152 PIKE. 



and half-grown geese as they swim; and even a couple of 

 young geese, Avith a waterhen, were found in the stomach of 

 one of these fish. It has also been known on some occasions 

 to seize and devour one of its own species almost as large as 

 itself. When this occurs, however, the whole body of the prey 

 cannot be received at once into the stomach; and the devourer 

 has been seen with the tail and a portion of its victim protruding 

 from its mouth, until by the dissolution of a part, there is room 

 afforded for the remaining portion to be in turn subjected to 

 the powers of digestion. With such perpetual craving it may 

 be supposed that where they exist the defenceless inhabitants 

 of the river are enormous sufferers from their depredations; and 

 so rapidly do they pursue the anxious flight of their prey, that 

 Jonston was himself a witness to a Pike's having thrown itself 

 into a boat in the eagerness of the chase. But notwithstanding 

 the voracity which so strikingly distinguishes this fish, we are 

 not to conclude that it does not exercise some degree of choice 

 in its food, or that some amount of fear or caution does not 

 mingle itself with its boldness. 



The frog is a favourite morsel; so that it has been said there 

 is no croaking in that department of a pond where the Pike 

 seeks concealment; but it will not touch a toad, or if on some 

 particular occasion the fish has ventured to swallow it, the 

 hateful morsel is presently thrown up; as it is known to do 

 also with other disagreeable food. It is generally believed that 

 it abstains from seizing the Perch, and also the Stickleback, 

 through fear of the bristling spines with which these fishes are 

 armed; and it is said to abstain also from the Tench, as if 

 from some dislike of the slimy covering of its skin; but this has 

 been ascribed to the higher motives of love or gratitude, a sort 

 of feeling little likely to be felt by it, notwithstanding poetic 

 authority in its support; and indeed more prosaic observation 

 asserts the opposite of such a self-restraint. 



In the "Zoologist" volume for 1853, p. 4125, the Rev. W. T. 

 Bree says that he "turned into a pit fifty-seven small Tench 

 and upwards of three score Crucian Carps; and not a great 

 while afterwards, having discovered the presence of Pikes in 

 this piece of water, a net was employed, with which three of 

 that species were taken, which weighed respectively about three 

 pounds, two, and a pound and a half; but all that remained 



