The Compleat ^Angler 



spawning, is usually about the end of February, or somewhat later, 

 in March, as the weather proves colder or warmer ; and to note, 

 that his manner of breeding is thus : a he and a she pike will usually 

 go together out of a river into some ditch or creek, and that there 

 the spawner casts her eggs, and the melter hovers over her all that 

 time that she is casting her spawn, but touches her not. 



I might say more of this, but it might be thought curiosity or 

 worse, and shall therefore forbear it ; and take up so much of your 

 attention as to tell you, that the best of pikes are noted to be in rivers ; 

 next, those in great ponds or meres ; and the worst, in small ponds. 



But before I proceed further, I am to tell you, that there is a 

 great antipathy betwixt the pike and some frogs ; and this may 

 appear to the reader of Dubravius (a bishop in Bohemia) who, in 

 his book Of Fish and Fish-ponds, relates what, he says, he saw with 

 his own eyes, and could not forbear to tell the reader, which was : 



" As he and the Bishop Thurzo were walking by a large pond in 

 Bohemia they saw a frog, when the pike lay very sleepily and quiet 

 by the shore side, leap upon his head ; and the frog having expressed 

 malice or anger by his swollen cheeks and staring eyes, did stretch 

 out his legs and embraced the pike's head, and presently reached 

 them to his eyes, tearing with them and his teeth those tender 

 parts : the pike, moved with anguish, moves up and down the 

 water, and rubs himself against weeds and whatever he thought 

 might quit him of his enemy ; but all in vain, for the frog did 

 continue to ride triumphantly, and to bite and torment the pike till 

 his strength failed, and then the frog sunk with the pike to the 

 bottom of the water ; then presently the frog appeared again at the 

 top and croaked, and seemed to rejoice like a conqueror ; after 

 which he presently retired to his secret hole. The bishop that had 

 beheld the battle called his fisherman to fetch his nets, and by all 

 means to get the pike that they might declare what had happened ; 

 and the pike was drawn forth, and both his eyes eaten out ; at 

 which when they began to wonder, the fisherman wished them to 

 forbear, and assured them he was certain that pikes were often so 

 served." 



I told this, which is to be read in the sixth chapter of the first 



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