THE HABITS A^D HAUKTS OF FISH. 31 



Both, in winter and summer the pike is a solitary and un- 

 social fish. They spawn in the spring, April and May 

 being the usual months, but the spawning period varies 

 with the locality to a certain extent. As pairing time 

 approaches they repair to creeks, side-ditches, back- 

 waters, etc., and in the case of lakes and ponds to the 

 seclusion afforded by weed and reed beds. In the fall of 

 the year the wanderers congregate in a social sort of way, 

 in the still and deepest parts of the water, or in some 

 favorite nook which may have been an annual place of 

 assembly since it was originally formed. The ova of the 

 pike hatch quickly, thirty-two or thirty-three days being 

 the period. Their fry are also of rapid growth. In the 

 pickerel OP jack stage they devour enormous quantities of 

 food, if favorable. At a very early stage their vicious pro- 

 pensities are exemplified. We once placed three pickerel, 

 scaling from two to three and a half pounds, in a small 

 pond, in which had been turned some fourscore store 

 fish, the majority being carp of small size, the remainder 

 tench and perch. Upon being netted at the end of the 

 year, there was not a single carp in the pond; two-thirds 

 of the perch were left, as were also a few of the tench. 

 The pickerel had meanwhile developed into respectable 

 pike, scaling five and three-quarters to six and one-quarter 

 pounds weight. Belief in the ancient doggerel, anent 

 the natural propagation of pike, eels, and other fish, 

 from the pickerel weed, chopped-hair, etc., it is said is 

 not as yet fully dispelled amongst the lower agricul- 

 tural orders in some parts of Scotland, and in several 

 English counties. 



Walton, who invariably quotes the German naturalist, 

 Gesner, upon the natural history of fresh- water fish, in- 

 stead of relying solely upon his own personal investiga- 

 tions, affirms his belief in these and kindred superstitions, 

 characteristic of our forefathers. The same absurd non- 



