THE FAERY YEAR 



There was a violent commotion in the water, and 

 a rush of fish across the stream to the shallow, 

 still water at the opposite bank. A pike had seized 

 a trout, and was bolting it alive. The pike, in 

 attack, strives to seize its prey across the back. 

 If it succeed in this, it gives a terrible pinch that 

 breaks the back or paralyzes. Then the pike lets 

 go for an instant or two, and, as the trout drifts 

 round, seizes it by the head and swallows it. 

 But the preliminary pinch is not always given 

 effectually, as proved by the seared back of some 

 trout which have escaped. 



Here the trout, only mauled, managed to get 

 across the stream before the pike could seize its 

 head. But then a strange thing happened. The 

 pike, in gulping down its prey, had to contend 

 against a strong trout, not only living, but very 

 lively. The trout's tail we both could distinctly 

 see, as it waved in frantic protest out of the 

 pike's mouth, and actually appeared above the 

 surface of the stream, slapping the water. This con- 

 tinued for perhaps two minutes. Then there was 

 a significant silence, and the tail slid from our 

 sight. The tragedy was done ; but for some 

 minutes more the keeper could see a portion of 

 fish under water, whether the pike or trout he 

 could not feel sure in the failing light. 



Many of the larger pike the keeper takes by 



snapping a wire noose on a long pole round them. 



How is it that the pike waits to be wired even 



when he must see the man on the bank ? The 



186 



