The Pike. 
355 
A distinction was sometimes made between the grayling 
and the umber, the latter name being generally given to 
the fish when advanced in years. 
“ Aldrovandus says,” writes Walton (part i. ch. vi.), “ The salmon, 
the grayling, and trout, and all fish that live in clear and sharp 
streams, are made by their mother Nature' of such exact shape, and 
pleasant colours, purposely to invite us to a joy and contentedness in 
feasting with her. Whether this is true or not, it is not my pur¬ 
pose to dispute : but it is certain, all that write of the umber, declare 
him to be very medicinable. And Gesner says that the fat of an 
umber, or grayling, being set, with a little honey, a day or two in the 
sun, in a little glass, is very excellent against redness, or swarthiness, 
or anything that breeds in the eyes.” 
Of the Smelt, Sir Thomas Browne writes :— 
“ Spirinches, or smelt, in great plenty about Lynn; but where 
they have also a small fish, called a priames, answering ^ ^ 
in taste and shape a smelt, and perhaps are but the 
younger sort thereof.” (Vol. iv. p. 330.) 
The name smelt was given to it from its having, as some 
think, the scent of a cucumber or violet. According to 
Muffett the best smelts were taken “ by Kew and Brain- 
ford, within eight miles of London, and at Westchester.” 
The sauce recommended for this fish was the juice of 
Seville oranges. 
Harrison gives the various names be¬ 
stowed on the Pike at the different stages 
of growth:— 
“ I might here make report how the pike, carpe, and some other 
•of our river fishes are sold by inches of cleane fish, from the eies or 
gilles to the crotch of the tailes, but it is needlesse: also how the pike 
as he ageth, receiveth diverse names, as from a frie to a gilthed, from 
a gilthed to a pod, from a pod to a jacke, from a jacke to a pickerell, 
from a pickerell to a pike, and last of all to a luce.” ( Holinslied , 
vol. i. p. 376.) 
Randle Holme gives the additional name, in one of 
the junior stages, of a hurling pick. 
