1STATUEAL HISTOKY, TOKONTO EEGION 



of two feet and a weight of eight pounds, but those I 

 have seen were never more than half that size. As 

 a food fish it is not generally appreciated, for its 

 flesh seems to have absorbed too strong a flavour of 

 the weeds among which it lives. 



32. Common Pike. Northern Pike. Lucius lu- 

 cius (Linnaeus). Common and generally distrib- 

 uted in all waters where there are sufficient weeds to 

 afford it shelter. The Pike is one of the most vora- 

 cious of our fishes, feeding upon any form of animal 

 life which it is able to overpower. Under favourable 

 circumstances it attains a large size, but in Toronto 

 waters it is so constantly pursued that it does not 

 get a chance to attain its full dimensions, and Pike 

 of over ten pounds weight are becoming very rare. 

 Spawning takes place in early spring, as soon as the 

 ice breaks up ; the fish running up on to rush beds 

 or grassy shallows for that purpose. The females 

 are very prolific ; one weighing thirty-two pounds was 

 estimated by the late Professor Buckland to contain 

 595,000 ova. Many anglers profess to look upon 

 the Pike with contempt, and treat its claim to be con- 

 sidered a game fish with derision. This is because 

 it is usually taken by them in the summer months, 

 when it is not in good condition. It is then soft in 

 flesh and weedy in flavour ; but in the autumn, after 

 the weeds have died down, it is a different fish ; then 

 its flesh is firm and good, and its fighting powers 

 will tax the angler's skill to the utmost. 

 264 





