IV. 



PIKE. 



ANENT the water-wolf, Izaak Walton says that 

 " the mighty luce, or pike, is taken to be the 

 tyrant, as the salmon is the king, of the fresh 

 waters. It is not to be doubted but that they 

 are bred, some by generation and some not, as 

 namely, of a weed called pickerel-weed, unless 

 learned Gesner be much mistaken ; for he says 

 this weed, and other glutinous matter, with the 

 help of the sun's heat in some particular months, 

 and some ponds apted for it by nature, do become 

 pikes. But doubtless divers pikes are bred after 

 this manner, or are brought into some ponds 

 some such other ways as is past man's finding 

 out, of which we have daily testimonies." * 



* Richard Franks, in his Northern Memoirs, attacks 

 Walton for what he has said of the pickerel-weed in the 

 following terms: "When I met him (Izaac Walton) at Staf- 

 ford, I urged his own argument upon him, that pickerel- 

 weed of itself brings pickerel ; which question was no sooner 

 stated but he transmits himself to his authority viz., Gesner, 

 Dubravius, and Aldrovandus which I readily opposed, and 



