94 History Supplements

# ON PERCH

The perch is that fish which we call the "Persian fish." The reader may observe many illustrations of it in our *History of Fish*, where both larger and smaller varieties are depicted; however, here we provide another variety not illustrated in that work.

Next, we describe another fish very similar to the perch, which Gessner believes is the *Schedal* of the Danube in Bavaria. It is found in the Danube around Vienna, Buda, and elsewhere, and he asserts it could be called the "Pike-Perch." He writes that it is of little value, having soft flesh and no teeth. It possesses barbels on its upper and lower parts that are equal in thickness—and sometimes even in length—to the iron stylus typically attached to sword scabbards.

In shape, it is not much different from a pike, though it has spiny dorsal fins and the mouth of a perch. He believes it is called *Schaid* in the Danube because of the harm it inflicts on other fish, as it is said to devour them. Alternatively, since *schedel* means "skull," the name may have been given to the fish because of the size of its head.

Another species of perch.