THE PIKE. ' ' '^ 101 



weeds in shallow waters, such as ditches and backwaters, and 

 after a short rest they scour themselves in the stream. After 

 this they take up their regular haunts for the season. While 

 they are performing the operation of spawning, such is their 

 lazy and absorbed manner that they may nearly be taken out 

 with the hand, and poachers profit by this and either snare 

 the fish or else catch them by snatching, though they are at 

 this time very unwholesome as food, and ought not on any 

 account to be taken. A pike in good condition is a good fish 

 for the table, the flesh is white and firm, and of a deal better 

 flavour than chub or roach. Those from a river and running 

 water are a great deal better than those taken from a pond, 

 and a pike out of season and condition is about as filthy a 

 mess as can be tasted. 



Formerly, the pike was a scarce and expensive fish in Eng- 

 land. During the reign of Edward I. (about the close of the 

 thirteenth century), jack was so dear that few could aff'ordto 

 eat it, the price was double that of salmon, and ten times 

 higher than either turbot or cod. In 1466, pike was one of 

 the chief dishes in the high church festivals given by George 

 Neville, Archbishop of York. In Henry VIII. 's time also 

 these fish fetched as much again as house lamb in February, 

 and a very small pickerel would sell higher than a fat capon. 

 Pike under favourable circumstances and in good localities 

 will grow to a remarkable size. I have heard that in some of 

 the large lakes of Ireland they will attain the extraordinary 

 weight of eighty pounds, and in Wales it is said there are 

 enormous fish in its deep mountain tarns, but in England 

 they do not exceed the weight of forty pounds, and it would 

 require to be a carefully preserved and a very favourable water 

 to possess one of even that weight. The lakes, broads, and 

 meres of Norfolk, Sufi'olk, and Huntingdonshire are credited 

 with holding some big fish. There is a story also of a mon- 

 strous pike being caught at Lillieshall Lime Works in 1765 



