624 FISHES. 



This family includes one genus only, Esox, the " Pikes," in- 

 habitants of the fresh waters of the temperate parts of Europe, 

 Asia, and America. The European species, E. Indus, inhabits 



. .'4 \fM'h{T- 



Fig. 282.— The Pike. (Esox hicius.) 



all three continents, but the North American waters harbour 

 five, or perhaps more, other species, of which the " Mviskel- 

 lunge," or " ]\Iaskinonge " {E. cstor) of the Great Lakes attains 

 to the same large size as the common Pike. The other species 

 are generally called " Pickerell " in the United States. 



Fossil Pike, belonging to the existing genus, have been 

 found in tlie freshwater-chalk of Oeningen, and in the diluvial 

 marl of Silesia. Eemains of the common Pike occur in 

 abundance in quaternary deposits. 



Eleventh Family — Galaxiid.e. 



Body naked, harhels none. Mm^gin of the iqj'pcr jaio chiefly 

 formed hy the intermaxillaries, ivhich arc short, and continued 

 hy a thick lip, behind which are the niaxillaries. Belly 

 rounded; adipose fin none; dorsal opposite to anal. Pyloric 

 appendages in small numher. Air-bladder large, simjjle; pscudo- 

 branchice none. The ova fcdl into the cavity of the abdomen 

 before exclusion. 



Small freshwater fishes of the southern hemisphere, be- 

 longing to two genera, Galaxias and Neochanna. Of the 



