PERCID.E, OR PERCH TRIBE. 29 



whole of temperate Europe, and is even found in Lapland ; other 

 species are found in America, and in the tropical parts of the 

 Old World. The food of the Perch consists of insects, worms, 

 and small fishes, which it devours with great voracity ; and it 

 may be rendered sufficiently tame, to take these from the hand. 

 Like the Carp, it is very tenacious of life ; and will live for 

 many hours if packed in wet moss, and occasionally refreshed 

 with water. The Basse is a marine fish, nearly allied to the 

 Perch in its general structure ; it is found on the whole line of 

 our southern coast ; and associates in shoals, which at the spawn- 

 ing time frequent the mouths of rivers, and even advance up the 

 stream to a considerable distance. It will not only live but 

 thrive in fresh-water, if well supplied with food ; which, in its 

 natural haunts, consists of small fishes and crustaceans. In 

 these, and other species, the ventral fins are placed immediately 

 beneath the pectoral (Fig. 246) ; and Fish in which this arrange- 

 ment exists, are characterised as thoracic. Other Percidse, how- 

 ever, have the ventrals situated upon the throat, further forward 

 than the pectorals ; such are said to be jugular. In this group 

 we find the Trachinus or Weever, which has the first ray of the 

 dorsal fin extended into a very long spine, and has also a strong 

 spine on each operculum. This fish lies in the mud, and inflicts 

 severe wounds with its dorsal spine, which the fishermen believe 

 to have a poisonous power ; the bad character of the wound, 

 however, merely results from the rugged nature of the instru- 

 ment which inflicts it. Something of the same kind is the case 

 with the Perch ; the sharp spines in its dorsal fin having been 

 known to lacerate the fingers of those who handle them incau- 

 tiously. Another curious genus of this second group is the 

 Uranoscopus, or Star-gazer ; so called because the eyes are situ- 

 ated on the upper surface of the nearly cubical head, and directed 

 towards the heavens. Within the mouth, behind the tongue, is 

 a long narrow slip, which the fish can protrude ; and which 

 serves as a bait to attract the small fishes on which it preys, 

 whilst it is itself concealed in the mud. One species inhabits 

 the Mediterranean ; but none of the others are eaten. A third 

 division of the Percidae comprises those which are abdominal. 



