Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 18.djvu/548

 522 PERPER variations occur, some specimens being singularly high- backed, others low and long-bodied ; sometimes such varia tions are local, and Agassiz and other naturalists at one time thought it possible to distinguish two species of the common perch of Europe ; there are not even sufficient grounds, however, for separating specifically the North- American form, which in the majority of ichthyological works is described as Perm ffavescens. The brilliant and The Perch, Perca fluviatilis. striking colours of the perch render it easily recognizable even at a distance. A rich greenish-brown with golden reflexions covers the back and sides, which are ornamented with five or seven dark cross-bands. A large black spot occupies the membrane between the last spines of the dorsal fin; and the ventral, anal, and lower part of the caudal are bright vermilion. In the large peaty lakes of north Germany a beautiful variety is not uncommon, in which the golden tinge prevails, as in a gold-fish. The perch is strictly carnivorous and most voracious ; it wanders about in small shoals within a certain district, playing sad havoc among small fishes, and is therefore not to be tolerated in waters where valuable fry is culti vated. Perch of three pounds in weight are not unfre- quently caught in suitable localities ; one of five would now be regarded as an extraordinarily large specimen, although in older works AVC read of individuals exceeding even that weight. Perch are good wholesome food, and highly esteemed in inland countries where marine fish can be obtained only with difficulty. The nearly allied pike -perch is one of the best European food-fishes. The perch is exceedingly prolific ; it begins to spawn when three years old, in April or in the first half of May, depositing the ova, which are united by a viscid matter in lengthened or net -shaped bands, on water plants. PERCIVAL, JAMES GATES (1795-1856), an American writer of many-sided activity, but chiefly remembered by his verses, was born at Berlin, Connecticut, on 15th Sep tember 1795, and studied at Yale, graduating in 1815, and taking a medical degree in 1820. His life was straitened by poverty and divided among a variety of occupations. He was by turns an army surgeon, professor of chemistry at West Point, a recruiting surgeon at Boston, geological surveyor of Connecticut (writing a Report pub lished in 1842), and State geologist of Wisconsin, where he died at Hazel Green, 2d May 1856. The intervals of these employments were filled up with literary work of a miscellaneous kind. An edition of his collected poems appeared at Boston in 1859 (2 vols. 8vo). Some of his miscellaneous and patriotic verses hold a high place in American poetry. PERCY. This family, whose deeds are so prominent in English history, claimed descent from one Manfred de Perci, who was said to have come out of Denmark into Normandy before the adventure of the famous Hollo. But it is more certain that two brothers, William and Serlo de Percy, came into England with William the Conqueror, who endowed his namesake the elder with vast possessions in Hampshire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire, among which were Topcliffe in the North Hiding and Spofforth in the West Riding, the principal seats of the family for many ages afterwards. This William deserves special notice besides, since he refounded the noble abbey of Whitby, which had been destroyed by the Danes, obtaining a grant of the lordship from Hugh, earl of Chester. Yet his piety would seem to have been of a rather unsteadfast character, for, having endowed the abbey with certain lands, he resumed them in order to reward a faithful dependant, till his brother Serlo, the abbot, complained to King William, and caused him to make restitution. The family, however, did not really descend in a direct male line from this William ; for in the reign of Henry II. his male descendants became extinct, and the inheritance was divided for a time between two sisters, though by failure of issue of one of them it was reunited in the next generation. Agnes, the sister from whom all the subse quent Percies Avere descended, accepted as her husband Josceline, a son of Geoffrey, duke of Louvain, on the ex press condition that he and his posterity should bear the surname of Percy, and assume the arms of her family, re linquishing their own. This Josceline was a brother of Adelais or Alice of Louvain, the second queen of Henry I., and by an arrangement with his sister, confirmed by Henry II. when duke of Normandy, he became possessed of the honour of Petworth in Sussex. He was also castellan at Arundel, and held several other important posts in the south of England. His son Richard and Richard s son William were among the barons who rose in arms against John and Henry III. respectively ; but the grandson made his peace with his sovereign, and had his lands restored to him. It should be remarked, however, as a feature of the times, that Richard de Percy was not the eldest but the youngest son of Josceline, and that, according to modern notions, he Avas really a usurper, Avho occupied the inheritance of a nepheAV ; his right, however, passed undisputed. He Avas one of the tAventy-five barons ap pointed to enforce the observance of Magna Charta. The next important member of the family is Henry de Percy, Avhom EdAvard I., after the deposition of John Baliol, appointed governor of Galloway, and Avho Avas one of his most active agents in the subjugation of Scotland, till the success of Robert Bruce drove him out of Turnberry Castle, and made him Avithdraw into England. He was rewarded by Edward II. Avith the barren title of earl of Carrick, declared to be forfeited by the Scottish hero ; and the same king appointed him governor of the castles of Bamborough and Scarborough. But he himself made his position strong in the north of England by purchasing lands from Anthony Beck, bishop of Durham, among Avhich Avas the honour of Almvick, the principal seat of the family ever since. His son, another Henry, took part in the league against EdAvard II. s favourites the Despensers, Avas in favour with Edward III., and obtained from EdAvard Baliol as king of Scotland grants of Lochmaben, Annan- dale, and Moffatdale, which he surrendered to the English king for the castle and constableship of Jedburgh or Jed- Avorth, Avith the forest of JedAvorth and some neighbouring tOAvns. A few years later, in fuller recompense of the unprofitable gift of Baliol, a grant of 500 marks a year was made to him out of the old customs at Benvick ; and in 1346 he did splendid service to his sovereign by defeat ing and taking prisoner David, king of Scotland, at the battle of Neville s Cross. To him succeeded another Henry Percy, a feudal baron like his predecessors, Avho fought at Crecy during his father s lifetime ; and to him another Henry, Avho Avas made earl of Northumberland at the coronation of Richard II. It may be remarked incidentally that the succession of the name of Henry in this family is altogether extraor dinary. For three generations before this first earl of