72 THE SPORTING FISH 



Ausonius, however, living about the middle of the 

 fourth century, clearly alludes to the Pike in his 

 well-known lines : 



" Lucius obscurus ulva lacunas 



Obsidet. Hie, nullos mensarum lectus ad usus, 



Fumat fumosis olido nidore popinis." 



The age to which the Pike will attain has been 

 always a debated point amongst naturalists. Pen- 

 nant mentions one ninety years old. Pliny con- 

 sidered it as the longest-lived, and likely to reach 

 the greatest age, of any fresh-water fish ; while 

 Sir Francis Bacon, agreeing in this view, yet 

 limited its probable maximum to forty years. 



In natural connexion with this part of the sub- 

 ject the limit of age in the Pike occurs that of 

 its probable growth and size when suffered to 

 attain to full development. It has been the 

 custom amongst modern writers to affect a civil 

 disbelief in the accounts of very large Pike handed 

 down to us by numerous credible witnesses ; and 

 the prevailing impression appears to be that a 

 weight of 30 or 40 Ibs. is about the real maximum 

 attained. I could easily refer, however, to many 

 attested examples of Pike having been taken in 

 the British Islands up to the weight of 70, 80, and 

 even 90 Ibs. ; but a single instance, too well au- 

 thenticated to admit of doubt, will suffice. I refer 

 to the case of the Kenmure Pike mentioned also 

 by Daniel in his " Rural Sports," and by Dr. 

 Grierson and other authors the weight of which 



