PERCH THEIR FECUNDITY. 39 



THE PERCH (Perca fluviattlis) flourishes in both 

 stagnant and running water. In the former they are 

 more commonly numerous ; the river perch are, how- 

 ever, larger, and far more wily. The perch are to an 

 extent a gregarious fish, moving in shoals. Deep 

 holes and the slower reaches of large rivers are their 

 chosen resorts. They are extremely hardy, flourish- 

 ing in the foul water of road-side pits, etc. They 

 spawn in April and May. They are extremely 

 prolific, the number of eggs carried by an adult 

 fish being over 200,000. The spawn is deposited in 

 an unbroken band or festoon of eggs, which are 

 generally entwined around weed stems, etc. Moles, 

 ducks, water-fowl, and vermin eagerly devour it 



Perch are of slow growth, considering the fact of 

 their being such voracious feeders. In confined 

 places, where the water is overstocked, they gradu- 

 ally diminish in size, until they range to almost the 

 length of a minnow. To keep a stock of good 

 perch in a confined water, they should be netted 

 every alternate season, the larger only of the fish 

 being returned ; the smaller may be distributed else- 

 where as store fish. Yearling perch average 2\ inches 

 in length when fed plentifully. In favourable cir- 

 cumstances perch acquire an unusual weight, 5 or 

 6 Ibs. being sometimes reached by them when the 

 supply of food has been good, and the surroundings 

 favourable. The remaining member of the Percidce 

 species is the 



POPE OR RUFFE (Rough). This fish is extremely 

 partial to canals and muddy pools. The more slug- 



