THE PERCH FAMILY. 71 



have been the " pining away for love, and wasting lean/ 5 

 alluded to by Burton in his ( Anatomy of Melancholy ; ' 

 but if of sexes similar, then clearly it was the passion of 

 friendship in its most platonic phase. A good example of 

 the parental instinct in fish is afforded by the proceedings 

 of the male of the Stickleback, alluded to in the next 

 chapter. 



The first notice of the Ruffe is attributed by Cuvier to 

 Dr. Caius, a contemporary of Gesner. Dr. Caius found it 

 in the river Yare, near Norwich, and sent a drawing of it 

 to Gesner, by whom it was published in his famous treatise 

 ' De Piscibus.' It was christened by Dr. Caius Aspredo, 

 which is a translation of our name Ruffe, or Rough a 

 derivation easily accounted for by the hard, unpleasant feel 

 of its scales. In most of the rivers of this country, and 

 particularly the Thames and Isis, it is found in greater or 

 less numbers, and, though stated to be unknown in Spain, 

 Italy, and Greece, is an inhabitant of the more northern 

 European latitudes. 



In length the Ruffe seldom exceeds 4 or 5 inches, but I 

 once saw a specimen which measured upwards of 7. Its 

 spawning-season is April ; and it deposits its ova amongst 

 the rushes and flags at the margin of the water, to which 

 they adhere from their glutinous nature. 



Characteristics of the Ruffe or Pope. Gill-rays 7. One back-fin, but 

 with an indentation at the junction of the spiny and flexible rays, 

 the fore part being- spinous, and the hinder part flexible. Teeth very 

 small, numerous, and uniform, situated on jaws and front of vomer. 

 No scales on the head. Fore gill-cover notched gill-cover ending 



