ESOCIDiE. 145 



In Scotland it is widely spread in lochs, rivers and otter appropriate localities : 

 in the Forth it is frequently seen in brackish waters and often observed off Stirling 

 bridge basking in the shallows. 



It is found throughout England and Wales in suitable pieces of water, especially 

 as in Yorkshire and Norfolk ; it is absent from the Isle of Wigjit and likewise 

 from Cornwall, and a few years since it was said only to be found in Slapton Ley 

 Lake in Devonshire, but now it exists in the Exe where it has driven the trout 

 from certain portions of the river. 



In Ireland, according to Thompson, in the County of Londonderry, in salt 

 water between Derry and Culmore (Ordnance survey), in all suitable lakes in the 

 northern part of the island — Lough Neagh, L. Derg, &o. — County Dublin (Ball) ; 

 the Shannon, Longh Corrib, L. Mask and L. Carra (McCalla). 



The size to which the pike attains in these islands* is rather questionable, but 

 certainly some now captured exceed the largest Pennant ever heard of in his time 

 (1776), which weighed 35 lb. Some of the statements made by authors would 

 seem to require explanation. Sir J. Hawkins refers to one 170 lb. weight taken 

 in 1765 which one would have supposed Pennant would have heard of. Colonel 

 Thornton alludes to one of 146 lb. captured at Lochmaben. Daniel (Rural Sports) 

 to one upwards of 7 feet long and over 72 lb. weight from Loch Ken, Kirkcud- 

 brightshire. Dr. Griersen one of 61 lb. from Loch Ken (Thomson's Ann. of Phil, 

 viii, p. 428). One of 78 lb. taken in August, 1830, in County Clare (C. Mayne). 

 On February 27th, 1880, two pike were taken angliug in Norfolk, the one 30^, the 

 other 36 lb. weight. The example figured is 12| inches long and from Gloucester- 

 shire. 



* " About seventeen years since, when visiting the late Marquis of Clanricarde, at Portnmna 

 Castle, two gentlemen brought to the Marquis an immense pike, which they had just caught in the 

 River Shannon, on the banks of which they had been taking their evening walk. Attracted by a 

 noise and splashing of the water they discovered in a little creek a number of perch driven on shore, 

 and a fish which, in pursuit of them, had so entangled himself as to have a great part of its body 

 out of water. They attacked him with an oar, which by accident lay on the bank and killed him. 

 Never having seen any fish of this species so large they judged it worth the observation of the 

 marquis, who, equally surprised at its magnitude, had it weighed, and to their astonishment it 

 exceeded the balance at ninety-two pounds. Its length was such that, when carried across the oar 

 by the two gentlemen, who were neither of them short, the head and tail touched the ground."— 

 The Sportsman, 1839. 



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