36 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



retires even more completely, or assembles in huge shoals, if the weather 

 be frosty, near some quiet nook or patch of decaying vegetation. This 

 information, although strictly true, is capable of great qualification. 

 The angler will find the general habitat thus given vary as does the 

 wind or the weather. Even, however, as one expects cold winds and 

 weather during the winter solstice, and soft southern breezes and sun- 

 shine in summer, so may he expect to verify my guarded statements as 

 to the habitat of the perch. Careful observation, however, will teach 

 him more in one day than I could ever do in writing. 



The diseases of perch are not many, and are chiefly parasitic. As his 

 Acanthopteryghn lordship devours all kinds of insects, and not unfre- 

 quently reposes (especially in still water) after a meal in a situation con- 

 tiguous probably to insect-fostering weeds, this statement is not surprising. 

 A sort of "fluke" buries itself in his gill, and a tapeworm is 

 found in his inside; the embryo of the mussel (Cynea anodens) clings 

 to its fins ; and the fish-louse (Argalus foliaceus) resides with seeming 

 pleasure on the well-fed fish. How far any or all of these indicate 

 bad health or cause it I cannot here pretend to say, and I know of 

 no authority on the matter to which I can refer the reader ; presumably, 

 however, these parasites do influence the health of perch. Perch seem 

 chiefly to die of that worst of all piscine ailments, too much "hook." 

 I think it is an otherwise long-lived fish. A peculiarity of the fish when 

 hooked is that it can almost invert the maw, ejecting all its contents.. 

 This has been made much of by a recent writer ; but it is easily 

 explainable. The maw is very large in proportion and elastic, and 

 hence easily protruded and returned. 



The perch, unlike most other fishes, is not very rich in folk lore. 

 I say folk lore because it conveys the idea intended of tattle of etymology 

 and legends, superstitions, and old-fashioned misconceptions. Dr. Badham,. 

 in his "Fish Tattle," has collected a vast number of these items, but as 

 the work is doubtless beyond the class of readers to which I chiefly 

 appeal, I transcribe seme of them for these pages. These kinds of 

 jottings are often very interesting and not unfrequently of considerable 

 volume. The carp, for example, furnishes a quantity of such "tattle;" 

 so does the eel ; but the perch, well known and esteemed, being such a 

 frank natured fish, has to a certain extent escaped the " wonderous tales 

 and legends old," in reference to its corporeal and mental qualities, 

 which seem to attend some of its confreres. Praise for its beauty and 

 condemnation for its unsuspecting boldness in biting seem the chief 

 qualities in the mention of it by old writers. Ausonius refers thus to it :. 



Nor let the muse in her award of fame, 

 Illustrious perch, unnoticed pass thy claim, 

 Prince of tne prickly cohort. 



