REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 85 



SYNODONTID^. The Lizard-Fishes. 



50. Synodus foetens (Linnaeus). Lizard-fish. 



Geog. Dist.: Cape Cod to Brazil, common in deep water from South 

 Carolina southward, moving into shallow water in summer. A few 

 taken nearly every September at Woods Hole (Smith, 1898). Common 

 on Long Island shore (Bean, 1903). 



Season in R. I.: Specimen from Narragansett Bay (R. I. Fish Com., 

 1899). 



Food: A voracious fish, feeding on small fishes. (Holbrook, 1S60.) 



Size: Twelve inches. 



LUCIID^. The Pil<es. 



51. Lucius americanus (Gmelin). Banded Pickerel. 



Geog. Dist.: Massachusetts to Florida, east of the Allegheny Mountains. 

 Not reported from Maine and New Hampshire, but common in Massa- 

 chusetts. Found on Long Island. 



H.\bitat: Fresh water, in lowland streams and swamps. 

 , Season in R. I.: Present generally in muddy and sluggish rivers and 

 ponds. Recorded from Pocasset River, Dyer's Pond, and Pawtuxet 

 River. 



Food: Small minnows. 



Size: Twelve inches. 



53. Lucius reticulatus (LeSueur). Pickerel; Green Pike. 



Geog. Dist.: Common everywhere east of the Allegheny Mountains, 

 Maine to Florida, and to Arkansas and Louisiana. Common through- 

 out the New England States. 



Habitat: Fresh water of rivers and ponds. 



Season in R. I.: Found nearly everj-where throughout the State. Re- 

 corded from Pocasset River, Pawcatuck River, Queens River; also 

 from the following ponds: Dyer's, Sucker, Worden's, Beach, Black- 

 mars, Mashapaug, Moswansicut, and Sneach; and from these reservoirs: 

 Bowdish, Smith and Sayles, Waterman, Pascoag and Poneganset. 

 Also present in fresh-water ponds on Block Island. 



Reproduction: Little known of its breeding habits except that it spawns 

 in the spring. Mature female taken March 15, 1875, at South Framing- 

 ham, Mass. (Amer. Nat. XI, 1877, 494). (Description and pictures of 

 young specimens are given by Ryder, Report of U. S. Fish Com. XIII, 

 1885, 516. For eggs and development of the European pickerel (Esox 



