FISHES. 229 



in the Shrewsbury district, since bush-netting has been 

 greatly restricted in this part of the river. Most of the 

 large sheets of water in Shropshire contain plenty of 

 these excellent "coarse fish." 



POPE. Local name, "Jack Ruffe." This fish is something 



Acerina cernua. like a cross between the Perch and 



Gudgeon, having the spiny dorsal fin, 



and general appearance of the former, with the colour and 



habits of the latter. It does not grow to a large size. The 



Ruffe is common in the Severn and is to be found on muddy 



bottoms, where the stream is fairly deep and slow. The 



fish is practically useless for the table, being small and 



rather full of bones; but it is said to be good when 



pickled. 



BULLHEAD, or Miller's Thumb. A somewhat ugly 



Coitus gobio. little fish, found in most of our smaller 



streams, lurking under stones, and, if 



disturbed, darting up stream to another similar hiding 



place. The skin is almost devoid of scales, but the back 



of the head is furnished with sharp processes, which 



have been known to cause the death of Kingfishers by 



sticking in the throat and choking them. 



STICKLEBACK. Local name, Tittlebat. The common or 

 GasterosUus aculeatus. Three-spined Stickleback is also plenti- 

 ful in our smaller streams, but is very 

 different in habits to the last. The males are very 

 pugnacious and sometimes fight to the death, using their 

 sharp spines as deadly weapons. They are coloured 

 brilliant scarlet and blue during the breeding season, and 

 after a fight the victor glows with redoubled splendour. 

 The body is covered with bony plates instead of scales, 



