GROWTH, SHAPE, &C. OF JACK AND PIKE. 251 



folding plummet, got sufficient hold of the Jack, that 

 I held him, and soon killed and landed this hungry 

 intruder. 



Perch (the large ones especiaUy) seem but little 

 intimidated by the appearance of Jack or Pike, for they 

 continue to swim about as before those tyrants appear- 

 ed. The following singular circumstance occurred 

 with my friend, Mr. R. Robinson, who laid a trimmer 

 baited with a stone loach, which a Perch, of about 

 half a pound weight, took and gorged ; a Pike^ then 

 finding the Perch somewhat embarrassed, seized him, 

 I and attempted to pouch him ; but the dorsal fin of the 

 Perch stuck so fast across the throat of the Pike, that 

 he could not extricate himself j by which means, Mr. 

 R. secured both Perch and Pike. It is, however, differ- 

 ent with other Fish, as they immediately swim or 

 dart away with the greatest velocity, and the Eel) 

 suddenly sink and bury themselves in the mud, or lay 

 close under thick and heavy beds of weeds. 



It is generally supposed, that Jack will increase in 

 weight something more than a pound in a year, for the 

 first four or five years, and, during that time, continue 

 to grow in length ; but, after that period, they grow 

 more in depth or breadth and thickness. Some writers 

 on Natural History affirm that Pike will live two or 

 three hundred years, and grow to the amazing size of 

 a hundred and fifty pounds, or more, and that they are 

 ISO wonderfully prolific, as to produce more than a 

 ■hundred and fifty thousand eggs in one roe. Of those 

 circumstances, respecting the age, &c. of Jack and 



