134 THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



Tench, and fished with them as live-baits for a whole day 

 in some excellent Pike water, but without getting a touch. 

 In the evening I put on a small Carp, and had a run 

 almost immediately. I also tried some Pike in a stock - 

 pond with the same Tench, but they would not take them ; 

 and though left in the pond all night one on a hook, and 

 one attached to a fine thread both baits were alive in the 

 morning, some Pike teeth-marks, however, being visible 

 upon the hooked fish. 



These are facts, which I mention without expressing any 

 opinion as to the truth or otherwise of the theories before 

 alluded to. 



The idea of the Pike abstaining from injuring his physi- 

 cian, the Tench, has been thus admirably versified : 



"The Pike, fell tyrant of the liquid plain, 

 With ravenous waste devours his fellow train : 

 Yet, howsoe'er by raging famine pined, 

 The Tench he spares a medicinal kind ; 

 For when, by wounds distrest or sore disease, 

 He courts the salutary fish for ease, 

 Close to his scales the kind physician glides, 

 And sweats a healing balsam from his sides." 



A less poetical explanation of this abstinence is given 

 by Bingley, who suggests that, as the Tench is so fond of 

 mud as to be constantly at the bottom of the water, where 

 the Pike cannot find him, the self-denial of the latter may 

 be attributed to more natural causes. 



The Tench is common in Holland and in most of the 

 European lakes, and is said to have been introduced into 



