jFourti) 



CHAPTER XII. 



OBSERVATIONS OF THE PERCH, AND DIRECTIONS 

 HOW TO FISH FOR HIM. 



pISCATOR, The perch is a very good and a 

 very bold-biting fish. He is one of the fishes 

 of prey that, like the pike and trout, carries his 

 teeth in his mouth, which is very large, and he 

 dare venture to kill and devour several other kinds 

 of fish. He has a hooked, or hog, back, which is 

 armed with sharp and stiff bristles, and all his skin 

 armed or covered over with thick, dry, hard scales, 

 and hath, which few other fish have, two fins on 

 his back. He is so bold that he will invade one 

 of his own kind, which the pike will not do so 

 willingly ; and you may therefore easily believe him 

 to be a bold biter. 



The perch is of great esteem in Italy, saith 

 Aldrovandus, and especially the least are there es- 

 teemed a dainty fish, And Gesner prefers the 

 perch and pike above the trout, or any fresh- 

 water fish. He says the Germans have this prov- 

 erb, " More wholesome than a perch of Rhine ; " 

 and he says the river-perch is so wholesome that 



