THE PERCH 57 
because of the stillness of the air, but at that distance it could 
not be called loud ; yet the shoal of fry instantly darted into 
the deeper water. In a little while they began to creep back 
towards the shore, where minute delicacies most abounded. 
Then came another shot—off again went the fry ; and so after 
every shot, repeating the performance for my edification eight or 
nine times. There could not be the slightest doubt that these 
inexperienced little creatures felt alarmed and fled for shelter at 
the unaccustomed noise ; but it is difficult to understand why 
such a comparatively feeble sound should have frightened them. 
The Helmsdale is a salmon river which I have visited each spring 
for several years past. The Highland Railway follows the 
course of the stream, and at certain places runs close beside 
it. I have felt the earth tremble, and the whole valley fill with 
dreadful noise, as a heavy train roared close alongside the pool 
in which I have been fishing ; yet it is no uncommon experience 
to hook and kill a fresh-run salmon immediately after a train 
has passed. In short, the din and the violent vibration seem to 
have no alarming effect at all upon the fish, although to a 
salmon which had left the silent ocean depths but a few hours 
before, one would expect that the sound would prove as start- 
ling as it was novel. 
Considered as a sporting fish, the perch possesses that 
quality which adds incalculably to the excitement of pursuit 
Perchas and the gratification of the captor—it is excellent as 
food. food. This may seem but a sordid consideration, 
yet it is one inseparable from most field sports. We hunt the 
fox, though when we catch him we can make no use of him at 
all ; but we often get plenty of fun out of “Charlie,” although 
he may live to run another day. Ifthe sport of fox-hunting is 
to continue, foxes must first of all be preserved, or they would 
soon be exterminated as completely as wolves have been in 
Britain, and for the same reason, that they were destructive 
beasts of prey. They must next be killed in moderate numbers, 
or the country would become overrun with them. But nobody 
