34 BRITISH SPORTING FISHES. 
of waterfowl have been taken, and they commonly 
capture water-voles and rats. 
One of the legends attaching to the pike is 
that it lives to a very great age, but this zs 
only a legend. Certain large fish are known to 
have lived from eight to twelve years, and the 
facts in this connection are well authenticated. 
There is a story of a pike having existed for two 
hundred and sixty-seven years. This was the 
famous Mannheim pike captured in 1497, and 
which attained to the enormous length of nine- 
teen feet. It had in its gills a brass ring, upon 
which was engraved in Greek, “1 am the first 
fish which was placed in this pond by the hand 
of Frederick II., Governor of the World, on the 
5th of October, 1230”—surely the most marvellous 
pike on record. Its skeleton is still preserved, 
and is nearly nineteen feet in length, only it 
happens to be a compound of ¢wo individuals, 
and an examination has shown that several 
vertebree have been added. The ring of gilded 
brass could “enlarge itself by springs” —a highly 
necessary qualification, all things considered. 
There is one thing in the life-history of the 
pike which has never been clearly proved. This 
is as to its power of making overland journeys— 
of changing its haunt, either for food or water. It 
is said that lately an English gentleman, residing ; 
