472 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



social fish/ he says, c haunts particular places, particularly where 

 an aquatic vegetable grows called Meakin. This plant grows 

 to be 6 or 8 feet long, in water about 10 or 12 feet deep, 

 forming a curious wood. Over this wood the boat is fixed by 

 an anchor, or a great stone fastened to the end of a long rope, 

 and if the fishing party consist of Ladies and gentlemen, the 

 sport is excellent • for every one being equipped with a line and 

 hook, on which the bait is hung, a plummet sinks the bait near 

 to the bottom, and the fishers hold the lines in their hands 

 over the side of the boat. If the Perch are hungry, perhaps 

 three or four will bite at a time, giving the hand a shake 

 almost equal to an electric shock ; then are they drawn up, and 

 the struggling victims erect their sharp fins, so that the female 

 fishers dare not touch them ; squalling and laughter in conse- 

 quence ensue — she holds her wet captive at arm's length, who 

 sprinkles her all over with water, and occasions the most laugh- 

 able distress ! I know of no pleasanter diversion than to make 

 one of a good-humoured fishing-party on this lake.' 1 Just a 

 year later, in 1793, Eichardson wrote the following note re- 

 garding the existence of Perch in Ulleswater : ' Bass is the 

 usual name for them here ; in an inquisition, taken in the time 

 of Queen Elizabeth, they are called Basse, Barce, and Barcelles. 

 They never go out of the lake ; they deposit their spawn among 

 weeds near the shore, where the water is deep, in the month of 

 May. It is frequently drawn up by the nets along with the 

 weeds, by which means myriads are destroyed. Some of these 

 fishes will weigh 5 lbs.' 2 Perch-fishing is still a popular sport 

 among the visitors to Windermere. In 1878 no fewer than 

 200 rods were kept at Bowness to be hired by tourists for 

 catching Perch. So abundant was this species that some local 

 anglers desired that Perch should be treated as vermin. When 

 Coniston was much polluted by water from the copper mine, 

 the Perch suffered less than the Trout. The finest Perch that 

 John Poole saw taken out of Windermere during an experience 

 of thirty years, weighed 4f lbs. Perch are sometimes drawn 

 up from the bottom of Windermere. Their bladders are then 



1 Remarks made in a Tour from London to the Lakes, pp. 67, 68. 



2 Hutchinson's History of Cumberland, vol. i. p. 459. 



