THE POPE AM) THE BLEAK. 21 



the water must be very foul indeed which a gudgeon will 

 not be able to exist in. 



The gudgeon is a most agreeable acquaintance at the 

 breakfast table. There is a crispness and piquancy about 

 his discussion, when duly fried and neatly served, which is 

 highly gratifying. 



While fishing for him, the young angler is apt to pull 

 up a fish somewhat similar in appearance at the first 

 glance ; and this is 



THE POPE OR RUFFE (Perca centua). 



The pope is of the perch family, having the distinctive 

 sharp spinous dorsal fin of the perch. It spawns in April, 

 depositing its spawn among the roots and fibres of water- 

 plants. It takes freely the same baits as the gudgeon, and 

 should there be a deepish slack eddy by the side of your 

 gudgeon swim, and near weeds or boughs, there you will 

 most probably take pope. It is hardly worth notice for 

 the table, but what little flesh there is on it is fully as 

 sweet and palatable as that of the gudgeon. It bites quite 

 as boldly as the gudgeon, and forms a desirable prey for 

 the young angler. It is said to have been quite unknown 

 to the ancients, and that it was first discovered in England 

 by the learned Dr. Caius, the founder of Caius College, 

 Cambridge, who flourished about the middle of the six- 

 teenth century, being physician to Edward VI. and the 

 Queens Mary and Elizabeth. This, however, can hardly 

 be correct, because we find it mentioned by Dame Juliana 

 Berners in the Boke of St. Albans, which was written in 

 the middle of the fifteenth century. She says that ' the 

 ruf is right an holsome fysshe.' 



THE BLEAK (Cyprinus albumus) 



is a lively gregarious little fish, and is very delicate eating 

 when cooked in the way in which sprats are commonly 



