An Oxford Fish
A little drama in natural history, that promises to be as long-drawn-out as a, Chinese play, is interesting Oxford. One of the recent additions to the attractions of Oxford is a large round pond in the Parks. It is fringed by comely plants and dotted with water lilies, among which a number of golden carp play hide and seek. Lately, by some mysterious migration, a serpent entered Eden. A great pike has appeared, or rather, been inferred, in the pond, and the goldfish began to disappear. The little ones are now gone and the voracious monster is learning to swallow the bigger. After due.consul- tation among authorities, one official has been given instruc- tions to fish the pond and extract the enemy. He is as good a fisherman as he was distinguished a soldier ; but the pike, though twice tempted, has so far escaped the lure, and the golden fish continue to disappear. A like permission is granted to just one man on the smallest of the Norfolk Sanc- tuary-Broads, where too voracious fish, not content with fry, devour even young birds. May I suggest that the gun and the wire noose—etperto crede—are a surer remedy than the
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