PIKE. 43 



the orifice of the stomach, the gape of the jaws is 

 very wide, although loosely connected; they have 

 on each side an additional bone like the jaw of a 

 viper, whitfh renders them capable of greater dis- 

 tension when the prey is swallowed; the body is 

 long, the back broad and almost square when in 

 its best state ; the belly is always white. 



The usual colour of it is a pale olive grey, 

 deepest on the back, and is marked on the sides 

 by several yellowish spots or patches ; when in its 

 highest perfection the colours are more brilliant, 

 the sides being of a bright olive, with yellow spots, 

 the back dark green, and the belly silvery. 



The voracity of the Pike is commemorated by 

 all ichthyological writers ; it has been poetically 

 styled the wolf of fishes, and tyrant of the watery 

 plain; and, in fact, in proportion to its strength 

 and celerity, it is the most active and ravenous 

 of fresh water fish. It will attack every fish less 

 than itself, and has been known to choke itself in 

 attempting to swallow one of its own species which 

 proved too large a morsel. It is immaterial of 

 what species the animal it pursues appears to be, 

 all are indiscriminately devoured ; so that every fish 

 owes its safety to its minuteness, its celerity, or its 

 courage ; nor does the Pike confine itself to feed on 

 fish and frogs, it will draw down water rats and 



