56 ANGLING. 



gorge the hooked perch in their turn. In this case, though the 

 pike himself is seldom or never actually hooked, yet on the fisher- 

 man's drawing in his line, the perch sets so last in the greedy 

 throat of the finny tyrant that he has been unable to get rid of it, 

 and both are taken. 



" O'Gorman gives some examples of the same ravenous appetite. 

 One which he killed with a roach for a bait, had in his maw a 

 trout of four pounds weight, evidently just taken ; and another 

 seized a trout of more than six pounds. But these examples yield 

 to what he said he witnessed on Dromore. A large pike having 

 been hooked and nearly exhausted, was suddenly seized in the 

 water and carried to the bottom. Every effort was made for nearly 

 half an hour to bring this enormous fish to shore, but to no pur- 

 pose ; at length, however, by making a noise with the oars and 

 pulling at the line, the anglers succeeded. On getting up the pike 

 which they had been playing, it was all torn as if by a large dog, 

 but really, doubtless, by another fish of the same species ; and as 

 the pike so ill-treated weighed seventeen pounds, the rapacious fisli 

 that had held it so long must have been indeed a monster ! " 



Mr. Lloyd informs us that it is not an uncommon thing in. 

 the north of Europe for even the voracious pike to become the 

 rjrey of a feathered enemy. Eagles frequently pounce on these 

 hsh when basking near the surface ; but when the pike has been 

 very large, he has been known to carry the eagle under water ; in 

 which case the bird, being unable to disengage his talons, has been 

 drowned. This traveller was informed by Dr. Mellerborg, that he 

 had himself seen an enormous pike, with an eagle fastened to his 

 back, lying dead on a piece of ground which had been overflowed,, 

 but from which the water had then retreated. Captain Eurenius 

 informed the same author that he was once an eye-witness 9f a 

 similar circumstance. In this instance, when the eagle first seized 

 the pike, he succeeded in lifting him for a short distance into the 

 air ; the weight of the fish, however, combined with its struggles,, 

 soon carried both down again into the water, under wliich they 

 disappeared. Presently the eagle was seen at the surface, uttering 

 piercing cries, and apparently making great efforts to extricate its 

 talons ; all, however, were in vain, for after a long continued strug- 

 gling, he finally disappeared in the depths ot the river. 



The pike is generally believed to be a lon^-lived fish. Numerous 

 stories are recorded more or less authentic confirmatory of the 

 prevailing opinion ; and there can be little doubt, perhaps, that he 

 will live to a very great age, if well fed and ^undisturbed. This 

 fish, however, has too many enemies to allow him to survive many 

 seasons, except in stews and private waters, where he can remain 

 secure and unmolested. 



Many anecdotes are preserved respecting the size which the pike 

 is supposed to be capable of attaining. Wales is said to contain 

 numerous enormous fish in its deep mountain tairns ; and Ireland 

 that land of exaggeration boasts of fish of the extraordinary 



