40 PERCH AND POPE. 



CHAPTER VI. 



PERCH AND POPE. 



f HE Perch is a thick and broad fish, very high on the 

 upper part of the back, with a fine bright eye, small 

 head and large mouth, well furnished with small teeth in 

 addition to others in the throat. The tail and belly fins 

 are a bright vermillion, the pectoral and dorsal-fins brown. It 

 has two fins on the back, the one nearer the head being armed 

 with strong spikes, having extremely sharp points which it 

 erects when alarmed or attacked. The angler should be 

 careful when unhooking a Perch, not to have his hands pricked 

 by this sharp dorsal defence ; I have sometimes known it to 

 have unpleasant results. The Perch is covered with strong 

 scales and is of a bronzy green on the back and down the 

 sides ; on these are several dark stripes or shades reaching 

 from the back nearly to the belly. They appear to spawn at 

 various times ; in some places in March, in others not till 

 May or June, and are in season the remainder of the year, 

 though they seldom feed well in frosty weather ; but when 

 the weather is mild they may be taken all through the winter 

 months. 



The Perch is a peculiar exception to the general rule that 

 fish of prey are of a solitary nature, he on the contrary is 

 socially gregarious, and as regards taking a bait, remarkably 

 imitative ; it being well known that where you have taken 

 one, you should invariably remain some time, and fishing 

 with the ordinary amount of attention, you will in all probabil- 

 ity get all there are in the hole. But, lose one, and although 

 he is naturally a bold biter, the chances are ten to one that 

 he communicates his fright to all the rest, and that they will 

 disappear with him ; leaving the angler no other resource 

 than to try a fresh place with more skill. Perch are to be 



