426 COMMON PIKE. Class IV. 



shire, in my possession, is the following extra- 

 ordinary fact: " At Lord Gowers canal at 

 " Trentham, a pike seized the head of a swan 

 " as she was feeding under water, and gorged 

 " so much of it as killed them both. The 

 " servants perceiving the swan with its head 

 " under water for a longer time than usual, 

 " took the boat, and found both swan and pike 

 " dead."* 



But there are instances of its fierceness still 

 more surprizing, and which, indeed, border a 

 little on the marvellous. Gesner\ relates, that 

 a famished pike in the Rhone seized on the lips 

 of a mule that was brought to water, and that 

 the beast drew the fish out before it could dis- 

 engage itself. People have been bit by these 

 voracious creatures while they were washing 

 their legs ; and they will even contend with the 

 otter for its prey, and endeavour to force it out 

 of its mouth. + 



Small fishes shew the same uneasiness and 

 detestation at the presence of this tyrant, as the 

 little birds do at the sight of the hawk or owL 

 When the pike lies dormant near the surface (as 



* This note, I afterwards discovered, was written by Mr. 

 Plot, of Oxford, who assured me he inserted it on good au- 

 thority. 



t Gesner pise. 503. J Walton. 157 '. 



