CHAPTER XII 

 THE PERCH 



As you walk by the rivers where the kingcups blaze, and 

 the frogs are croaking in the month of April, you will see, 

 perchance, lovely wreaths of perch spawn hanging round the 

 sere amber reed-stalks. And should you unwind one of these 

 spawn-wreaths from the reed and hold it against the azure, 

 you will find it looks more beautiful still, and recalls a hol- 

 low tubular bracelet, made of pure glass beads. Some of 

 these lovely necklets lie on the surface of the water, some far 

 below, lying on the weedy depths, most commonly on hair- 

 weed. And if you watch the place closely, you will see the 

 exhausted fish at times lying on the bottom after the spawn- 

 ing is over. When they recover a little they return to the 

 deepest holes round about, for the perch loves deep water 

 and a gravel bottom. In these holes they stay feeding 

 ravenously on worms, an they can get them, for they bite 

 furiously and fast after spawning, but are useless for food when 

 caught. Whilst they are getting into condition, the spawn is 

 hatched, about four weeks after it has been fertilised. 



The young fry take to the shallow parts of the stream, 

 where the water is warm, and there they stay feeding and 

 growing slowly, always swimming head to stream. In April 

 and May you may see thousands of them swimming against 

 the stream, on the lock floors. 



About the end of June the old fish begin to recover from 

 their exhaustion and get fat inside, and afford good sport 

 till the end of September, for they feed avidly throughout 

 the summer, but are fanciful in their meals. As a rule 



they feed mostly in the early mornings and forenoons, lying 



371 



