THE PIKE 



(Esox lucius] 



THE pike is distributed over Great Britain and Ireland. Many of the 

 lochs and rivers in Scotland contain tine pike, but they are seldom 

 fished for. In England and Ireland, however, they are much more 

 sought after. The smaller ones weighing from 2 to 3 Ibs. are called 

 Jack. The spawning time comes on in March, at which time they 

 approach the shore and attach the spawn to reeds and branches of 

 trees, where it remains until hatched. 



By the end of August, if the feeding is good, they are half a 

 pound in weight, and in another year weigh about 2 Ibs. After this, 

 if they can procure plenty of food, a rapid increase in weight soon 

 takes place. Their principal food consists of living fish that frequent 

 loch or stream ; nothing comes amiss, not even members of their 

 own species. Where trout and the young of the salmon can be 

 got they prefer them to any others. They will even swallow frogs, 

 ducks, waterhens, rats, or any other living thing that appears on 

 the water. 



I have had occasion to net pike on the river Tay and its tributaries, 

 for the purpose of reducing their number, and on many occasions I 

 have found them stuffed full of smolts and parr. The destruction 

 thus caused must be very great, and when allowed to increase 

 in a stream or loch trout very soon disappear. In streams they 

 take up their abode in quiet corners, and remain perfectly still, 

 watching for a trout to come within reach. When it does so they 



dart after it with great rapidity, and if the unfortunate trout gets 



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