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objects of interest, for many centuries, both to natu- 

 ralists and anglers; and, we may add, to cooks 

 likewise. It does not appear that the pike was 

 known to either the Greeks or Romans ; at least 

 Aristotle and Pliny do not speak of it. The first 

 author who treats of it, is Ausonius, who flourished 

 about the middle of the fourth century, and who 

 does not appear to have entertained very favourable 

 opinions of either the kindly dispositions, or gastro- 

 nomic excellencies of the fish. He holds him forth 

 in a poetic strain under the name of Lucius. 



" Lucius obscurus ulva lacunas 



Obsidet. His nullos mensarum lectus ad usus, 



Fumat fumosis olido nidore popinis." 

 " The wary luce, midst wrack and rushes hid, 

 The scourge and terror of the scaly brood, 

 Unknown at friendship's hospitable board, 

 Smokes 'midst the smoky tavern's coarsest food." 



The largest pike ever taken in Scotland, or in 

 England either, is nothing compared with the one 

 which was caught in the vicinity of Manheim, in 

 the year 1497. He weighed three hundred and fifty 

 pounds, and measured nineteen feet. Besides this, 

 he bore a Greek inscription appended to his muzzle, 

 containing these words : " I am the fish that was 

 put into this pond by the hands of the Emperor 

 Frederic the Second, on this 3d day of October, 

 1262;" thus, making the age of the monster two 

 hundred and thirty-five years. The skeleton of this 

 fish is still to be seen in the Museum of Manheim. 



