Esox. 173 



himself unsuspectingly with his tail at a tempting- 

 proximity to the jaws of the pike, which suddenly 

 caught at it. 



It would be impossible to express the terror of 

 the dog, on finding such an appendage thus 

 en-tailed upon him — he ran in every direction to 

 free himself, but in vain, and at last plunged into 

 the stream as a last resource, — but this was equal- 

 ly fruitless. The hair had become so entangled in 

 the fish's teeth, that it could not release its hold ; 

 accordingly, he struggled over to the opposite side, 

 now above, and now below the surface. 



Having landed, the dog made for his master's 

 cottage with all haste, where he was at length 

 freed from his unwilling persecutor ; yet, notwith- 

 standing the fatigue the latter had endured, he ac- 

 tually seized and sunk its teetli into a stick which 

 was used to force open its jaws. 



The pike lives to a great age, and attains an 

 uncommon size, if unmolested. One of the largest 

 probably ever taken, was found on drawing a pool 

 near Newport, England, that had not been fished 

 in for many years ; its weight was over one hun- 

 dred and seventy pounds. Another was taken in 

 Lough-Carrib, Ireland, weighing over seventy 

 pounds. In Persia, they attain a greater size 

 than in any other country. 



