414 FISHES. 



not to rise very freely to the fly until the early autumn. 

 The grayling grows to a weight of at least 4 lbs., among 

 our more celebrated grayling - rivers being the Trent, 

 Severn, Wye, Teme, and Yorkshire Ouse. It is not 

 indigenous to Scotland, but has been introduced into 

 that country ; nor does it occur in Ireland. It spawns 

 early in the year, April or May being the usual time. 



[The Argentine is a scarce and unimportant little fish, 

 of which not much appears to be known. It occurs in 

 our northern waters, where it is occasionally hooked close 

 inshore. In length it rarely exceeds 10 inches.] 



[Argyropelecus hemigymnus and Maurolicus pennantii 

 are two small and insignificant deep-water forms which are 

 usually placed either immediately before or after the salmon 

 group. Their chief interest lies in the presence along the 

 body of round spots, sometimes raised, the object of which 

 has been supposed to be luminosity — a theory based on the 

 great depth at which these little creatures pass their lives, 

 as well as on the identification of light-giving pores in a 

 similar Atlantic form. The former is the merest straggler 

 to the deeper waters round these islands, but the latter is 

 not uncommon.] 



CHAPTER XXI. THE PIKE. 



Angling writers have had a great deal to say about the 



Pike, which they are pleased to term the "Fresh-water 



' Pike, or Shark" ; and it is familiar in most of our rivers 



Jack. jj^j^j lakes, thriving equally well, so live food 



be abundant, in still or running water. There appear to 



be no pike in Sutherland. Many tales have been told of 



