s do not seem to have made out a very good case, for no real
evidence of its injuring trout has been adduced.

_Char._--The chars (_Sahelinus_) are a numerous family widely
distributed over the world, but in Great Britain are not very
important to the angler. One well-defined species (_Sahelinus
alpinus_) is found in some lakes of Wales and Scotland, but
principally in Westmorland and Cumberland. It sometimes takes a small
fly but is more often caught with small artificial spinning-baits. The
fish seldom exceeds 1-1/2 lb in Great Britain, though in Scandinavia
it is caught up to 5 lb or more. There are some important chars in
America, _fontinalis_ being one of the most esteemed. Some members of
the genus occasionally attain a size scarcely excelled by the
salmon. Among them are the Great Lake trout of America, _Cristinomer
namaycush_, and the Danubian "salmon" or huchen, _Salmo hucho_. Both
of these fish are caught principally with spinning-baits, but both
will on occasion take a salmon-fly, though not with any freedom
after they have reached a certain size. An attempt has been made to
introduce huchen into the Thames but at the time of writing the result
cannot yet be estimated.

_Pike_.--The pike (_Esox lucius_), which after the _Salmonidae_ is the
most valued sporting fish in Great Britain, is a fish of prey pure and
simple. Though it will occasionally take a large fly, a worm or other
ground-bait, its systematic capture is only essayed with small fish
or artificial spinning-baits. A live bait is supposed to be the most
deadly lure for big pike, probably because it is the method employed
by most anglers. But spinning is more artistic and has been found
quite successful enough by those who give it a fair and full trial.
Trolling, the method of "sink and draw" with a dead bait, referred to
previously in this article, is not much practised nowadays, though at
one time it was very popular. It was given up because the traditional
form of trolling-tackle was such that the bait had to be swallowed
by the pike before the hook would take hold, and that necessitated
killing all fish caught, whether large or small. The same objection
formerly applied to live-baiting with what was known as a gorge-hook.
Now, however, what is called snap-tackle is almost invariably used in
live-baiting, and the system is by some few anglers extended to the
other method too. Pike are autumn and winter fish and are at their
best in December. They