134 VERTEBRATA. PISCES. 



the clerk of the parish was trolling in the above 

 pool, when his bait was seized by this furious crea- 

 ture, which by a sudden jerk, pulled him in, and 

 doubtless would have devoured him also, had he not 

 by wonderful agility and dexterous swimming, es- 

 caped the dreadful jaws of this voracious animal." 

 The following given by Fuller, connected with a 

 well-known jest, is too good to be omitted: "A 

 cub fox drinking out of the river Arnus in Italy, 

 had his head seized on by a mighty Pike, so that 

 neither could free themselves, but were ingrappled 

 together. In this contest, a young man runs into 

 the water, takes them out both alive, and carrieth 

 them to the Duke of Florence, whose palace was 

 hard by. The porter would not admit him, without 

 promise of sharing his full half of what the duke 

 should give him ; to which he (hopeless otherwise of 

 entrance) consented. The duke, highly affected with 

 the rarity, was about giving him a good reward, 

 which the other refused, desiring his highness would 

 appoint one of his guard to give him an hundred 

 lashes, that so his porter might have fifty, according 

 to his composition. And here my intelligence leav- 

 eth me how much farther the jest was followed."* 

 Several instances have also been known of Pikes 

 snapping at the feet or hands of men bathing. The 

 Pike attains a great age: Pennant mentions one 

 ninety years old : and Gesner speaks of one taken out 

 of a lake in Suabia, in 1497, to which was attached a 



* Fuller's Worthies, Lincolnsh. p. 144. 



