476 
Fishes. 
THE POPE, OR RUFFE. (Acerina cernua.) 
The Pope is very like a small perch, but with a curiously 
formed single dorsal fin : the colour of the back is a 
dusky olive green ; the sides light brownish green and 
copper colour; and small brown spots are spread over 
the dorsal fin, the back, and tail. The pectoral, ventral, 
and anal fins are pale brown. This fish rarely exceeds 
six inches in length ; but it is nearly as good as a perch 
of the same size, which it resembles, both in its haunts 
and habits ; it spawns in April, and feeds on small fry, 
worms, or aquatic insects. 
Cuvier assigns the credit of the first discovery of this 
fish to an Englishman of the name of Caius, who found 
it in the river Yare, near Norwich, and called it Aspredo, 
a translation of our name Ruffe, (rough,) which is well 
applied to it, on account of the harsh feel of its denticu- 
lated scales. 
