RATE OF GROWTH. 9 



be the fish of about f lb., of the following season," * 

 that is, "yearlings." Bloch, the eminent ichthyo- 

 logist, says pike of three years' age are from 18 to 

 20 in. in length: and there are proofs on record 

 that from this size they, if well supplied with 

 food, will grow at the rate of 4 Ibs. a year for six 

 or seven successive years. " Piscator " (Practical 

 Angler, p. 240) asserts the same, and gives as an 

 instance a pond that held store-pike of 6 or 7 Ibs., 

 that was netted after an interval of seven years, 

 when two pike were caught weighing 36 Ibs. each. 

 But, he says also, "from the result of my own 

 observations in the different waters I have fished, 

 I am inclined to think that an annual increase of 

 about 2 Ibs. is nearer the usual average ; and in 

 small, hungry waters I am certain the growth is 

 much less." To quote Dr. Badham on "the 

 growth of pike," he says that, "under favourable 

 circumstances, during the earlier portion of life, 

 the increase in weight is occasionally at the rate 

 of 4 Ibs. per annum ; after twelve years it 

 diminishes probably to I or 2 Ibs., and lessens still 

 more as age advances ; " and, vide Hofland, " If 

 well supplied with food and suitable water, pike 

 will increase in weight from 3 to 4 Ibs. annually." 



A comparatively recent instance of rapid growth 

 is mentioned by Frank Buckland in his Natural 

 History of British Fishes^ p. 154, viz., " In 

 October, 1874, H.R.H. Prince Christian sent 

 up Mr. Keene, the head fisherman of Windsor 

 Park, with the most splendid pike I had ever be- 

 held. Rapley Lake, Bagshot Park (a carp and 

 tench preserve), had not been cleaned and the 

 water run off for seventeen years, nor dragged for 

 1 The Sporting Fish of Great Britain. 



