THE FOOD AND GAME FISHES OF NEW YORK. 



399 



States the species is styled the Perch Pike or the Pike Perch, Glasseye and Wall-eyed 

 Pike. In the Great Lakes region it is known as Blue Pike, Yellow Pike, Green Pike 

 and Grass Pike. In the Ohio Valley and Western North Carolina it is the Jack ; in 

 Lake Erie and Canada, the Pickerel ; in some parts of the Ohio Valley, the White 

 Salmon or Jack Salmon. The Cree Indians call it the okow and the French Cana- 

 dians dore or picarel. Among the fur traders of British America it is called the 

 Hornfish. 



The Pike Perch or Wall-eyed Pike inhabits the Great Lakes region and extends 

 northward into British America, where it has been recorded as far as 58 north by 

 Dr. Richardson. It ranges south in the Mississippi Valley to Arkansas, and in 

 Atlantic streams to Georgia. According to Dr. Meek the species is found in Cayuga 

 Lake, but is not common. In Lake Champlain it is one of the principal game fishes. 

 James Annin, Jr., of Caledonia, obtained specimens in the Canandaigua Lake region. 

 It has been introduced into numerous lakes by the Fisheries, Game and Forest Com- 



PIKE PERCH. 



mission of New York. The U. S. Fish Commission secured examples in the Oswego 

 River at Oswego and at Point Breeze in August, 1894. 



This species is said to reach a weight of 50 pounds, but the average weight of the 

 market specimens is less than 5 pounds. In the Susquehanna it occasionally reaches 

 10 pounds or upward in weight. The Pike Perch feeds on the bottom on other 

 fishes, and has been charged even with destroying its own young. It prefers clear 

 and rapid waters, and lurks under submerged logs and rocks, from which it can 

 readily dart on its prey. Spawning takes place in April and May, and in Pennsyl- 

 vania continues till June. Favorite spawning localities are on sandy bars in shallow 

 water. The period of hatching varies from about 14 to 30 days, depending on the 

 temperature of the water. The eggs vary from about 17 to 25 to the inch, and a 

 single female has been estimated to contain from 200,000 to 300,000. In a state of 

 nature only a small percentage of the eggs are hatched out ; the greater proportion 



