84 REVISION OF THE GENUS ESOX, 



I was led into a misapprehension in regard to the species 

 intended to be embraced by Le Sueur under his name 

 Estor, from his having applied to it the common name 

 "- MuskalloQige^''- which no one else except Dr. DeKay 

 ever employed in that connection. The E. nohilis is the 

 Muskallonge and the E. Estor the Pike of our fishermen. 



Having solved the mystery in reference to these points, 

 and finding that Le Sueur's E. reticulatus was not an 

 inhabitant of our waters, I prepared a description of the 

 first named, under the specific appellation of '"'' atro-raacu- 

 latus,^ but subsequently learned that I had been antici- 

 pated by the Rev. Z. Thompson. 



111. Esox Umbrosus. — Kirtland. 



Form — Oval-elliptical, in its general contour. 



^ea^— Obtuse. 



Upper Jmo — Slightly concave between the tip and the 

 forehead. 



Lower /aw— The longer, and prominent. 



Body — Sub-cylindrical, slightly compressed on the sides, 

 and full on the back. 



Fins — Especially the caudal, short. 



Color — Upper surface of the head brownish green, inter- 

 spersed with lighter shades; sides of the body, lower jaw 

 and gill covers, of a whitish ground color shaded with slight 

 brown; fins dusky white, the caudal clouded with brown. 



Zew^^A— Total, Hi inches ; head 2|. 



Branchial rays 12, D. 13, P. 13, A. 12. V. 12, 0. 13 5-6. 



Observations. — This small species rarely attains a greater 

 length than the specimen before us, which was taken in a 

 small bayou of Rocky River, in Rockport. It belongs to 

 Girard's group " Pickerels " of the esoccidae, the operculum 

 and peroperculum being thickly set with minute scales. 

 From DeKay's E. fasciata it difi"ers in having no bands on 

 its sides, as well as in the number of rays in the several 

 fins. Like the E. estor it has a black vertical band extend- 

 ing from the pupil of the eye to the side of the lower jaw. 



