52 . THE DUIFflELD ANGLER. 



In short, this fish from its greediness has 

 justly obtained the name of the fresh water 

 Shark ; and frequently for want of other 

 food, or being the nearest to him, will de- 

 vour its own kind ; perhaps kindly intended 

 by nature, that the breed may not supera- 

 bound: there will still be enough left utterly 

 to ruin all rivers and other places where 

 they are not kept under, although they breed 

 but once in a season. 



The Pike usually feeds on fish or frogs, 

 and sometimes it is said on a weed of his 

 own called pickerel. Some idle and fanci- 

 ful speculatists suppose that the fish them- 

 selves are produced from this weed ; those 

 who maintain this opinion asserting, that 

 though none have been put into ponds, yet 

 they have always been found in abundance 

 "where there has been plenty of that weed. 

 Were they indeed viviparous, like the Eel, 

 there would at least be more ostensible pleas 

 in their favour ; as the young coming forth 

 alive would some of them be deposited at 



