30(1 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



species. In Prof. Cope's paper in earlier reports of the Penn- 

 sylvania Fish Commission the names lake pike and grass pike 

 are used for the fish. 



Distribution. In the north temperate and arctic regions of 

 North America, Europe and Asia the pike is equally common. 

 In North America it extends from Pennsylvania to high northern 

 latitudes. In Alaska, Townsend and others found it above the 

 arctic circle, and Ball and Nelson took it in abundance in the 

 Yukon. From Greenland and the islands of the Arctic ocean 

 the pike appears to be absent. The identity of our American 

 pike with the common one of Europe was recognized by Cuvier 

 and Richardson more than half a century ago; the former com- 

 pared specimens from Lake Huron with European examples, and 

 Richardson with the English pike, and both were unable to find 

 specific differences between the two. 



The pike is said to be common in Lake Champlain and in all 

 its larger tributaries. In the Lake Ontario region the U. S. 

 Fish Commission collectors secured it at the following places. 

 Mud creek, Cape Vincent N. Y. June 25, 1894, Chaumont river 

 July 10, outlet Long pond. 4 miles west of Charlotte X. V. 

 Aug. 17. 



Dr Meek found the species in Cayuga lake, where he says lie 

 was unable to find any other fish of the genus except the pickerel. 

 James Annin jr obtained the pike in Silver lake, Wyoming co. 

 N. Y. July 1, 1896. He reports that it does not occur in Canan- 

 daigua lake. 



On the continent of Europe the largest recorded specimen was 

 taken at Bregenz in 1862; this was said to weigh 145 pounds. 

 In Scotland a pike measuring more than 7 feet and weighing 72 

 pounds has been reported. We do not find monsters like these 

 in America. " Frank Forrester " mentions individuals of 16 to 

 17 pounds. Lake George, N. Y., is famous for its large pike. Dr 

 Frank Presbrey of Washington D. C. caught one there in 1889 

 weighing a little more than 16 pounds, and more than 30 

 examples, averaging in excess of 10 pounds each, were taken that 

 season by another person from Washington in the same waters. 



