14 



which reseuables the common carp in its habits, it is composed of 

 unimportant races, such as roach, dace, gudgeons, loaches, and 

 minnows. The loach is nevertheless remarkable in the want of 

 union in the two parietal bones at the upper part of the head — 

 shewing a structuTal relation between fish and reptiles. 



Of the true perches (percidre) I am not aware that wo have 

 more than one in this county — the common perch. The ruffe, or 

 pope, is abundant in many rivers, and may be found here, though 

 I have not met with it. We have, however, the stickleback, 

 which is of another family of this class. 



The Wye is celebrated for the size and excellence of its perch. 

 I have seen four, taken the same day in the salmon nets, weighing 

 together, sixteen pounds. 



These fish were well known to the ancients, and described by 

 Aristotle. It is curious that a word, derived from its Greek name, 

 and closely resembling it in sound, should be its common appella- 

 tion in many countries. Thus, its Greek name was perke (jrepKr)) 

 — its Roman, perca — its Italian is pergesa — its French, la perche 

 — its Prussian, perscke — and its English, perch. 



Fish will bear wondei-ful extremes of temperature without 

 sustaining any apparent injury. In Bushman's Introduction to 

 the study of Nature, we are told that perch have been frozen — 

 transported in that state considerable distances — replaced in 

 water, near a fire, and recovered. If fish can endure great cold, 

 some genera can also bear great heat. According to Saussure, 

 both fish and infusoria are found in the hot springs of Aise, in 

 Savoy, at a temperature of 113 Fahrenheit. Desfontaines and 

 Shaw observed several kinds of fish in the hot waters of Cafsa, 

 in Barbary; temperature 86 Fahrenheit. (Many years ago, I 

 verified the fact of the existence of infusoria in the hot springs of 

 Savoy ; and a gentleman, who was with me, pronounced them to 

 be of the second order — the leucophora.) 



If fish can, uninjured, sustain these violent extremes of 

 temperature, not loss can their eggs continue their vitality, under 

 the most remarkable vicissitudes. The tanks of India are dried 

 up during the hot season, and every fish, of course, destroyed ; 



