PEECIDJE OR PERCHES. 115 



to what extent such epithets as ' ferrugineus ' and ' pur- 

 pureus ' might stretch, when both words are used by 

 Virgil and Ovid for one flower, and that the hyacinth ? 

 Prom such instances, and many more which might be 

 added, it must be plain that adjectives expressive of co- 

 lour are by no means nice to a shade ; and we doubt 

 not that Trepico^ did service for a variety of other objects 

 in natural history besides Aristotle's perch and Homer's 

 eagle. 



This fish was held in high esteem in ancient days by 

 both Greeks and Latins : Arthestratus uses the inviting 

 term av66av)(pco<;, and a Latin poet calls it '^delicise men- 

 sarum :' Ausonius speaks very highly of it : 



Nor let the Miise, in her award of fame, 

 Illustrious perch, unnoticed pass thy claim ; 

 Prince of the prickly cohort, bred ia lakes 

 To feast our boards, what sapid boneless flakes 

 Thy solid flesh supplies ! though river-fed, 

 No daintier fish in ocean's pastures bred 

 Swims thy compeer ; scarce mullet may compete 

 With thee for fibre firm and flavour sweet. 



Galen prescribes it to invalids ; and even the monks 

 of Salerno, no advocates for fish-diet in general, allot it 

 some commendation in their hygeian code. Fracasto- 

 rius, in his fine poem on a foul disease,* where he pro- 

 scribes almost all other species, allows, and even recom- 

 mends this. 



Several places are mentioned by a variety of authors 

 as famous for perch, Ausonius praises those of the Mo- 

 selle, ^han speaks in equally high terms of those of 

 the Danube ; and Platina of the Po and Lago Maggiore. 

 The river Rhine and the Swiss lakes were early known 

 to produce very fine ones; but perhaps the perch of 

 our Norfolk Broads are as good as any ; and it is doubt- 

 ful whether a genuine specimen was ever taken from a 



* De Morb. Gallic. 



