ESOCID.E — THE PIKES 205 



to the Minnesota River. We have found no record of its occurrence 

 in the Missouri basin. It is usually taken from grassy ponds and 

 clear creeks with a soft mud bottom. 



Family ESOCIDjE 



(the pikes) 



Body elongate, more or less compressed posteriorly; scales cycloid, 

 covering body and portions of head, which is always naked above; lateral 

 line weakly developed; skeleton osseous; anterior vertebra? simple; n<> 

 spines in tins; ventral fins abdominal; dorsal posterior; caudal emargi- 

 nate; no mesocoracoid ; gill-membranes separate; branchiostegals 12 to 

 20; pseudobranchias glandular, hidden; gill-rakers tubercle-like, toothed; 

 mouth very large, its cleft half of head; premaxillaries not protractile, 

 most of margin of upper jaw formed by maxillary, which is furnished 

 with supplemental bone; premaxillaries, vomer, and palatines with bands 

 of strong cardiform teeth; lower jaw with strong teeth of different sizes; 

 tongue with a band of small teeth; stomach not caecal, without pyloric 

 appendages; air-bladder simple, with distinct duct; oviparous. 



Fresh waters of northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North Amer- 

 ica. Size moderate or large. One genus with six species, all but 

 one confined to North America ; fossil remains found in Oligocene of 

 Europe. All are of carnivorous habit, being voracious and gamy. 

 The flesh is flaky and of sjood flavor. 



Genus ESOX (Artedi) Lixweus 



(PIKES) 



Characters of the genus included above. 



Key to the Species of ESOX found in Illinois 



a. Cheeks entirely scaly; branchiostegals 11 to 16. 



b. Opercles entirely scaly; dorsal rays 11 or 12; scales 105; color greenish, 



barred or reticulated with darker; > fins without black spots; length 12 

 inches vermiculatus. 



bb. Opercles with the lower half bare of scales; dorsal rays 14 to 16; scales 125; 

 color purplish gray to greenish, with many small whitish or yellowish 

 spots; dorsal, anal, and caudal spotted with black ; length 3 feet . . . . lucius. 



aa. Lower half of both cheeks and opercles naked; branchiostegals 17 to 19; 

 dorsal rays 17; scales 150; color dark gray, sides usually with scattered 

 round black spots, sometimes without spots, ometimes banded with dart 

 tins spotted with black; length 4 to 8 feet masquinongy. 



