6 THE PIKES: DISTRIBUTION AND COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE. 



Of what the peculiar virtues of each consist depends much upon the 

 view point, as did the alleged bad qualities. For example, there have 

 been waters in which some pike and other fishes have lived in recip- 

 rocal comiterpoise from time immemorial, notwithstanding the con- 

 demned ''characteristic voracity of the pike." Supposing that at 

 some particular time the pike had been rendered less voracious, the 

 tendency then would have been toward an undue increase of the 

 natural objects of that voracity, which had probably been relatively 

 as voracious on their own part in devouring the eggs and young of 

 the pike. The increase of these forms might have resulted in the 

 extermination of the pike, which would natm'ally have been reflected 

 upon the other forms by depriving them of a part of their customary 

 and requisite food supply, consisting of the eggs and young of the 

 pike, and so have resulted in the decrease, deterioration, or extinction 

 of those forms upon which the pike had exercised that quality which 

 had been generally regarded as superlatively bad. The foregoing 

 illustration is only a partial statement of the disturbances possible 

 through extraneous or unusual agencies. 



It is, however, a phenomenon that is usually manifested as a result 

 of overfishing, which amoimts to the same thing as depriving the pike 

 of its voracity, and similar to what often happens when black bass 

 are introduced into pickerel ponds, of which there are many instances, 

 but the cause of which has not been fully recognized. For instance, 

 it has been recognized that black bass have practically exterminated 

 pickerel in certain waters, but why the black bass afterwards deteri- 

 orated in size and number did not seem explainable. These facts 

 may be equally applied to other fields and fishes as respects their 

 artificial distribution, and particularly to the members of the pike 

 family itself, for it should be borne in mind that the reverse process 

 of the foregoing is just as effective. If the pike should be rendered 

 more voracious or, what amounts to the same thing, unduly increased 

 in number, it would signify that sooner or later the food supply 

 would be depleted, with the result that the pike would be forced to 

 depend more and more upon its own yomig and would fuially fig- 

 uratively swallow itself. 



The problem in the culture of the pikes, as well as in fish culture 

 in general, is, or should be, how by artificial propagation to maintain 

 a natural balance. Therefore, the common practice of placing several 

 kinds of predacious fishes in one body of water should be abandoned. 

 Attention should be paid to not over two species intended for culti- 

 vation and the food supply for them. Preferably, the fishes should 

 be those natural to the waters to be stocked or, if not the natural 

 forms, those nearest like them. In other words, species to which the 

 waters are suited should be used, and when two species are intro- 

 duced they should be of different habits, particularly the fishes that 



