THE PIKE FAMILY. 185 



of the Pike's head — thus, by the way, furnishing an in- 

 cidental concurrent testimony in favour of the indigenous 

 character of the fish. 



In Sweden it is named Gddda, and in Denmark Giedde, 

 Gedde, Gede, or Get, of which the second term is identical 

 with the Lowland Scotch, Gedd. M. Valenciennes has 

 printed a long list of the names which the fish bears 

 amongst the Sclavonic and Tartar races, none of which 

 seem to have any relation to those by which it is known on 

 the western coasts of Europe. The Scandinavian name had 

 its origin, probably, in the sharpness of the teeth of the 

 Pike, and the consequent danger of injury to those who 

 attempted to handle it; for we find a similar word, Gede 

 or Geede, used to designate a ' goat ' in Danish, and Gede- 

 hams to signify a ' hornet/ 



The derivations for the French names of Brocket or 

 Brocheton, Lance or Lancer on, and Becquet, seem to be 

 obvious ; the first evidently owes its origin to the spit-like 

 shape of the body, the second to the speed with which the 

 fish darts in pursuit of its prey, and the last sobriquet to 

 the flattened or duckbill-like form of the muzzle. 



The ancient classical name of the Pike was Lucius, under 

 which it is mentioned by several old writers; and from 

 this root have doubtless sprung the terms Luce or Lucie 

 (the ' White Lucie ' of Shakespeare and of heraldry *), as 

 well as the Luccio or Luzzo of the Italians and the Lucie 

 of the French. 



* Moule's Heraldry of Fish, p. 50. 



