IRELAND.

Some years since, when visiting the Marquis of Clanricarde at Portumna Castle, two gentlemen killed, in the river Shannon, an amazing pike, weighing ninety-two pounds, which had got on ground in pursuing small fish. His length was such, that when carried across on an oar, the head and tail touched the ground.

Wild Sports of the West.

In the River Shannon a large pike was taken weighing seventy pounds. At Hull river, near Beverley, one was taken weighing eighteen pounds.

It is no unusual event for a pike to be taken from thirty to sixty pounds, in Loughs Mask and Corrib. The trout in these loughs are also immensely large; they weigh from five to fifteen pounds.

Angling for Pike with the pooka in Ireland. -The pooka is formed with a piece of flat board having a little mast and sail erected on it. Its use is to carry out the extremity of a long line of considerable stoutness; an infinity of droppers or links are suspended, each armed with a hook, and bait; corks are affixed to the principal line to keep it buoyant on the surface, and from a weather-shore; if there be a tolerable breeze,

any quantity of hooks and bait may be floated easily across the water, the corks indicate to the fisherman when a fish is on the dropper, which he attends to in a small punt.

Wild Sports of the West.

Gander Fishing for Pike.-Several years ago a farmer, who resided in the immediate neighbourhood of Lochmaben, Dumfrieshire, kept a gander, who not only had the trick of wandering himself, but also delighted in piloting forth his cackling harem to weary themselves in circumnavigating their native lake, or in straying amidst the hidden fields on the opposite shore. Wishing to check this flagrant habit, he one day seized the gander just as he was about to spring into the pure breast of his favourite element, and, tying a large fish-hook to his leg, to which was attached part of a dead frog, he suffered him to proceed on his voyage of discovery. As had been anticipated, this bait soon caught the eye of a greedy pike, which, swallowing the deadly hook, not only arrested the progress of the astonished gander, but forced him to perform half a dozen somersets on the surface of the water! For some time the struggle was most amusing, the fish pulling, and the bird struggling with all its might; the one attempting to fly, the other to swim from the invisible enemy, -the gander for one moment losing, the next regaining his centre of gravity, and casting, be

tween times, many a rueful look at his snow-white fleet of geese and goslings, who cackled out their sympathy for their afflicted commodore. At length victory declared in favour of the feathered angler, who, bearing away for the nearest shore, landed, on the smooth green, one of the largest pikes ever caught in the castle-loch. The adventure is said to have cured the gander of his propensity for wandering.

In the reservoir near Glasgow, the country people are reported to be in the habit of employing ducks in this novel mode of fishing. This latter fact is not vouched for, but may be inquired into.

The principal way to take a pike in Shropshire is to procure a goose, take one of the pike lines, baited, tie the line under the left wing, and over the right wing of the goose,-turn it into a pond where pikes are,—and you are sure to have some sport. Barker.

Pike and Eagle.-Mr. Loyd, in his Sporting Anecdotes of the North, observes, that there are numerous instances of eagles pouncing on pike when basking near the surface of the water. One of them not being able to disengage his talons, was, of course, drowned. The eagles have been known to strike turbots and other fish in the sea with similar results.

Pike catching a Swallow on the Wing. A young gentleman walking in Mr. Longster's garden, at Malton, on the banks of the Derwent, saw a fine pike suddenly dart out of the river, and seize a swallow that was gliding along the surface of the water. The sun might be so low as to place the bird's shadow in advance of the bird itself, and thus give the pike an advantage.

Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. vii. p. 43.

Pike and Dog.-A gentleman angling for pike, succeeded in taking a very large one, at which time he was encountered by a shepherd and his dog, he made the man a present of the fish, and while engaged in clearing his tackle he saw the dog, who had for some time been expressing his satisfaction by the most unequivocal signs, seat himself unsuspectingly with his tail at a tempting proximity to the jaws of the pike, which suddenly caught at it. The dog was terrified at such an appendage to his tail, he ran in every direction to free himself, even plunged into the river, but in vain, the hair had become so entangled in the fish's teeth. On landing, he ran to his master's cottage, and was released.

Dr. Smith.-Fish and Fisheries.

Pike and Fox.-At Dropmore, Bucks, (the seat of Lord Grenville,) the men employed in the gardens having observed the swans in an agitated

state, and several ducks having been lately stolen, they repaired to the lake, when they observed a fox approach the water, snatch up a fish, and run off with it; the party gave chase, and reynard dropped his prey, which proved a pike weighing three pounds and a half.

Windsor Express, June, 1832.

The perch is the best known of the osseous fishes of Europe, and is one of the most esteemed and striking in its character. It is both a river and a pond fish. As a river fish it appears to rise rather towards the source of the waters, than to descend to their outlets, to the ocean, being very inimical to salt water. It is seldom found at a greater depth under water than two or three feet. The perch are a very prolific fish. Picot mentions a million of spawn in one fish. They are taken, of nine pounds weight, in Lough Corrib, and afford very excellent sport in Whittlesey mere with minnows; very fine perch are also caught at Dagenham Breach. Editor.