OF GREAT BRITAIN. 71 



though spelt somewhat differently. M. Valen- 

 ciennes has published a long list of the names 

 which the fish bears amongst the Sclavonic and 

 Tartar races, but none of them seem to have any 

 relation to those by which it is known on the 

 western coasts of Europe. 



The Pike is the Brocket of the French, by whom 

 it is also called JSrocketoii, Lance or Lanceron, and 

 Becqiwl — the last having reference doubtless to 

 the flattened or duck-bill-like form of the muzzle. 



The ancient classical name of the Pike was 

 Ltuiiis^ under which it is mentioned by several 

 old writers ; and from this root have doubtless 

 sprung the terms Lnce or Lucie (the "White 

 Lucie" of Shakespeare and of heraldry), as well 

 as the Luccio or Luzzo of the Italians. 



To the ancient Greeks, so far as we are aware, 

 the Pike was a stranger; or if known, has escaped 

 notice in the writings of Aristotle. In the works 

 of several Latin authors it is mentioned, and is 

 stated to have been taken of very great size in the 

 Tiber ; but it has been doubted by naturalists 

 whether this fish — the Esox of Pliny— is synony- 

 mous with the Esox, or Pike, of modern ichthyology. 



' Nobbes suggests that the name Lucius is derived "either 

 a luceiido, from ' shining in the waters,' or else (which is more 

 probable) from Lukos, the Greek word for lupus : for as," says 

 he, " the wolf is the most ravenous and cruel amongst beasts, so 

 the Pike is the most greedy and devouring among fishes. So 

 that Lupus Fiscis, though it be proper for the Sea-wolf, yet it 

 is often used for the Pike itself, the Fresh-water Wolf." 



