156 THE PERCH. 



Rochester, display on their coats of arms the 

 fishes of their own name ; and St. Mungo's 

 salmon figures in the arms of Glasgow. A very 

 lengthy catalogue might be given of prelates, and 

 other dignitaries, also of royal examples, who have 

 gone to the fish-world for their crests. Barbel 

 appear in the royal arms of Bohemia and Hungary ; 

 also in the arms of Queen Margaret of Anjou ; and 

 salmon on those of the Princes of Lorra'ne. 



As an edible fish, perch enjoys a fine reputation, 

 and a river perch has decided claims on our' con- 

 Perch as sideration ; those of the Hampshire Avon, 



food t] le Colne and Kennet are very good ; but 

 a Thames perch is the best of all river perch. I 

 have caught and eaten Corrib perch those of 

 Maidstone,Kent, and Firle, Sussex also of Naseby, 

 Northamptonshire ; the last " spatchcock'd " and 

 broiled in butter, in the Bungalow on the banks of 

 the reservoir, by a lady angler (my host's wife), 

 were excellent. Therefore, I cannot but endorse 

 what Ausonius says in his lines, which have been 

 thus translated : 



" Prince of the prickly cohort, bred in lakes 

 To feast our boards, what sapid, boneless flakes 

 Thy solid flesh supplies ! Tho' river-fed, 

 No dantier dish in ocean's pastures bred 

 Swims thy compeer ; scarce mullet may compete 

 With thee for fibre firm, and flavour sweet." 



Among the ancients the perch was held in high 

 esteem. Galen, the celebrated physician born 

 A.D. 150, died A.D. 201 prescribes it for invalids 

 generally ; and one famous doctor, though he 

 taboos other fish, flesh, and fowl to certain patients, 

 permits them perch. Izaac Walton, commending 

 that fish, mentions the proverb " More wholesome 



