IV. 
PIKE. 
AneEnt the water-wolf, Izaak Walton says that 
“the mighty luce, or pike, is taken to be the 
tyrant, as the salmon is the king, of the fresh 
waters. It is not to be doubted but that they 
are bred, some by generation and some not, as 
namely, of a weed called pickerel-weed, unless 
learned Gesner be much mistaken; for he says 
this weed, and other glutinous matter, with the 
help of the sun’s heat in some particular months, 
and some ponds apted for it by nature, do become 
pikes. But doubtless divers pikes are bred after 
this manner, or are brought into some ponds 
some such other ways as is past man’s finding 
out, of which we have daily testimonies.” * 
* Richard Franks, in his Vorthern Memoirs, attacks 
Walton for what he has said of the pickerel-weed in the 
following terms: “When I met him (Izaac Walton) at Staf- 
ford, I urged his own argument upon him, that pickerel- 
weed of itself brings pickerel; which question was no sooner 
stated but he transmits himself to his authority—viz., Gesner, 
Dubravius, and Aldrovandus—which I readily opposed, and 
