222 NOTES ON FISH AND FISHING. 



Perkos is used to signify the dark shade which olives and 

 grapes assume when ripening, and a Homeric eagle is 

 called perknos, from its dark plumage. Hence our " perch" 

 is so called from the dark sable bands which bar his back 

 and sides. There is, then, no question to be raised as to 

 the origin and meaning of the word " perch." But I shall 

 take the liberty of saying that I don't like this naming of 

 the fish at all. Who were the etymological authorities, 

 or godfathers and godmothers, answerable for it I neither 

 know nor eare, nor whether it was enacted by royal autho- 

 rity, or by some infallible Pope, ex piscatorid cathedra ; 

 but I protest against it as a bit of most feeble piscine 

 nomenclature. Of one thing I am sure — namely, that 

 when Adam had a grand parade of birds, beasts, and 

 fish, " to see what he would call them," as he carefully 

 took the beautiful river perch in his hand, he admiringly 

 gave it some better name than merely " Dusky-fish." 

 The old Anglican name by which it was known was 

 a thousand times better than " perch." It was Hears ; 

 Dutch, Baars ; German, Barsch ; i.e. "Bars" — the 5ar or 

 barred-fish. 



I hope I shall not be thought trifling with what to me 

 is always " a solemn subject," viz. etymology, when I ask 

 why certain persons are called " perky" ? This is a "slang" 

 term now, but "to perk" was a good old English verb, 

 signifying the same as the modern " to perch." Of course 

 thoughtless etymologists will say that the term "perky" is 

 applied to persons who are "perched" up, or "perch" 

 themselves up above their fellows, and so assume a " per- 

 chitivity," and a certain unapproachability. And I 

 know that Shakespeare speaks of being " perk'd up," and 

 that Churchill, in The Iiosciad, inveighs against persons 



