66 
ACANTHOPTERYGII.^ — PERCAD^E. 
poor fish floats a few days on the surface, drag- J 
ging out a miserable existence, until death puts \ 
a period to its sufferings. If, however, the blad- L, 
der be pierced when in this state, the contained j| j 
air escapes, the viscera recover their proper posi- | j 
tion, and the fish is saved.^' I 
The Perch spawns at the age of three years, 1 : 
when it is about six inches in length ; the month 1 
of April is. the season for this operation if the 
water be moderately shallow ; but in deep water i 
the spawning is later. In a Perch of two pounds i : 
the roe weighs seven or eight ounces, and con- 
tains, according to Harmers, 281,000 eggs, but 
according to Picot, nearly a million ; the number 
varying according to the age of the fish. Large 
and old fishes contain more ova than the smaller 
ones, which is not surprising, since the indivi- 
dual eggs are of the same size in both ; they are 
very minute, and have been compared to poppy i 
seeds.f 
The Perch, when seen alive in a clear stream, 
is, as we have said, a beautiful fish. Perhaps j 
the elevation of its back may be thought to de- i 
tract from its elegance of form, giving it a humped I 
appearance. The back rises somewhat abruptly j 
just behind the head, after which it tapers to the I 
tail: the height of the body, independent of the 
fins, is about twice that of the width. The 
general hue of the upper parts is a rich olive, 
crossed by five or six dark brown bands, which 
become inconspicuous after death. The sides have 
a brassy tinge, with pearly and steel-blue reflections 
about the cheeks ; the under parts are pure silvery 
white. The two dorsal fins, and the pectorals take 
* Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poissons. f Cuv. et Val, ii. 25. 
