ABDOMINAL MALACOPTERYGII. 135 



ring, bearing date 1230, two hundred and sixty 

 seven years before : it weighed three hundred and 

 fifty pounds.* 



The flesh of the Pike is in very high estimation ; 

 and old Izaak Walton, who seems to have been as 

 great a connoisseur in cooking as in angling, gives a 

 long direction for roasting him, "when caught," which 

 he says is " choicely good ; " making " a dish of meat 

 too good for any but anglers, or very honest men." 

 We shall not, however, as it is said to be somewhat 

 of " a secret," enlighten our readers with it ; but, 

 instead, we shall give a still more important direction, 

 " How to catch the Pyke." 



" Take a codlynge hoke ; and take a Roche, or 

 a fresshe Heeryng ; and a wyre wyth an hole in the 

 ende, and put it in at the mouthe, and out at the 

 taylle, downe by the rydge of the fresshe Heeryng ; 

 and thenne put the lyne of your hoke in after, and 

 drawe the hoke into the cheke of the fresshe Heer- 

 yng ; then put a plumbe of lede upon your lyne, a 

 yerde longe from your hoke, and a note in midway 

 betwene ; and caste it in a pytte where the Pyke usyth ; 

 and this is the beste and moost surest crafte of tak- 

 ynge the Pyke. Another mannere takynge of hym 

 there is ; take a frosshe, [frog,] and put it on your 

 hoke, at the necke, betwene the skynne and the body, 

 on the backe-half, and put on a note a yerde there- 

 fro, and cast it where the Pyke hauntyth, and ye 

 shall haue hym. Another mannere : Take the same 

 bayte, and put it in asafetida, and caste it in the 



* De Piscibus, Introd. 



