142 



THE PERCH. 



stance, in a deep large pond, shaded by a thrifty growth of 

 brushwood on the margin, the yellow perch attains to a large 

 size, and becomes elegant in its proportions." 



It is the opinion of a late writer on Natural History, that 

 this fish, and that called the silver perch, is one and the same 

 thing. He says : " In our humble view, the yellow fins of 

 the silver perch, entitle it to the name and rank of the one 

 before us, (the yellow perch,) and further we believe, they 

 are one and the same thing the trifling difference in color 

 depending on circumstances. The love and ambition of sub- 

 division the longing to be the creator of new genera and new 

 species has introduced more confusion into works of natural 

 history, than can be expurgated in fifty years of common 

 sense to come." 



White Perch (Bodianus Pallidus Mitchill.) " With 

 soft and connected dorsal fins, pale back, and white sides. 

 Length eight inches, depth two and a half. Color whitish, 

 with a dark hue, according to the angle of reflected light. 

 Back, pale; tail even; lateral line extending through it. 

 Small teeth in the lips. Patches of them in the throat. Eyes 

 large and pale. Nostrils double." 



Smith gives a similar description, and also has the follow- 

 ing: " Pond Perch is another common name for the same 

 fish : we cannot discover any kind of difference whatever." 



Black or Red Perch (Bodianus Rufus Smith.) " This 

 is a little larger than the silver perch, and though denominated 

 red, is really nearly black, after it has done spawning. Oper- 

 culum serrated, the tail slightly forked, and the jaws and swal- 

 low set with fine sharp teeth. Usually the three first rays in 

 the anal are stiff. Very common wherever the others are found." 



Flint also mentions a species of this perch peculiar to 

 western waters, and a fine table fish, which he calls Brown 

 Bass. It is called Brown Bass (Lepomis Fluxuolaris) or 

 Black Perch, and grows from one to two feet in length. 



