16 NATURAL HISTORY. 



shine like gold and rubies ; on its back are green spots ; 

 three gold bands adorn the head. The naturalists of 

 early times tell marvelous tales of its rapacity. Its flesh 

 is best in winter. 



The Giant Perch (perga gigas) measures three feet 

 in length, and weighs over twenty pounds ; is of an ochre 

 color, spotted with brown ; has very small scales, and is 

 found in the Mediterranean Sea. Its flesh is considered 

 very palatable. 



The Stone Perch (perca cernua) is found in all 

 brooks ; six inches long, slimy, and with a large head ; 

 greenish-brown above, silver colored and shining below ; 

 feeds on larvae found in the water and young fish. This 

 fish is common in North Germany, and is much esteemed 

 on account of the excellence of its flesh, which is both 

 wholesome and palatable. Very tenacious of life, it will 

 bear transportation during the winter, and, although 

 seemingly frozen, is easily revived. There is another 

 species, peculiar to the Danube, which resembles the 

 stone perch, but is larger. 



The Star Gazers (uranoscopus scaber), plate 20, 

 fig. 9, are wedge-shaped, with large, flat, angular heads, 

 which are defended with a kind of mail. The ugly 

 mouth opens directly in front, exposing the sharp teeth ; 

 the eyes protrude from the forehead upward, from which 

 peculiarity they receive their name. Measuring ten 

 inches in length and two in thickness, brownish-green 

 above, pale white below, they are sluggish creatures, hid- 

 ing beneath the sea-plants, where they angle for fish, 

 which they take with their beards. The flesh is poor and 

 bad. 



The John Dory (trachinus draco). This fish, also 

 called Dorado, is a foot long, reddish-gray, with blackish 



