1 86 THE PIKE 



Dr. Day, also, in his 'British and Irish Salmonidae,' 

 says that ' pike in trout preserves not only diminish 

 the inhabitants, but scare them to that extent that 

 they become timorous of feeding, and frequently 

 occasion a great falling off in the general condition of 

 the trout.' The forcible anathemas which are con- 

 stantly being levelled by trout fishermen against the 

 pike's existence in streams where it is an unwelcome 

 intruder seem thus to have some justification in fact. 



If the distribution of the pike in our islands had 

 been limited to those rivers, lakes, and ponds for which 

 it is known to show a decided partiality, its natural 

 vices would not have been so widely proclaimed nor 

 its character blackened. As the case stands to-day, 

 however, I believe there is scarcely a river in England, 

 possessing any considerable length of what may 

 be termed * pikey-looking ' water, in which this fish 

 has not made its appearance. Opinions differ as to 

 whether the pike is indigenous to our trout streams, 

 but according to some of our best ichthyologists there 

 is abundant proof that it has always been a native of 

 our waters, though often somewhat local in its range. 



The strict trout preserver's creed forbids the 

 association of pike and coarse fish with the trout, 

 and his aim and object is therefore the extermina- 

 tion of the former if it can possibly be accomplished. 



