160 ■ AMERICAN FISHKS. 



of the lower jaw, and the smallaess, though not absolute deficiency, 

 of teeth in the fore part thereof. 



It is easily distinguished by its having its cheeks and gill-covers 

 completely cased in small scales, and by the brownish lines on its 

 flanks, occasionally intarsecting each other, like the meshes of a net, 

 whence the name Reficiilatiis. 



In form this Pike closely resembles the others of his family. His 

 body is quadrilateral, the back broader than the belly ; the depth is to 

 the entire length, including the caudal, as one to seven, the thickness 

 is about two-thirds of the depth ; the length of the head to the 

 entire length is as one to four ; the posterior edge of the orbit is 

 midway between the tip of the snout and the posterior margin of the 

 free gill-cover ; the origin of the ventral fin is midway between the 

 tip of the snout and the fork of the caudal ; the termination of the 

 caudal opposite to the origin of the anal ; the gill-covers are nearly 

 vertical, and very slightly rounded, except the margin of the suboper- 

 culum, which is very short as compared with the operculum ; the 

 brauchiostegous rays are nine in number, dorsal fin rays twenty, 

 pectoral sixteen, ventral ten, anal twenty, caudal eighteen, seven 

 above and seven below the greater rays. 



The back is of an olive green with blue reflections, the sides olive 

 green fading into greenish yellow, with vertical lines of dull brown 

 occasionally crossing one another, so as to form a sort of irregular 

 network ; the dorsal and caudal fins are of an olive brown clouded 

 with green; the pectorals and ventrals greenii^h brown, margined 

 with dull yellow ; the anal dusky green ; the irides golden yellow ; 

 the checks and opercula, which are covered with small scales, are 

 olive green, with brownish marks and reflections. The snout brown ; 

 the lower jaw and gill-rays white; the belly white, marked with brown. 

 This is the Common Pickerel of the Middle and Eastern states ; and 

 is the fish intended, when the word Pickerel is used without the aid of 

 any epithet or definition. It is rather a favorite fish ; and has been 

 injudiciously introduced into many fine Trout ponds and streams, 

 which have in conse(|uence lost all their attractions to the fly-fisher, 

 but now swarm with this coarS'M- and comparatively worthless fish. 



He is a bold biter, and aff'ords considerable sport when hooked ; but 

 is coarse, watery, and of small value on the table. 



