84 TJIE TROLLER'S GUIDE. 



or gravelly ; because in such places, Gudgeons, Dace, and 

 other small fish delight to resort to. In February (if mild 

 for the season) Jack and Pike begin to move from their 

 retired situations, and, from natural feelings, they con- 

 gregate in shallow parts of pools, and nearer to those 

 parts of rivers, canals^lakes or ponds, where small streams 

 and ditches empty themselves, or run into larger waters. 

 In the month of March they spawn, retiring for that pur- 

 pose, in pairs, to the stillest part of the waters, and 

 deposit their spawn among, and on those weeds which are 

 of the nature of rushes, having thick stems, such as the 

 candock and water lily, and in default of which, about 

 the roots or lower parts of bull-rushes or sedges. From 

 March till August or September, Jack and Pike are not in 

 a vigorous state, seemingly more inclined to doze and bask 

 in the sun nearly out of water, than feed ; for at those 

 times it is not unusual to see numerous small fish swim- 

 ming and playing around this dreaded enemy of the finny 

 race for hours, without his disturbing them. At such 

 times, Jack and Pike will refuse the choicest bait the 

 angler con select, and if it is placed so close as to touch 

 his nose, he will not take it, but generally draws himself 

 a little back from it, and if you persevere in placing or 

 drawing the bait (either live or dead) to him, he will sink 

 or plunge away in anger ; in fact, Jack and Pike are 

 among, if not the longest of any fish, in recovering their 

 health, flesh and appetite, after the act of procreation ; 

 for few of them will take a bait freely, nor are they fit for 



