NATURAL HISTORY.— FISH 



275 



der (nemaskwa), is purchased at the Company's posts for 67 

 cents a pound; ten fish furnish one pound. 



Esox lucius Linn. Jackfish. 



I n k-ta, D. R. Un-ta, S. Ul-tln, L. 



The pike, or, as it is generally known in the North, the jack- 

 fish, is found throughout the region visited, but it is far less 

 abundant than the whitefish and less esteemed for food. 



I first saw them in Lake Winnipeg south of Grand Rapids 

 where they were abundant in the reeds along the shore of shal- 

 low bays. I found them quite common on the north coast of 

 the Great Slave Lake and in the Yellow Knife River. The 

 Slavey Indians near the outlet of the lake were subsisting upon 

 them when I passed that point in May, 1894. The jackfish is 

 said to be fat and well-flavored at that season but it was cer- 

 tainly inferor to the whitefish. My dogs were starving at that 

 time yet they ate sparingly of them, and when well fed on 

 whitefish, refused to eat jackfish. 



Nets intended for their capture are made of "jackfish twine," 

 somewhat heavier than that in other nets, but they are rarely 

 used. Holes torn in the nets at Rae were generally attributed 

 to the jackfish. 



