104 BRITISH FISH AND FISHERIES. 



In the Trent, and in some of the streams of 

 Wilts and Cambridgeshire, a very minute fish, 

 called the spined loach, or groundling, (Botea 

 tcenia,) is to be found. It is about two inches 

 and a half long, and, like the loach, secretes 

 itself under stones. It has a decided spine just 

 behind each nostril. 



The family Esocidce contains several British 

 fishes, some belonging to the fresh water, others 

 to the sea. 



Among the former is the ferocious pike, 

 (Esox luciuSj) the tyrant of the lake and 

 river. 



The form of the pike indicates its great 

 power and activity in its native element. It 

 ploughs the water with extraordinary energy, 

 and darts upon its prey with the velocity of an 

 arrow ; there is a sudden flash, circle after 

 circle forms on the surface of the water, but all 

 is still again in an instant. 



No fish is more wary and watchful than the 

 pike ; shrouded from observation in his solitary 

 retreat, he follows with his eye the motions of 

 the shoals of fish that wander heedlessly along, 

 he marks the water-rat swimming to its bur- 

 row, the ducklings paddling among the water- 

 weeds, the dab-chick and the moor-hen leisurely 

 swimming over the surface. He selects hi 



