REVIEW OF LOCAL FISHES 51 



living object that is so unfortunate as to come within range, even be it 

 one of its own kind. The writer remembers seeing a httle pickerel of but 

 a few inches in length lying motionless in the water with another scarcely 

 smaller one held crosswise in its mouth. This species sometimes, though 

 rarely, attains a weight of seven or eight poimds. 



The food value of the Pikes has long been a matter of diverse opinion. 

 Isaac Walton says: 



"Roast him when he is caught, and he is choicely good — too good 

 for any but anglers and honest men." 



Many persons will be found who claim that the pike is bony and 

 flavorless. 



They are very destructive to other fishes in the same pond, such as 

 Carp or Trout. 



A number of small minnow-like fishes related to the pikes occur in 

 fresh, brackish and salt water. Their mouths are rather small, but 

 unlike the minnows they have small teeth in the jaws, the tail fins are 

 rounded or squarish instead of being forked, and the black fin is usually 

 more posterior in position. 



The Mud Minnow differs from the others in having the upper jaw 

 not protractile and fewer rays in the anal fin, seven instead of ten or 



ii ^JsJ^^^P^^^^ .i. I- i^lK^iX/^ 



MUD MINNOW 



more. It is dark in color with about twelve narrow longitudinal pale 

 stripes and a dark vertical mark at the base of the much rounded tail 

 fin. Full-grown examples are about four inches long. It is most com- 

 monly found in verj^ muddy fresh waters, burying itself in the mud. 



The Sheepshead Minnow may be recognized by its great breadth, 

 contained two to two and two-thirds times in the length from tip of 

 snout to base of tail fin. Breeding males are bright steel blue and orange; 

 females and young, dull colored with irregular vertical marks. It is 



