THE PEECH. 141 



perch waters, I have heard of as many as two hundred fine 

 fish being taken out of one hole, by two rods in a few hours, 

 when they have been in that condition. That instance is 

 the exception, however, and not the rule. In January and 

 February they are taken in the largest quantities, but in the 

 autumn and early part of the winter they are not to be had so 

 easily. 



Perch spawn in April, and deposit their eggs on the weeds 

 and rushes, the submerged branches or fibrous roots of trees 

 or bushes in the still backwaters, or up ditches, and these 

 hang about the weeds, &c., like long festoons of lace; it is 

 then that swans, &c., should be kept away, for they will 

 gobble up this spawn by the yard. One singular point in the 

 perch is that out of every dozen that is captured, eleven of 

 them are female fish. Some naturalists infer that the perch 

 are bisexual, and that they are self-concipient, but one thing 

 is certain, they are very prolific, even a small perch contains 

 a vast quantity of eggs. Perch in some localities will reach 

 a considerable size. I have heard of them reaching a very 

 heavy weight in the Danube, but in England they very 

 seldom exceed the weight of four pounds, and this is by no 

 means common. A three-pound fish is a very heavy one, a 

 two-pounder is a good one, while a pounder or a three-quarter- 

 pounder is not to be despised, while even a dish of half- 

 pound perch does not fall to the lot of the angler every day. 

 The Thames, the Kennet, and the Hampshire Avon are perhaps 

 the best rivers in England for perch, for we hear of them 

 being taken out of those rivers very often of the weight of 

 from two to two and a half pounds, while in the broads of 

 Norfolk and Suffolk, and the meres of Huntingdonshire, we 

 hear of them of the weight of four pounds and even a few a 

 little over. The Trent does not seem to be much of a perch 

 river, either as regards weight or numbers. I don't see why 

 it should not, but such is the fact. I have never yet seen 

 or heard of a two-pound perch being taken out of the Trent. 1 

 Some localities are better stocked with them than others, 



1 Since writing the above, I have seen a brace that were taken out 

 of this river with the salmon nets, weighing a trifle over two pounds 

 apiece. 



