THE PIKE FAMILY. 217 



Mr. Lloyd, the author of 'Scandinavian Adventures/ it 

 appears that it is a circumstance by no means uncommon in 

 the North of Europe for this fish to become the prey of a 

 feathered enemy, the eagle, which pounces upon him vrhen 

 basking at the surface of the lakes. In this case, where 

 very large, the fish has been known to carry the bird 

 under water, when the latter, being unable to disengage his 

 talons, is generally drowned. Dr. Mellerborg informed Mr. 

 Lloyd that he had seen an enormous Pike with an eagle 

 thus riveted to his back — both lying dead, in a field pre- 

 viously flooded but from which the water had receded ; 

 and on another occasion the actual contest with all its 

 vicissitudes was plainly witnessed. The Pike, when first 

 seized, was lifted by the eagle some height into the air ; 

 but his weight, combined with his struggles, soon carried 

 both down again to the water, under which they sank. 

 Presently the eagle reappeared on the surface, uttering 

 piercing cries, and apparently jnaking great efforts to ex- 

 tricate his talons. All, however, was in vain ; for, after a 

 prolonged resistance, he finally disappeared in the depths 

 of the lake. An incident very similar is also related by 

 the author of the ' Angler in Ireland ' as having occurred 

 on one of the wild loughs of Connemara. 



Amongst his own class the Pike reigns supreme, al- 

 though it has been asserted that, from its superior mo- 

 mentum, a trout or salmon of equal weight would have 

 the advantage in a pitched battle. I doubt it much. 

 What chance these fish have agaiust the Pike is shown 



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