CHAPTER V. 



THE RUFFE OR POPE. 



THE Euffe or Bough (Acerina vulgaris) is another member of the 

 perch family found chiefly in rivers. It is not unlike the perch in 

 outline, and on the other hand its colours very much resemble those 

 of the gudgeon. At first sight one is almost inclined to suspect 

 hybridity, but although there are certain important resemblances, a close 

 inspection does not satisfactorily bear out the suspicion. The simi- 

 larities to both the suppositions parents at first sight consist in the appear- 

 ance of a cross between the characteristic spinous back fin of the perch 

 and the soft back fin of the gudgeon, the colour approximating to 

 that of the gudgeon, and the fact that the ruffe selects the same 

 haunts and spawns at the same season as the perch. The distinct 

 structural differences, however, on closer examination, are sufficiently 

 clear. In the ruffe the back spinous fin is connected with the 

 other fin nearer the tail, which in the' perch is not the case. In the 

 perch these dorsal fins are completely separate. The next difference 

 lies in the fact that the kind of scale is also distinct, and a comparison 

 between the following generic points of the ruffe given by Mr. Pennell 

 with those of the perch given in the last article will further show the 

 distinctiveness of each fish : Gill rays, 7 ; one back fin, but with an in- 

 dentation at the junction of the spiney and flexible rays, the fore part 

 being spinous and the hinder part flexible ; teeth very small, numerous, 

 and uniform, situated on jaws and front of vomer ; no scales on the 

 head ; fore gill cover notched, gill cover ending in a point ; colouring 

 of upper part of body and head generally light olive brown, merging 

 into a yellowish brown on sides, growing silvery white towards the belly ; 

 "back, back fin, and tail spotted with brown; pectoral, ventral, and 

 anal fins, pale brown. Its weight rarely exceeds 2oz., although I once 



