THE HABITS AND HAUNTS OF FISH. 43 



nant and running water. In the former they are more 

 commonly numerous ; the river perch are, however, 

 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, nourishing 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 de- 

 posited in an unbroken band or festoon of eggs, which 

 is 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 gradually diminish in size, 

 until they range to almost the size 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 elsewhere 

 as store fish. Yearling perch average two and a half 

 inches in length when fed plentifully. In favorable cir- 

 cumstances perch acquire an unusual weight, five or six 

 pounds being sometimes reached by them when the supply 

 of food has been good, and the surroundings favorable. 

 The remaining member of the Percidce species is the 



POPE OE RUFFE* (Rough). This fish is extremely 

 partial to canals and muddy pools. The more sluggish 

 running waters often contain vast quantities of them. 

 It is infeiior to the perch, both as regards size and the 

 quality of its flesh. It is an equally voracious feeder, and 

 affords good sport to the youthful fisherman where it 



t This fish is not known to our native anglers. It differs from our 

 white perch mainly in being of a darker color, approaching brown, on 

 the sides and back, and having a continuous dorsal fin instead of two, 

 the latter being a distinguishing mark of our perches. 



