190 THE AKGLEE-NATURALIST. 



amination by a clever anatomist, it was discovered that the 

 bones had been lengthened to fit the story — in other words, 

 that several vertebrae had been added. 



A critical comparison of the various accounts upon which 

 the general authenticity of the legend rests would be beyond 

 the limits of the present work, although such an examina- 

 tion, did space permit, might possibly not be without in- 

 terest. Taking, however, all the circumstances of the case 

 into consideration, as well as the amount of concurrent 

 testimony produced, there appears to be no reason to doubt 

 that a Pike of extraordinary size and age was actually 

 taken at the place and time stated. It is to be observed, 

 in estimating the probabilities of the narrative, that it was 

 certainly the custom in earlier times to put metal rings into 

 the gill-covers of fish ; and as late as 1610 a Pike was taken 

 in the Meuse bearing a copper ring, on which was engraved 

 the name of the city of Stavern and the date of 1448. 

 Even now the practice is not entirely extinct. Sacred fish 

 are still to be found in difierent parts of the world. Sir 

 J. Chardia saw, in his travels in the East, fish confined in 

 the coui't of a mosque, with rings of gold and silver through 

 their muzzles — not for ornament, but, as he was informed, 

 in token of their being consecrated to some Oriental deity, 

 whose votaries, not content to leave transgressors to his 

 resentment, took upon themselves the task of retribution, 

 and killed upon the spot an Armenian Christian who had 

 ventured to violate the sanctity of the place. This Eastern 

 custom is also alluded to by Moore in his " Fire-worship- 



