THE FOOD OF A PIKE. 235 



from the banks and ditches ; and indeed that reason 

 may be probably true ; for though rain. water of itself 

 can have but little or no more strengthening quality 

 than the river ; yet it scouring through the channels, 

 and washing the land and earth as it passeth. may from 

 thence receive a firmer and more solid substance, which 

 may make it more glutinous and congruous lor nutri- 

 tion. It is possible that a Pike may live a great while 

 in a clear pool, where there is neither small fry for 

 prey, nor harbour to shelter, nor any kind of fog 

 which might give him subsistence; certainly he will be 

 dissatisfied with that course of life, and as mnch dis- 

 contented with those short commons, as one that hath 

 not been used to a prison. life, is there put in and fed 

 with nothing but bread and water. I could never hear 

 of any that made trial of this merely for experiment's 

 sake; some persons have put a stock of Pikes into 

 their ponds, and have not regarded to put in meat pro- 

 portionable to their number, yet have preserved it 

 many years, denying both themselves and others the 

 liberty of fishing in it ; have drawn it afterwards, ex. 

 pecting a plentiful increase, and have found nothing 

 answerable to their expectations : so great a diminution 

 of them must either be caused by the devouring Otter, 

 or secret stealth {which is scarcely possible, they being 

 watched so narrowly ;) or else they must infallibly Ian. 

 guish and die for want. 



Some fish might escape such a mortality, and might 

 fctill live and i;row, but it must be thoso that were bred 

 HI the place, and not those that were taken out of the 

 river and put in the pond to .feed, for alteration of 

 water amoRg fish, as well as change of air or ground 

 among beasts, is of much consequence, being very 

 beneficial to some and destructive to others. Not but 

 they are much advanced that are translated from a 

 worse to a better condition. 



It is well known that fen-fish brought up into clear 

 waters will thrive, and ace sweeter; but whether thos 

 that are bred in brooks and small streams, carried and 

 put into fen.ditches, will change for the better or the 

 worse, is worth enquiry. 



