51. ESOCID^. 351 



frout of dorsal, composed of 3 rays ; base of anal about as long as that 

 of dorsal ; caudal fin rounded ; pectoral fin rounded, with a somewhat 

 fleshy base, with 33-3G rays. Branchiostegals 7 or 8. Streams of 

 Alaska. (Dedicated to W. H. Dall.) 



572. D. pcctoralis Bean. 



Body dusky brown, mottled with whitish. Belly whitish, often 

 speckled; fins with dark spots. Body rather elongate. Eye small, 6 

 or 7 in head. Pectoral about half as long as head; ventral one-third; 

 anal beginning opposite front of dorsal and ending nearly opposite its 

 last ray. Scales on belly very small. Head 4; depth 5. D. 12; A 13; 

 P. 34; V. 3; scales 11-77-11. L. 8 inches. Saint Michael's, Alaska. 



(Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns. 1879, 358.) 



Family LI.-ESOCID^. 



{The FiJcefi.) 



Body elongate, not elevated, more or less comi)ressed. Head long ; 

 the snout much prolonged and depressed. Mouth very large ; its cleft 

 forming about half the length of the head ; lower jaw the longer ; upi^er 

 jaw not protractile, most of its margin formed by the maxillaries, which 

 are quite long and provided with a supplemental bone ; premaxillaries, 

 vomer, and palatines with broad bands of strong cardiform teeth which 

 are more or less movable; lower jaw with strong teeth of different 

 sizes; tongue with a band of small teeth. Head naked above; cheeks 

 and opercles more or less scaly; gill-oi:>enings very wide; gill-mem- 

 branes separate, free from the isthmus ; gill-rakers tubercle-like, toothed ; 

 branchiostegals 12-20. Scales small ; lateral line weak, obsolete in 

 young specimens, developed in the adult. Dorsal posterior, opposite 

 and similar to anal ; caudal fin emarginate ; pectoral fins small, inserted 

 low; ventrals rather posterior; vent normal; no adipose fin; no bar- 

 bels ; stomach not coecal, without pyloric appendages ; pseudobranchiie 

 glandular, hidden ; air-bladder simple. Fishes of moderate or large size, 

 inhabiting the fresh waters of the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and 

 Xorth America. Genus 1; species about 6, one of them cosmoi)olitau, 

 tlie rest all confined to America. The species are all noted for their 

 greediness and voracity. 



(Esoeidce Gunther, vii, 226-230.) 



