33 Pike-Fishing. 



upbringing ; and pike, perhaps more than any other 

 fish, differ widely in edible virtues according to the 

 nature of the home influence and the provision that 

 has been made for their growth in goodness. Mr 

 Pennell assures us that " probably the worst pike 

 are those bred in the Scotch lochs." If this be so, 

 we can only lament that certain individuals are 

 always found to disgrace their nationality, and we 

 can now readily excuse the connoisseurs who, natu- 

 rally believing that " the wale o' a' thing " was to 

 be had in the North, tasted one of its degenerate 

 pike (possibly an importation), and forthwith ab- 

 jured all pike whatever from that day till this. 

 But there are Scottish rivers as well as Scottish 

 lochs, and the pike of several of the former are 

 excellent. The best feeding for jack in stews was 

 said to be eels ; but in the rivers, while the supply 

 of these is not small, there is besides an abundance 

 of young trout and other fry, with which the pike 

 are permitted to fraternise just too freely for the 

 interests of the trout. It is owing to such fa- 

 vourable conditions for growth that the pike of the 

 Clyde prove remarkably good eating good enough, 

 perhaps, to falsify old Camden's famous report 

 of " Horsea pike, none like." They are best when 

 over 5 Ib. or 6 Ib. in weight, but they must not 

 have altogether lost the sweetness of youth; for 

 as Walton reminds us, " the old or very great pikes 



