Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-07-06
A DISH OF FISH.

Hidden from our view, and enjoying life in
the bosom of the waters, little is known of the
habits Of the fish. Still, however. according to
the laws Of nature, means are always SO admira
bly, adapted to ends, that from the inspection of
one fnny specimen we can say, almost with pos
tive certainty, what must have been its food
and its manner of procuring it. As among an
imals that live on the face Of the earth 50 with
fish we find representatives of the carniyorous
and of the hcrbivorous tribes; and, to enable
each tie live, tho body and the teeth are always
in conformity with the mode of life the indvid-
ual is destined to pursue
Let the obsarvant reader compare-which he
may now do with ease at the vivarium of the
geological Gardens-thc form of the pike with
that Of the sluggish tench, or the rapidly moving
barbel. The pike, in shape not unlike the clon-
gated steamers which make such short voyages
across the Atlantic, is constructed for Sudden
and rapid molten at single moments no
tice. lie basks motionless as block of wood,
watching with greedy eyes shoal of minnows.
Now they are near enough; one wag of the
screw-like tail the fresh-water shark is among
them; and selling his victim, carries him off to
devour--in anglers parance to gorge at leisure.
Many hot July day have we been out on u
jack-wiring expedition; armed with moose of
the finest brass wire, fastened to the end ola
long willow wand. The avenger of the minnows
creeps quietly along the banks of the weedy
ditch, Or stagnant pond; there, shaded by the
leaves of the great water lly-lko great Mo-
gul under his umbrcla-the murderer basks in
fancicd security. Gradually and quietly shc
wire cuts the water a steady hand and delicate
touch passes it up to his fins rather pleased
than otherwise, by the tickling, he will, fit be
well managed, of his own accord place his fins
into the fatal moose. A sharp, quick pull up
wards, and there he is, dancing hornpipe on
the bank
The growth of the pike, if well supplied with
food, seems almost unlimited. A large pike
was caught in pond in Wiltshire, and the fish
erman determined to fatten him up for the mar
ket he therefore bored hole into one of his
pastoral fins, and passing rope through, tied
him to post in his native pool. He supplied
the captive with plenty of dead fish and garb-
age Of all sorts, all of which he greedily de-
voured. In the course Of u few months the
prisoner attained an enormous weight. lie be-
came one of the lions of the place, and was not
even deteriorated by being perpetually hauled
up to be inspected by visitors.
1t is a question whether fish ever die of old
age. There is, however, preserved in the Ash
mclean Museum at Oxford an enormous eel,
which was found floating dead on the surface of
a secluded pond at Shotoysr Hill near that city.
There were no marks of violence upon his body,
and from his general personal appearance, the
verdict Of jury of naturalists held upon this pa
triarch was g Death from natural causes y
As an exact opposite in habits and form to
} the pike, let the visitor to the Gardens examine
the tench confined in tank close by his carniv-
orous neighbor. This fish is herbivorous, as the
contents Of his stomach have informed us but
he also is fond of the various softboded animals
such as the spawn Of fresh-water shells, which
be finds in his weedy home. To secure these,
he does not require long sharp teeth like the
pike those that he has, therefore, are very
small and placed in his throat; to enable him
to tear off his fayorite morsels, he has hard
and fieshy palate, admirably adapted to the hab-
its of its owner. That he may push his way
through the groves Of weeds in which he delights