[Three Hundred Animals Contents]
SELDOM grows to any great size, and the largest of which we have any account is said to have weighed nine pounds. The body is deep, the scales rough, the back arched, and the side lines placed near the back. For beauties of colours, the Perch vies with the gaudiest of the inhabitants of the ponds, lakes, and rivers; the back glows with the deep reflections of the brightest emerald, divided by five broad stripes; the belly imitates the tints of the opal and mother of pearl, and the ruby nuances of the fins complete an assemblage of colours most harmonious and elegant. It is a gregarious fish and is caught in several rivers of this island; the flesh is firm, delicate, and much esteemed. They are generally boiled in wine or vinegar, which adds a considerable solidity and flavour to the flesh.
