EYE-OPENERS. 19 



and dexterous swimming escaped the dreadful 

 jaws of this voracious animal." 



" From the days of Gesner downwards," said Mr. 

 Frank Buckland, " more lies have been told about 

 the pike than any other fish in the world," and the 

 Mannheim pike that attained a length of 19 feet 

 and was captured in 1497 at the advanced age of 

 267 years, having in its gills a brass ring on which 

 was engraved in Greek, ' I am the first fish that 

 was placed in this pond (Kaiserwag Lake) by the 

 hand of Frederick II., Governor of the World, on 

 the 5th October, 1230,' may certainly claim to be 

 the most fallacious fish on record." " Its skeleton 

 and ring were long preserved in the cathedral of 

 Mannheim," says Mr. Pennell in his Book of the 

 Pike; "but upon subsequent examination by a clever 

 anatomist it was discovered that the bones had 

 been lengthened to fit the story in other words, 

 that several vertebrae had been added." 



The Loch Ken pike of 72 Ibs, mentioned by 

 Daniel in his Rural Sports^ appears to be of 

 authentic weight. Its head, measuring 9 inches 

 across the back of it, is said still to be preserved at 

 Ken mure Castle, Galloway. There have always 

 been great doubts as to the measurements and 

 weight of Colonel Thornton's 48-lb. pike, and as to 

 where and how it was caught. Hofland says, " The 

 gallant colonel could ' draw the long bow ' ; and it 

 was asserted on the other side of Tweed that the 

 fish was taken on a trimmer ! " There are suspicions 

 also as to the genuineness of a 96-lb. pike said to 

 have been captured in the early part of this century 

 near Killaloe, Ireland ; and of another 6o-lb. pike, 

 washed ashore dead in a storm on one of the Ballina 

 lakes. Putting aside suchlike monsters, that seem 



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