48 THE PERCH. 



there is no possibility of your losing your prey, 

 except by breakage of tackle, and that is an 

 accident of rare occurrence, thanks to the general 

 excellence of London makers. 



In the autumn the chub takes the worm readily, 

 but except in the mode first described, it is not in 

 my opinion a fish at all worth fishing for. 



The chub is known in the north as the "skelly," 

 perhaps on account of the large size of its scales. 

 Its scientific name is " Cyprinus cephalus" The 

 epithet (Greek for a head) refers to its head being 

 rather disproportionately large, particularly about 

 the jaws (we talk of a chubby-cheeked boy or a 

 chubby-headed fellow). Like most of the tribe, the 

 chub spawns during the spring months, about May : 

 the fins are a dusky red or brown colour. 



THE PERCH. 



The Thames, as has been said, is occupied 

 almost exclusively by fish of the order Cyprinid&> 

 just as Argyleshire is by Campbells, and Wales 

 by the once-regal family of Jones ; but a few other 

 tribes are represented by isolated families. Such 

 is the case with the Percidce, a type of which, 

 " Perca fluviatilis, is one of the commonest and 



