There is one species of perch which is capable of quitting its native element, and breathing the air, like eels, by climbing up posts, &c. &c.

Gallery of Nature, vol. v.

Crooked Perch.-Back quite hunched, and the back-bone near the tail distorted; to be found in the Thames, near Marlow; also in a perch-pool in Lyn Kaithlyn, Merionethshire.

The author of the Angler's Sure Guide, says, he once saw the figure of a perch drawn with a pencil on a door near Oxford, which was twentynine inches long. In the lakes of Lapland and Siberia, perch are found of a monstrous size. Mr. Pennant says, one taken in the Serpentine river weighed nine pounds. In the great pool of Bala, North Wales, they are taken at five pounds weight.

Schoeffer asserts that in Lapland there is a dried head of a perch preserved in the church at Luchlah, which, from the top to the under jaw, is about two hands broad.

A perch of eight pounds was taken in Dagenham Breach by Mr. Carter.

At Mulham Water, near Settle, in Yorkshire, perch grow to five pounds or upwards, but are generally blind with one eye, or both.

Sportsman's Cyclopedia.

It sometimes occurs that the fishermen take a perch with a stickleback in his mouth, which they take out, and place the perch again in the water; but the wound in his mouth is so great that it cannot be shut, and he becomes a prey to ducks and large fish. Dr. Bloch.

Girl killed by swallowing a Perch. -At Weedon-bec a young man and maid were playing with a perch, the lad threatened to make the girl swallow it, on which she opened her mouth unthinkingly, and the fish springing out of the lad's hand, suddenly stuck in her throat, which killed her on the spot. Gent. Mag. vol. 1.

As a barge heavily laden was passing up the Thames and Severn Canal, at Lodgmore, near Stroud, a small perch pursued by a pike, actually jumped from the water on board, and was immediately followed by the pike, when both were secured by a boy who was steering the vessel, the pike weighed between two and three pounds. Gloucester Chronicle, 1833.

In the Yas and Murrumbridgie rivers native perch are caught, from the weight of seventy to one hundred and twenty pounds, the breadth is great in proportion to the length of the fish.

Bennett's Wanderings in New South Wales.

The Ruffe is common to almost all the rivers and canals of England; particularly the Thames, the Isis, and the Cam, also the Yare, have it in abundance, and though said to be unknown in Spain, it is found over the colder portion of the European continent, - preferring slow, shaded streams, and gravelly bottoms. In its habits the ruffe resembles the perch, and feeds like that fish, it seldom resists a small red worm; when you have a bite strike directly. It is five or six inches long, and its flesh is said to be excellent; it must be dressed in the same manner as the perch.

Carp is a very wary fish, and requires the angler's utmost patience to ensnare. The biting time of this fish, (particularly of large carp) is very early in the morning. They delight in still water, where there are large flags and weeds, with broad leaves. One of the best methods of angling for carp is to gently drop in a line leaded with a single shot only, which will be sufficient to sink the bait. Do this in the following manner, let the bait so fall, that itself, and a few inches of the line, with the shot, may rest on one of the large leaves, the bait itself hanging within the water, over the edge of such a leaf; this bait must be a red worm, with a gentle to cover the point of the hook; when you observe the shot. drawn from the leaf, give the fish time to swallow his bait. But if you are fishing with paste, or boiled green peas, &c. &c. strike instantly,

let your tackle be strong, for the carp will afford you sport. You are enabled to judge of their haunts, when you hear them smack, or suck, as it is sometimes called. Throw in some slices of

H

bread as ground-bait, on the over-night and cast in, whilst angling, some small pieces, like peas, if you use paste; but the ground-bait is sufficient to entice them to the place.

Carp exhibit more or less of colour, according to their age, and the waters they inhabit; those taken from ponds will be greatly benefited in taste, by being put into river water for ten days, or a fortnight. Carp feed upon the larva of insects, worms, spawn, and young shoots of water plants, for which reason it is found beneficial to carpponds, when the water is low, to sow grass-seeds round the edges, &c. &c. They will live a long time out of water, and, with proper care in changing their litter, (keeping it moist,) they may be transported to a great distance. Dr. Block says, seven ships are employed in this trade to a great extent, from Polish Prussia to Stockholm, and are said to produce an ample profit. Carp were introduced into England in the year 1514.

Editor.

At a relation's in Essex, I rose two successive mornings at day-break, and caught with lobworms a brace of fine carp, eighteen inches long, and broad in proportion. I angled at different parts of the day for several days, even with green peas, paste, &c. &c. without obtaining a single bite. Editor.