I 4 THE PIKE 



dark-coloured fish, at certain times of the year it is 

 as slimy as a bream, and the whole story probably 

 simply comes to this, that the pike does not ' hanker 

 after ' such diet. When hard set we may be certain 

 that the pike will not stop short at any living thing 

 within its range of snap. The story as to the tench 

 at any rate gave Moses Browne the opportunity of 

 working his ideas up to the following outburst : 



The Pike, fell tyrant of the liquid plain, 



With ravenous waste devours his fellow train ; 



Yet howsoe'er by raging famine pined, 



The tench he spares a medicinal kind ; 



For when by wounds distrest and sore disease, 



He courts the salutary fish for ease, 



Close to his scales the kind physician glides, 



And sweats a healing balsam from his sides. 



