m 
PIKE. 
and half-grown geese as they swim; and even a couple of 
young geese, with a waterhen, were found in the stomach of 
one of these fish. It has also been known on some occasions 
to seize and devour one of its own species almost as large as 
itself. When this occurs, however, the whole body of the prey 
cannot be received at once into the stomach; and the devourer 
has been seen with the t.ail and a portion of its victim protruding 
from its mouth, until by the dissolution of a part, there is room 
afibrded for the remaining portion to be in turn subjected to 
the powers of digestion. With such perpetual craving it may 
be supposed that where they exist the defenceless inhabitants 
of the river are enormous sufferers from their depredations; and 
so rapidly do they pursue the anxious flight of their prey, that 
Jonston was himself a witness to a Pike’s having thrown itself 
into a boat in the eagerness of the chase. But notwithstanding 
the voracity which so strikingly distinguishes this fish, we ai-e 
not to conclude that it does not exercise some degree of choice 
in its food, or that some amount of fear or caution does not 
mingle itself with its boldness. 
The frog is a favourite morsel; so that it has been said there 
is no croaking in that department of a pond where the Pike 
seeks concealment; but it will not touch a toad, or if on some 
particular occasion the fish has ventured to swallow it, the 
hateful morsel is presently thrown up; as it is known to do 
also with other disagreeable food. It is generally believed that 
it abstains from seizing the Perch, and also' the Stickleback, 
through fear of the bristling spines with which these fishes are 
armed; and it is said to abstain also from the Tench, as if 
from some dislike of the slimy covering of its skin; but this has 
been ascribed to the higher motives of love or gratitude, a sort 
of feeling little likely to be felt by it, notwithstanding poetic 
authority in its support; and indeed more prosaic observation 
asserts the opposite of such a sell-restraint. 
In the “Zoologist” volume for 1853, p. 4125, the Rev. W. T. 
Bree says that he “turned into a pit fifty-seven small Tench 
and upwards of three score Crucian Carps; and not a great 
while afterwards, ha'ving discovered the presence of Pikes in 
this piece of water, a net was employed, ■with which three of 
that species were taken, which weighed respectively about three 
pounds, two, and a pound and a half; but all that remained 
