652 



The Living Animals of the World 



In tlie winter carp either bury themselves in the mud, or lie among the water-weeds or 

 roots of trees at the bottom. They are vegetarians for the most part, with no teeth in their 

 mouths, Init strong, powerful giiudiug-teeth in their throats; they are believed to regurgitate 

 their food and chew it, somewhat as a cow chews the cud. 



With regard to the weight wliicli this fish attains, one of 19 lbs. was taken at Sheffield 

 Park in 1882. This was exceptionally large; hut one still largei'. weighing 21 lbs. 10 ozs., was 

 caught at Bayham Al)bey, near Lainljerlunvt, in 1870; wliile one of 22 lbs. was exhibited 

 many years ago to tlie Zoological Society. In the (iernian lakes these fisli reach a weight 

 of 40 His., or even more. 



Carp will, however, occasionally eat small fish, and liave even been caught with a salmon-fly. 



CHAPTEll XII. 



PIKES, ARAPAJMAS, BEAKED SALMOX, AND SCOPELIDS. 



liV W. V. TYCr.AVr, A.L.; 



F Z.S. 



THE Pikes are strictly fr?sli-water fishes, whicli are extremely voracious, and grow to a 

 lai-ge size. 'J'hey are met witli in most of the fresh-waters of Europe, Asia, and America; 

 yet they must be regarded ratlier as a Western than an Eastern type, since all the 

 known species occur in America, whilst only one — the Common Pike — is known outside that 

 country. These fishes ca})tiire their prey by stealth — practi>ed, however, not so much by 

 concealment as by lying susjiended in the water, p^erfectly motionless save for the movement 

 of the gills, which is barely percept ilile. When the victim comes within reach, it is seized 

 by a sudden rush. The form of the Iwdy is admirably adapted to this manner of feeding, 

 resembling rather a submerged log than a fish. It is, furthermore, on account of this shape 

 that the name Pike has been bestowed, since it recalls the '• pike " borne by the soldiers of 

 bygone days. 



When on the feed, nothing comes anu.-s to jiike, and the havoc they commit in 

 trout-streams is enormous. Not only otlier fishes are devoured, but both the young and 

 adults of water-birds are irerpiently seized, and instances are on record wdiere boys have been 

 attacked wliile bathuig. The moutli of a pike bristles witli teeth, even the roof being thickly 

 covered. Tlicse are all attached by liinges, mo\-ing readily liackwards towards the throat, so 

 as to assi>t the swalldwing ojieration, but preventing any possibility of the victim's escape. 



In Gi-eat Britain tlie 

 pike is held in high 

 esteem l)y anglers, tliough 

 as an articli^ of food it does 

 not find much fa\oui-. The 

 females are larger than 

 the males. Tlie lal■ge^t 

 specimens attain a length 

 of about 4 feet, sometimes 

 a little more, and a wi'iglit 

 of from 30 to o7 Ihs. 



About six sjiecies of 

 pike are known, five of 

 which are confined to 

 American waters. Of these, 

 the one known as the 

 MuSKET-LrNdE, or M[>,- 



KIKOXUE, attains the same 

 large size as the cmniiion 



riiolo bij Dr. R. W Slnij'ihltj 



IWasliiii'jlon, 



PIKE, 



The iiioist voiiicious uf I3ritisli fresh-water fiahes. 



