THE PIKE PERCHES. 



T 5 



The phrase "Wall-eyed" is good old English to be sure, but it brings 

 to mind the invective of Lucius reviling the Goth in Titus Andronicus : 



"Say, wall-eyed slave, whither wouldst thou convey 

 This growing image of thy fiend-like face." * 



If " Wall-eye " is to be the name of S. griseum it is evident that " Sau- 

 ger " must be that of the other species, for it is not claimed by any other 

 fish, and is probably of Indian origin, which is a recommendation. S. 

 canadense is also called in various localities "Pickering," "Pickerel," 

 "Horse-fish," "Gray-pike" and "Ground-pike." 



The Pike-Perches resemble the yellow perch in their habits, but though 

 equally vivacious are usually less sprightly and pugnacious, especially when 

 inhabiting quiet waters. The Swedes have a proverb — ' ' As stupid as a Pike- 

 Perch " — not particularly applicable to our American species. 



Their greater size debars their occupancy of the creeks and pools in which 

 perch so often congregate, and it is said that they are rarely found on bot- 

 toms of clay or mud. In lakes they retire to waters of considerable depth, 

 but in running s.treams are partial to rapids, and whirling pools among the 

 rocks. In Lake Pepin, according to Dr. Estes, they seek out the purest 

 water, and their favorite feeding grounds are at the ends of projecting 

 points where the bottom has been washed clear by the waves, and at the 

 mouths of streams where the current breaks into the still waters of the lake. 

 They delight to run up the larger streams until they encounter an impassa- 

 ble fall or dam, and in rivers where there are no falls they frequent deep roll- 

 ing foot-pools, or deep dark holes, where the current is strong under old logs 

 or drift piles. At the foot of Lake Pepin, just at the point where the still 

 water of the lake begins to flow into the river, they are found in great num- 

 bers, associated with the black-bass and the striped lake-bass. At the 

 junction of the Chippewa with the Mississippi is another great feeding 

 grounds where the Pike-Perches are especially abundant under the great 

 rafts of lumber and accumulation of logs which are always there in summer. 

 Concerning their association, Dr. Estes writes : "In these waters the Wall- 

 eye f is seldom found associated with any other fish than the sand-pike." \ 

 It is true, however, that in swift-rolling waters, especially under falls we find 

 him in company with the black-bass, but I believe that the force of the 

 fall and the tumbling waters in a measure destroy the pugilistic nature of 

 the bass, or he would not suffer the wall-eye to remain in his company. In 



* Titus Andronicus, Act v, Scene i. 



\S. vitreum. %S. canadense boreum : this form was named Lucioperea pepinus by Dr. Estes. 



