THE PIKE. 237 



have been caught in Loch Alva, but that the colonel informed 

 him that Loch Patuliche was the water from whence it was taken. 

 But this pike of Colonel Thornton's, large as he was, has been 

 exceeded in size by one mentioned by Dr. Grierson, as having been 

 taken out of Loch Ken in Galloway, which weighed 61 pounds ; 

 and which is also alluded to by professor Wilson in his interest- 

 ing treatise on the rod. 



Pike are a species of fish that would multiply rapidly, were it not 

 for the numerous dangers to which the young are exposed till they 

 arrive at a sufficient size to enable them to fight their own battles. 

 The spawn as soon as it is cast becomes the prey of waterfowl of 

 all kinds ; and no sooner do the young come forth, than they are 

 exposed to the attacks of fishes of prey, not excepting even those 

 of their own species ; who like the old Time have an extraordina- 

 ry predeliction for devouring their own offspring, and that some- 

 times even when the latter have arrived at a somewhat mature age. 

 A curious instance of this is stated to have occurred at a pond at 

 Toddington in Bedfordshire, about thirty years since. A hook was 

 baited with a live roach, and the next morning a large pike was 

 caught on it, weighing upwards of 13 Ibs, when it was discovered 

 that a pike of upwards of 31bs weight was first caught, and after- 

 wards devoured by this unconsionable cannibal. Professor Wilson, 

 in his talented and interesting treatise on "The Rod," relates a 

 singular instance of the voracity of this fish, having once killed 

 a small pike about seven pounds weight in whose interior was 

 found a promising young pike, above a pound weight (probably his 

 own eldest son,) the tail sticking out of his mouth like a quid of 

 tobacco ; and the learned writer humourously continues. " The 

 beauty of the thing was, that the heir apparent had previously 

 swallowed a perch, and this would have been well enough in its 

 way, had not the perch had a hook in its mouth, and another cur- 

 ving from its tail, the result of which unforeseen fact was an 

 additional piece of gluttony on our own part, both parent and 

 child being stewed in milk that same evening, and eaten by 

 ourself, and a few quiet members of the society of friends." 



In addition to their more formidable enemies, pike are also sub- 

 ject to internal foes in the shape of small worms, which attaching 

 themselves to the parietes of the intestines, often produce the 

 most fatal results, with serious inconvenience to the sufferer in the 

 interim. 



