WAYS OF FRESH- WATER FISHES. 163 



the millers to make use of steam-power. This is 

 the reason why those old timbers, and the rough 

 walls surrounding them, are no longer frequented by 

 perch with erected back fins, examining the stones 

 for loach and minnows. He was once, as we know, 

 a bold biter ; but in some waters he has become very 

 fastidious so much so, that recently what was 

 formerly a famous perch-hole in my younger days, 

 was declared to be perchless ; and the assertion was 

 believed, because no one had ever fished there with 

 anything but live bait. A friend of my own, who is 

 a firm believer in the efficacy of well-scoured dew- 

 worms, having had good sport in various counties 

 with them, tried them in this hole, and to the surprise 

 of the owners of the property, he landed four fine 

 perch, one after the other, in quick time. 



For a glorious combination of colour, give me a 

 fine perch in good condition from good water. Where 

 a moderate rush of water runs from a sluice over the 

 mill-apron among stones, winding hither and thither, 

 and ultimately resting in a deep hole at the foot 

 that is the place where perch love to gather. I have 

 known them congregate formerly in great numbers 

 in such a spot, so that there was hardly comfortable 



