74 ANECDOTES OF FISHES 



in it, the growth of the pike in question must have 

 been at the rate of four pounds per year. 



Jesse s Gleanings of Nat. Hist. 



Great Age of Pike. Ryacznski assures us he 

 had seen a pike ninety years old. 



Shooting Pike. Some labourers at work near 

 Godalming, observed, in the river between that 

 town and the village of Hurtmore, a large jack, 

 which approached so near to the bank, that they 

 struck at it with their bills ! The fish did not 

 immediately disappear, as might have been ex- 

 pected, but remained within sight, till a gentle- 

 man, who was shooting near the spot, and was 

 called by the workmen, arrived at the place, when 

 he shot at it : the fish instantly leaped out of the 

 water, and, as it reached the surface, the gentle- 

 man discharged his second barrel at it. The 

 " tyrant of the water" then disappeared for a 

 short time, but the gentleman, having re-loaded 

 his gun, discovered it near him, when he shot it 

 again upon the head. This last shot killed it, 

 and with the assistance of the men he got it out 

 of the water, and had it conveyed to Northbrook 

 Place, the residence of W. Keen, Esq. where it 

 was weighed and measured. It proved to be four 

 feet in length, from the snout to the extremity of 

 the tail, and weighed twenty-four pounds. It was 

 afterwards sent as a present to J. H. Frankland, 



