ON THE BEST KINDS OF FISH FOE EIVEES. 143 



do not improve in flavour by being placed in waters 

 having mud at tbe bottom ; but a good streamrperch, 

 from a clean gi-avelly water, is by no means a fisb to 

 be despised. 



I may perhaps here mention by far the best way 

 to cook a perch. Take a good-sized iish and lay it 

 on the gridiron precisely in the condition in which it 

 comes out of the stream, merely cleansing and drying 

 the scales. Do not cut off either the fins or the tail, 

 or the juices exude from the cuts ; when it is sufiS- 

 ciently done, take it off the gridiron (do not let it 

 cool), make a slit down the back, insert your knife 

 under the skin and lay aside the mass of scales and 

 skin, which will come off like a suit of armour, 

 leaving the firm, white, juicy flesh exposed ; rub the 

 flesh well over with a slice of butter ; pepper and 

 salt to the taste. Flake off the flesh with your knife, 

 leaving the skeleton and interior intact, and you will 

 find the meat as delicate and delicious as that of any 

 fish that comes to the table. The ordinary methods 

 of cooking perch utterly destroy the firmness, juici- 

 ness, and flavour which it naturally possesses. 



Perch should certainly not be introduced into 

 waters that support trout or salmon, as they are 

 voracious devourers of small fry, and in such places 

 are not worth their keep. 



