SPORT FOE, LADIES AND CHILDREN. 



101 



founding it with the numerous family of mullets of the Mugil 

 genus. 



THE WHITE PERCH. 



This fish is found at the meeting of salt and fresh waters all 

 along the coast from Cape Cod to the Carolinas, and, though 

 similar in essential marks, it differs in shade and symmetry 

 either according to its food or the waters it inhabits. It is a 

 little fish at best, ranging all the way from three ounces to 

 three pounds. Of course you throw the small ones back if 

 you do not hook them in the gills. The back is neutral-tint- 

 ed, sides a silvery lustre, and belly white. The first dorsal is 

 spinous, and the others soft-rayed, except the first anal. The 

 head is small, and, with its silver-plated gill-covers, small 

 mouth, and little teeth, looks pretty, bites freely, and resists 

 the angler merrily. This fish is peculiarly adapted for the 

 sport of juveniles. It is a pan-fish, white-meated, flat, easily 

 scaled, and quite a delicacy in November, for it is one of our 

 latest biting fishes. Angle for it with light bass-tackle, and 

 it is generally to be found near where a creek of fresh water 

 empties into salt water, or in brackish waters over springs 

 which bubble up from the bottom of a pond or river. A 

 white perch which weighs but a pound affords sport with 

 light tackle, and, when weighing three pounds, it plays very 

 vigorously. 



THE WHITE PERCH. 



