WAYS OF FRESH-WATER FISHES. 161 



perch. It is not invariably the case, perhaps, but it 

 is the exception otherwise. From some cause or 

 other the perch has become scarce where he was at 

 one time to be found in plenty ; and I can only 

 account for the fact in one way. The bottoms of 

 streams, ponds, and rivers, are not so clean as they 

 once were. It is now only in very remote districts, as 

 a rule, that you find any one of the above waters with- 

 out a deposit of mud, more or less odorous. The 

 food-supply has altered ; it is a long time now since 

 I have seen a large gathering of that nimble little 

 fellow, the fresh-water shrimp. At one time one 

 might watch the sandy bottom boil up, all alive with 

 countless myriads of them, where the water ran clear 

 through the meadows ; but this has not been so of 

 late years. They were fine food for the perch. He 

 could revel then in loaches, gudgeons, minnows, water- 

 snails, and shrimps. Then he existed in numbers ; 

 and more than that, he reached a good size. 



Only once of late years have I seen what could be 

 called a good perch, perfect in shape, condition, and 

 colour. That one weighed nearly two pounds. When 

 found, I made a note of him by placing a canvas on 

 my easel and painting him full size. One hears 



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