270 Ayres' Enumeration of the 



more slender, while the colors vary exceedingly. In this latter 

 respect particularly, the differences are very striking. I have 

 seen some which were of a fine, light, olive green above, with 

 five or six broad bars of the same descending on the side ; 

 others which were almost entirely black on the back and 

 sides ; others which had the colors as in Dr. Dekay's figure ; 

 and others which were reticulated like the larger pickerel. 

 Yet all had the black vertical band at the eye distinctly 

 marked. July 27, 1842, I had an extensive series of these 

 fish before me, and after a very careful examination of them 

 I could not but feel convinced that they were identical with 

 Le Sueur's reticulatus, I have never found any in which the 

 position of the ventral fins perfectly agreed with Dr. Dekay's 

 figure, but the difference has been very slight, and apparently 

 not sufficient to be of any value as a specific character. 



It may be urged that the size to which these pickerel are 

 limited, is a strong argument against their being of the same 

 species with the larger fish of our ponds and streams. But 

 if we proceed on this principle we shall be forced to separate 

 fish whose identity has never been questioned, and apparently 

 can never be. The small size of the pickerel is not peculiar 

 to Long Island. There are one or two places in Connecticut 

 in which the same thing occurs. In one of these places the 

 difficulty appears to be a want of suitable food ; in the others 

 the food is abundant. 



But let us take one or two similar cases. It is well known 

 that our common trout (^Salmo fontinalis, Mitch.) sometimes 

 attains the weight of four or five pounds. Why then in our 

 smaller streams do we find the very great majority only six or 

 seven inches long, while one of a pound weight is considered 

 very uncommon ? It cannot be the effect of age ; for they 



« 



are often prevented by dams from descending, and must of 

 course remain in the stream during their whole lives. Neither 

 does it seem to be from a deficiency of food, for of that they 

 obtain an abundance. 



But to be more definite still, let us refer to Mr. Carman's 

 pond at Fireplace, Long Island. In the pond a trout of a 



