THE POPE OR KUFFE. 27 



third rake will sometimes, when they are plentiful, pay 

 fairly ; but it is seldom that two rakings do not suffice to 

 bring to hook all that mean to bite. Perch often come 

 into the swim, and are taken when gudgeon fishing. 

 Indeed, should the presence of a perch be suspected, by 

 reason of a sudden cessation of biting, it is as well to put 

 on a larger worm, or to have a paternoster with a minnow 

 on handy, so as to get rid of Mr. Perch, who sadly disturbs 

 the equanimity of your clients. Dace, too, are often 

 taken in the gudgeon swim, and indeed this method of 

 fishing is often used purely for dace ; in the same swim 

 with the gudgeon, too, is often captured the Pope. 



THE POPE OR RUFFE (Perca cernua). 



If there be a deepish still eddy by the side of your 

 gudgeon swim, and a bank or bough beside it, there you 

 will probably (in the River Thames, at least) find good 

 store of popes. Like his great namesake, the Pope, " he 

 leads a happy life." The angler does not often trouble 

 him, for he is of little value ; and if caught by accident 

 he usually gets turned back again. Netsmen will not be 

 troubled with him either, as he fetches nothing either as a 

 live bait or for edible purposes, though the small amount 

 of flesh on the Pope is very sweet and wholesome, and like 

 that of the gudgeon. It is a curious little fish, and 

 though so little sought for does not seem to increase 

 much ; indeed, in the Thames, I doubt if it has not, of 

 late years, diminished. It lives exceedingly well in small 

 ponds. I have had one in a bait pond for above a twelve- 

 month, and it has grown considerably ; and, let who will 

 starve, he is always fat and hearty. Pope are not common 

 in English rivers, and not a great deal is known of them. 



