72 A BOOK OF THE RUNNING BROOK: 



run cold/' the hideous " sky-gazer " of the 

 Mediterranean, and the Nile perch, which even 

 a crocodile is said to eschew. Of these 

 Aca?ithopteri i or spinous-finned fishes, very few 

 inhabit our waters, an immunity for which any 

 one who has personally encountered a stinging 

 weever or even handled a perch incautiously 

 will feel grateful. 



The first dorsal fin of a perch is a weapon 

 both of offence and defence. When he is 

 placidly enjoying himself, after he has had a 

 satisfying meal of the small red worms which 

 his soul loves, and which are found in abun- 

 dance in the wet soil by Thames side, then 

 the perch sheathes his back fin. Like many 

 people of one's acquaintance, when he has 

 everything to his liking he can afford to be 

 good-humoured; but let something occur to 

 upset him (and a perch's temper has not got a 

 very firm equilibrium), and in a moment he 

 rushes at the offender, whatever he may be, with 

 all his spines erect and bristling, and, as a 

 French author aptly puts it, " il fait penser au 

 chat." As to these spines Mr. Manley quaintly 



