156 PIKE. 



influence of which latter on the development of the smaller 

 animals is well known. The young are produced in about 

 thirty days, and their growth is rapid, but it is much slower 

 as they advance in years, and yet without ceasing up to a 

 considerable age; the full extent of Avhich appears to exceed 

 that of any other known inhabitant of the waters. 



Lord Bacon supposed this fish to live for about forty years, and 

 it has been reported to have been known to reach a hundred; 

 but even this lengthened date must yield to the account given 

 by Gesner, who says that in the year 1497, a Pike was caught 

 in a lake or pond near Hailbrun, in Suabia; and attached to 

 its gill was found a brass ring, of which a small part was still 

 bright and shining, and of which he gives a figure with the 

 inscription engraved on it. This was in Greek, and a translation 

 of it is, "I am the first fish that was placed in this pond by 

 the hand of Frederik the Second, Governor of the World, on 

 the 5th. of October, 1230;" from which, adds this writer, we 

 conclude that this fish had reached the age of two hundred 

 and sixty-seven years. From the size of the ring, as given in 

 the before-named figure, it is to be supposed that when placed in 

 the pond it was not a small fish; and if it had not then been 

 caught, there appeared a likelihood of its continuing still to 

 live on for a considerable time. The diameter of the ring 

 exceeded three inches and a half, with a breadth at the border 

 of one fourth of an inch; and on its side was another ring one 

 inch and five eighths in diameter, by which it appears to have 

 been attached to the fish; while on the other side were fastened 

 six round drops of metal as large as peas, each of which is 

 fastened to the border of the principal ring by a short stem. 



No small amount of curiosity has been felt in reference to 

 the fact that Pikes have sometimes been found in newly-made 

 ponds, where it is not known that they can have been introduced 

 by human hands; and very diflferent opinions have been advanced 

 to explain the circumstance. Gesner ascribes it to the stork, 

 which he supposes to have devoured the spawn of the fish, 

 which afterwards has passed through the body of the bird 

 undigested, and has come to life after it has been discharged 

 into the water. In a report of the Meeting of the British 

 Association for 1845, we are told that the then Bishop (Stanley) 

 of Norwich, P.L.S., related several facts which went to shew 



