CHAPTER VIII 



THE PIKE 



Relatives of the Pike. Distribution of our species : specific 

 characters— size — food and habits — greediness sometimes 

 causes death — Pike rushing into the jaws of another in 

 pursuit of prey— cannibahsm — attacks on large animals 

 and man — supposed dislike of Tench — pairing — breeding — 

 habits of fry — rate of growth — age — as food — names and 

 their derivation 



THE PIKE {Esox lucius) is a member of a 

 small order {Haplomi), well defined by 

 osteological characters, which contains in addition 

 to the Pike family the Mudfishes {Uinbridce), small 

 fishes of stagnant pools, swamps, and ditches, one 

 species inhabiting Austria - Hungary, the other 

 North America, and the Blackfishes {DalliidcE)^ 

 comprising a single species in Alaska and Siberia, 

 a curious fish of extraordinary vitality, remaining 

 frozen for weeks in the winter and thawing out as 

 lively as ever. 



The Pike family includes only one genus {Esox), 

 with five species, all found in North America. In 

 the United States the three southern species are 

 the smallest, and are known as Pickerel, whilst the 

 giant Maskinongy of Canada grows to a length of 

 8 feet and a weight of more than lOO lbs. 



Only one species occurs in the Old World at 



