THE PIKE, &C. 



119 



extremity of the Union to the other, and do not materially 

 differ from the same species in other countries, and, as the 

 Yankee would say, will live as long, eat as much, and grow 

 as large, as in any other place on airth. The largest within 

 recollection was taken in one of our western lakes, and 

 weighed 46 pounds. 



They increase in size faster than any other fish known. 

 Block, a German author, says, that " in the first year they 

 <irow from eight to ten inches, in the second from twelve to 

 fourteen, and in the third from eighteen to twenty." 



They are observed by Walton to be " a solitary, melan- 

 choly, and bold fish; melancholy because he always swims 

 or rests himself alone, and never swims in shoals or with 

 company, as the roach and dace and most other fish do, and 

 bold because he fears not a shadow, or to see and be seen, 

 as the trout and chub, and all other fish do." Rather sorry 

 company for any kind of fish would be the pike, according 

 to Rennie, who says that a pike placed in a pond with an 

 abundance of fish, in one year devoured all but one, which 

 was a carp weighing nine pounds, and he had taken a piece 

 out of him. Poor satisfaction would it be for any of the finny 

 tribe to promenade down the stream with this voracious ani- 

 mal, and to have the peculiar satisfaction of being devoured at 

 once without sauce, or perhaps gradually consumed by a 

 piece out of the back or tail at intervals. No amusement, as 

 the song goes, 



' Like the trout and the salmon, 



Sitting down playing a nice dacent, agreeable, pleasant, sociable 

 game of backgammon.' 



No wonder they have no company, or are not sociable ; they 

 should stay by themselves and prefer the Angler's hook, by 

 all means, and keep away from evil associates, that they may 

 '. come smoking," according to Barker's rules, " as a viand 



