184 
natural history. 
dusky blue, and the sides are marked with a number of 
bright red spots. They are esteemed as a very delicate food. 
The Grayling is another of this genus, which haunts 
clear and rapid streams. It is of an elegant form, less deep 
than a trout. It is in general of a fine silvery grey, but 
when just taken it is varied slightly with blue and gold. 
The scales are large ; the first dorsal fin consists of twenty- 
one rays ; this fin is spotted, all the rest are plain : the tail 
is much forked. The largest that has been heard of was 
taken near IAidlow ; it was half a yard long, and weighed 
four pounds six ounces. 
The Smelt inhabits the northern seas, and is never found 
so far south as the Mediterranean. Its name is supposed 
to be a contraction of “ smell it,” from its very agreeable 
smell. Its form is very elegant, and the skin is almost trans- 
parent. The largest we have heard of was thirteen inches 
long, and weighed half a pound. 
The Gwiniad is found in the lakes of several of the alpine 
parts of Europe. It is a gregarious fish, and approaches 
the shores in vast shoals in spring and summer. A Hulse- 
water fisherman, in 1775, took near 8000 at one draught. 
It is of an insipid taste, and must be eaten soon. The back 
is arched and glossed with blue and purple, the sides are of 
a silvery cast, tinged with gold. The mouth is small, and 
without teeth. It is about eleven inches long. 
The Pike is common in most of the lakes of Europe, 
but the largest are those taken in Lapland, which, accord- 
ing to Schaeffer, are sometimes eight feet long. They are 
taken there in great abundance, dried, and exported for 
sale. The largest fish of this kind which we have ever 
heard of in England, weighed thirty-five pounds. 
- According to the common saying, these fish were intro- 
duced into England in the reign of Henry VIII. in 1537. 
They were so rare, that a pike was sold for double the price 
of a house- lamb, in February, and a pikerel for more than 
a fat capon. 
All writers who treat of this species bring instances of 
its vast voraciousness. We have known one that was 
choaked by attempting to swallow one of its own species 
that proved too large a morsel. Yet its jaws are very loosely 
connected ; and have on each side an additional bone like 
the jaw of a viper ; which renders them capable of great 
distention when it swallows its prey, it does not confine 
itself to feed on fish and frogs, it will devour the water-rat, 
and draw down the young ducks as they are swimming about. 
