The Perch 



They are gregarious, always in schools, 

 and the fish of a school will be about of a 

 uniform size, be that great or small. When 

 the young angler meets a school of good- 

 sized perch, he may capture every one, if 

 he be noiseless and wary. The usual length 

 of the yellow perch is less than ten inches, 

 and its average weight less than a pound, 

 though specimens have been caught up to 

 four pounds. In feeding, they chase small 

 minnows instead of waiting for a single 

 fish to come near enough to seize by a 

 single dart upon it, as the pickerel does. 

 They are not rapid in their movements, but 

 seem to dart with open mouth at several 

 minnows, as though to catch some of the 

 number they pursue. 



Many of the old writers treat of the 

 perch with contempt Forrester, Scott, 

 Norris and Robert B. Roosevelt, all have 

 a fling at this hardy and gamey fish. Mr. 

 Roosevelt in his book on game fishes in a 

 spirit of levity says: " Their flesh is coarse, 

 white and tasteless, and they are pursued 

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