8<S LIFE OK MOSES HENRY PERLEY. 



food-habits, migrations, and general natural history, were 

 themes that always found in him a strong and earnest advocate. 

 To sum up: — -Perley was doubtless the best informed man of his 

 day in all matters pertaining to the industries and natural re- 

 sources of the province, and those industrial conditions and im- 

 provements necessary to utilize its undeveloped wealth. 



But it is with Perley, the naturalist, tliis article is most con- 

 cerned, for in this department he also took high rank. 



It was to be expected that one who, from boyhood, loved the 

 woods, lakes and streams, and made them his almost constant 

 companions, should develop a taste for the observation and study 

 of their natural history. A devoted disciple of Isaak Walton, he 

 thought it "a nice thing to catch a trout," and from the indul- 

 gence of the gentle sport there soon arose a greater pleasure — the 

 study of fi&h-life in all its attractive phases, so that the angler 

 rapidly became the ichthyologist; the rod, flies and landing-net 

 were discarded for the seine, microscope, and handbook, and 

 Perley was soon recognized as the leading ichthyologist of the 

 Maritime Provinces, indeed of all British America. 



"In 1852 he published the first systematic and descriptive 

 list of New Brunswick fishes in a series of 'Reports on the Sea 

 and River Fisheries of New Brunswick,' Fredericton, 1852. This 

 list became the basis of all subsequent ones, not only for the 

 province but for Nova Scotia as well. In it the author very mod- 

 estly claims not to be a professed naturalist, but an observer of 

 nature, and for this reason begs indulgence at the hands of 

 critics. A careful examination, however, of the little volume 

 must convince the reader that its author was a scholar of varied 

 attainments, a close and accurate observer of nature, careful and 

 cautious of statement, brief but lucid in narration. A power of 

 condensation and ability to seize the most salient features of 

 form, markings, structure, and habits of fishes, render his des- 

 criptions exceeding pleasing and instructive. If he were not a 

 'professed naturalist' it was due entirely to his modesty; for in 

 the correctness of his determinations and general stability of his 

 list, is found evidence of a high order of scientific knowledge. 



