PERCH. 513 



pressed form of the body, which in most of the species is beautifully 

 Variegated by transverse, oblique, or longitudinal bands, and co- 

 vered with strong scales finely denticulated on the margins. 



The species before us has its snout lengthened into a tubular 

 form, or pipe : it is a native of the fresh waters of India, and is 

 celebrated for the extraordinary manner in which it takes its prey^ 

 which chiefly consists of the smaller kind of flying insects : when 

 it ohsnrves one of these, either hovering over the water, or seated 

 on some aquatic plant, it shoots against it from its tubular snout a 

 drop Of water, with so sure an aim as generally to lay it dead, or 

 at least stupified on the surface. In shooting at a sitting insect, it 

 is commonly observed to approach within the distance of from six 

 to four feet, before it explodes the water. When kept in a state 

 of confinement in a large vessel of water, it is said to afford high 

 entertainment by its dexterity in this exercise, since if a fly or other 

 insect be fastened to the edge of the vessel, the fish immediately 

 perceives it, and continues to shoot at it with such admirable skill 

 as very rarely to miss the mark* 



It may not be improper to observe, that this faculty is not en- 

 tirely confined to the present fish, but takes place in some few 

 others belonging to very different genera. 



[Block. Nat. Miscel. Editor. 



SECTION VIII. 



Perch. 

 Perca fluviatilis. Linn. 



The perch of Aristotle and Ausonius is the same with that of tha 

 moderns. That mentioned by Oppian, Pliny, and Athenaeus, is a 

 sea.fish, probably of the labrus or sparus kind, being enumerated 

 by them among some congenerous species. Our perch was much 

 esteemed by the Romans : 



Nee te delicias mensarum perca, silebo 

 Amnigenos inter pisces dignande marinis. 



Ausonius. 



It is not less admired at present as a firm and delicate fish ; and 

 the Dutch are particularly fond of it, when made into a dish called 

 water souchy. 



vol. v . % i 



