NOBBS'S ART OF TKOLLING. 



primus impositus per Mundi Rcctoris Frederici 

 secundi munus die quinto Uctobris 1497 ; but whe- 

 ther our faith will give us leave to believe this or not, 

 it is not material : for though we cannot prove him fa 

 be so longevous. as to reach hundreds, it is certain he 

 will live some scores of years; and one of 40 or 45 

 inches, which is of the largest size, may possibly coir- 

 Fist of as many years as inches ; and some of our own 

 countrymen have known and observed a Pike to come 

 within 10 years of the distinct age of man, and had 

 Jived longer had not fate hastened his death by a violent 

 hand. One of 40 inches (I said) might be of as many 

 years old ; not that a Pike grows just about an inch in 

 a year, that is hard to determine, some grow faster,. 

 some slower, according to the diversity of the water 

 and their food : river fish are thought to grow much 

 faster than pond fish; except the pond is very large 

 and has a good stream run through it; there is nothing 

 helps so much the feeding of a Pike as fresh water. 

 That is the reason why a Pike will not bite well after a 

 great rain, Jacks or Pickerills grow faster than great 

 ones, and I have observed in a clear and springing 

 brook, that a Jack spawned in March will take a bait 

 in October following, and will increase to 18 inches the 

 next March. In standing water, as moats and ponds, 

 he grows not so fast; to try the experiment, I have 

 taken one out with a cast-net in May, measured him 

 and marked him on his tail, and about Michaelmas I 

 have taken the same fish, as appeared by the mark, 

 and then measured him again, and he had not increased 

 in length above two inches, and very little in breadth : 

 a river fish will grow very fast till he come to be 21 or 

 near 30 inches, then he stands a little and spreads him. 

 self in thickness ; after which he will grow a long time, 

 and is much longer growing to his full bigness from 30 

 inches, than he was increasing to that proportion. 



He is a great breeder and multiplier, as we may see 

 in those places that preserved them, how soon a river 

 is full stocked. Small Jacks shew themselves much 

 after a spring flood, every ditch is then full of Pick- 



