142 PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



fisherman to fetch his nets, and by all means to get the pike, that 

 they might declare what had happened ; and the pike was drawn 

 forth, and both his eyes eaten out ; at which, when they began to 

 wonder, the fisherman wished them to forbear, and assured them 

 he was certain that pikes were often so served. 



A recent writer, commenting on these alleged practices of 

 the frog, describes how 



Some four years ago, about the middle ef April, while saunterin g 

 by the side of a large pond, I espied, not far off, and drifting 

 towards me, a frog, seated on what I at first supposed to be a 

 piece of rail. On a nearer approach I found that, instead of a 

 piece of rail, froggie was composedly squatted on the back part of 

 the head of a 5 lb. or 6 lb. pike. The fish leisurely swimming 

 on the top of the water passed within three yards of the spot where 

 I was standing. I never witnessed a similar circumstance before 

 or since. 



Further on he says : — 



As to the eating of the eyes, I am rather sceptical on that 

 point ; but that frogs occasionally locate themselves on the heads 

 of pike there can be no doubt ; but the question is, what takes 

 them there .'' Can it be that in spring some pike are afflicted with 

 a fungus or parasite on their heads and backs, and that the said 

 parasite is so appetising a morsel for the frog that he braves all 

 dangers in order to obtain the coveted bonne bouche, and that the 

 pike (at this particular season), out of gratitude, spares the frog's 

 life i"— a mutual understanding having taken place between them, 

 after the manner of Herodotus' story of the trochilus and the 

 crocodile, wherein he relates that ' the crocodile, when he gets out 

 of the water on land, open his jaws, and then the trochilus enters 

 his mouth and swallows the leeches. The crocodile is so well 

 pleased with this service that he never hurts the little bird. 



The outcome of enquiry into this subject instituted some 

 time ago by a German paper devoted to fishing subjects, 

 appears to be that the frogs which have been noticed on the 

 heads of pike and, perhaps, other species, did not occupy that 

 ' coign of vantage ' for the purpose of obtaining a dinner, but 

 rather that the explanation of the matter is to be found in the 



