THE RUFFE, OB POPE. 95 



be any where regarded as extraordinary, and a 

 Perch of a pound is looked upon as a fine fish. The 

 flesh of this species as an article of food is whole- 

 some, though neither rich nor high flavoured. The 

 months of April, May, and June, are those during 

 which it is least esteemed. 



The Basse, or Sea Perch (Perca labrax, Linn. 

 Labrax lupus, Cuv. and Val.), is a fish of a chaste 

 and pleasing aspect, though destitute of the strongly 

 contrasted colouring of the preceding, from which 

 it is also distinguished by an abundance of small 

 teeth upon the tongue. It is abundant in the 

 Mediterranean, and occurs occasionally along the 

 British shores. We have seen it in the Edinburgh 



o 



Market. It is a very voracious fish, remarkable 

 for the size of its stomach, and was known to the 

 ancients by the appropriate name of lupus. It 

 takes a bait freely (onisci, broken shell-fish, etc.) 

 when angled for during flood-tide, with strong 

 tackle, from projecting rock or pier. The ordinary 

 size ranges from 12 to 18 inches, although Wil- 

 loughby has stated that it sometimes attains the 

 weight of 15 pounds. Its flesh is excellent. 



THE RUFFE, OR POPE.* 



This fresh water fish bears a considerable resem- 

 blance to the Perch, both in form and habits. It 

 is much esteemed for the delicacy of its flesh, 

 but is unfortunately unknown in Scotland. Mr. 

 Yarrell informs us that it is common to almost all 



* Perca cernua, Linn. Accrina vulgaris, Cuv. and Val. 



