Ireland. Oft' tlie east coast of England it begins 

 to be rare and is still rarer farther north, though, 

 according to Collett, solitary specimens Avander as 

 high up as Tromso. The first time it Avas found and 

 recognised in Scandinavian waters, it avms described by 

 Dr. Schagerstrom from a specimen taken in August, 

 1829, oft' Ha'Cu in the Sound. Subse(|ueutly, to the 

 best of our knowledge, it has been met Avith four times 

 in Bohusliin. 



In its Avay of life the Sea-perch is. described as re- 

 sembling on the Avhole the common Perch. "Sometimes, " 

 says Winther, "it lies still on the Avatch for its prey 

 and sometimes Avanders along the coast. " The largest 

 shoals are met Asith during the sardine-fishing, and in 

 a Avav it does the fishermen good service, for by its 

 pursuit of the sardines it keeps tliem in continual fright 

 and confusion and thus drives them into the nets. For 

 this reason its appearance is ^velcomed Avhen the sar- 

 dine-fishing is good, but Avhen it is bad, the Sea-perch 

 is blamed for driving the fish aAvay. On account of its 

 voracity it is most easily taken on the hook Avith a 

 bait of sardines, shrimps, Avorms or something of the 

 kind. On the south coast of England and the coast of 

 France it is cauffht A\itii a rod and line or Avith night- 

 lines off the pier-heads and rocks. It is also taken in 

 large quantities in ;iutumn, Avhen it comes to the mouths 

 of the i-ivers or presses into the bays in order to spaAvn, 

 and is then cut off' at loAv-tide by the fishermen's nets. 

 Almost all the }-ear round it is taken to the markets 

 of Paris, Avhere it is highly esteemed for its firm, 

 Avhite, boneless and delicate flesh, except Avhen it has 

 been feasting on sardines, Avhich give its flesh an un- 

 bearable taste of train-oil. The American Boccus 

 Vmeafus, Avhich in many respects closely resembles the 

 Sea-perch, is one of tlie fishes most highly valued 

 by the sportsmen of that country, even for fly- 

 fishing^ 



" GOnther, Brito Capello and Steindachner, see Stzber. Akad. Wiss. Wien, LA'I, i (1867) p. 607. Cf. also Moreau, Hist. Nat. 

 Poiss. Fr., II, p. 337. According to Jordan and Gilbert (1. c.) the cycloid scales on the cheeks also separate Eoccus Ihicatiis and i?. cliry- 

 sops from the subgenus Morone (see above); but in the specimen of R. liucattis which the Royal Museum has received from tlie Smithsonian 

 Institution, this distinction does not hold good. 



' Cf. Guv., Val., 1. c. 



" Roosevelt, The Game Fish, New York 1884, p. 204 (B. lineaiiis). 



'' Day, Fish. G:t Brit. a. Irel., I, p. 9. 



' Roosevelt, 1. c. 



