Size, 
Defcr. 
S12: PIE “Rae WE Clits FV 
It is not lefs admired at prefent as a firm and de- 
licate fifh; and the Dutch are particularly fond of 
it when made into.a difh called Water Souchy. 
It is a gregarious fifh, and loves deep holes and 
gentle ftreams. It is a moft voracious fifh, and eager 
biter: if the angler meets with a fhoal of them, he 
is fure of taking every one. 
It is a common notion that the pike will not at- 
tack this fifh, being fearful of the fpiny fins which 
the perch erects on the approach of the former. This 
may be true in refpect to large fifh ; but ~it is well 
known the {mall ones are the moft tempting bait 
that can be laid for the pike. 
The perch is a fifh very tenacious of life: we 
have known them carried near fixty miles in dry 
ftraw, and yet furvive the journey. 
Thefe fith feldom grow to a large fize: we once 
heard of one that was taken in the Serpentine river, 
Hyde-Park, that weighed nine pounds, but that is 
very uncommon, 
The body is deep: the fcales very rongh: the 
back much arched. 
The irides golden: the teeth fimall, difpofed in 
the jaws and on the roof of the mouth: the edges 
of the covers of the gills ferrated: on the lower end 
of the largeft is a fharp {pine. 
The firft dorfal fin confifts of fourteen ftrong 
fpiny rays; the fecond of fixteen foft ones: the pec- 
oral fins are: tranfparent, and confift of fourteen 
yays ; the ventral ef fix; the anal of eleven. 
The tail is a little forked. 
The 
