ACANTHOPTERYGII. 83 



pleasing, often bright, disposed in bands across the 

 back, or in vivid hues on the fins, so as to afford 

 fine contrasts. 



Our common River Perch (P. Fluviatilis) is one of 

 the most beautiful of our native Fishes, especially 

 when its colours possess the brilliancy of life, 

 heightened by the soft transparency of a clear stream. 

 The back is of a greenish olive, sometimes shining 

 with the hue of the emerald, and interrupted by five 

 broad transverse bands of deep brown ; the under parts 

 are of a pearly white, and the fins of a delicate ver- 

 million. The strong spines of the dorsal fin are said 

 to be a sufficient defence against the voracity of that 

 finny tyrant, the Pike. The flesh is delicate, firm, 

 and much esteemed. It is common throughout 

 Europe and the west of Asia, and is believed to 

 have been introduced into our waters at some remote 

 period ; an opinion rendered more probable, by the 

 ease with which it is transported ; for such is its 

 tenacity of life, that it will survive a journey of 

 sixty miles, packed in wet moss or straw. 



The Perch is said to delight in lakes and slow 

 streams, particularly when the water is clear, the 

 bottom gravelly, and the margin fringed with over- 

 hanging bushes. It is not considered a difficult fish 

 to take with the rod, with various baits, the best 

 however being the minnow. It is gregarious in 

 its habits, swimming in shoals ; many may therefore 

 be taken in succession. It rarely exceeds a foot in 

 length, and two or three pounds in weight ; but 

 Pennant mentions one caught in the Serpentine, 



