108 THE SCOTTISH ANGLER. 



same make and features, this fish will be noticed to 

 exist in one and not in another. Nay, it is well known 

 that, on Windermere, the char, in order to spawn, as- 

 cends only one of two streams at its head, the Rothay 

 and Brathay, although, seemingly, there is no difference 

 in the sizes and natures of these waters. Mr Whyte 

 mentions, that at Pitfour the raising of this fish was 

 attempted, but without success. We assume, then, 

 that the char cannot be forced, like many other fish. 

 Arid now we go on to treat of the stocking and raising 

 of the perch, the pike, and the trout, along with the 

 nature of the ponds necessary for them. 



And first, as to the perch. This hardy fish may be 

 transported with great ease, being very tenacious of 

 life. Even in wet moss, it can be carried alive from a 

 considerable distance. Perch, if well fed, breed quickly 

 in dead, dull waters. Their spawning time is March 

 and part of April. There are two methods of stock- 

 ing a pond with them ; one, and by far the surest, is 

 to obtain the live and grown fish ; another is to collect 

 the impregnated deposit, and lay it along the shoals of 

 your preserve for the sun to hatch. A microscope 

 will enable you to detect the proper state of the ova, 

 which you will find in large beds along the margin of 

 any tank where perch abound. When properly im- 

 pregnated, these will appear slightly discoloured, and 

 open or cleft on one side. 



Ponds intended solely for perch do not require to 

 be made large ; they should slope gradually down to- 

 wards the middle, from a depth of six inches to one of 

 five or six feet. Water weeds ought not to be greatly 

 encouraged. A series, or chain, of small basins, at 

 different elevations, is preferable to a single large re- 

 servoir for this fish. These basins should be connected 

 by a sluice and flood-gate, so that one may be readily 



