THE PERCH FAMILY. 



59 



has been kindly furnished me by Mr. Charles Wright, of 

 the Strand, may possibly be useful to the angler when 

 unprovided with the means of weighing his fish. It will, 

 Mr. Wright assures me, be found to be generally accurate 

 when the fish are in season. 



After the Pike, the Perch is the most fearless of our 

 game fish, often following a bait up to the very surface of 

 the water, or side of the boat, when he presents a really 

 splendid appearance the jaws open, the spines erect, and 

 the whole fish instinct with energy and fire. On these 

 occasions he frequently remains for several instants bristling 

 like a porcupine, as if threatening reprisals on those who 

 have presumed to balk him of his prey retiring at length 

 in sullen wrath with his face still turned towards his 

 assailants. 



The coarsest bill of fare and the most primitive cookery 

 are usually sufficient to tempt his appetite a fact from 

 which it results that he not uncommonly has the benefit 

 of the tyro's first angling-experiments. His favourite food 



