476 



Fishes. 



THE POPE, OB RUFFE. (Acerina cernua.} 



THE POPE is very like a small perch, but with a curiously 

 formed single dorsal fin : the colour of the back is a 

 dusky olive green ; the sides light brownish green and 

 copper colour; and small brown spots are spread over 

 the dorsal fin, the back, and tail. The pectoral, ventral, 

 and anal fins are pale brown. This fish rarely exceeds 

 six inches in length; but it is nearly as good as a perch 

 of the same size, which it resembles, both in its haunts 

 and habits ; it spawns in April, and feeds on small fry, 

 worms, or aquatic insects. 



Cuvier assigns the credit of the first discovery of this 

 fish to an Englishman of the name of Caius, who found 

 it in the river Yare, near Norwich, and called it Aspredo, 

 a translation of our name Ruffe, (rough,) which is well 

 applied to it, on account of the harsh feel of its denticu- 

 lated scales. 



