CHAPTER XV. 

 THE PIKE. 



THE family of Esocidce is the tenth of the order PHYSOSTOMI, 

 and is characterised by the " body covered with scales ; 

 barbels, none ; margin of the upper jaw formed by the 

 intermaxillaries mesially, and by the maxillaries laterally. 

 Adipose fin, none. The dorsal fin belongs to the caudal 

 portion of the vertebral column. Stomach without blind 

 sac; pyloric appendages, none. Pseudo branchiae glandu- 

 lar, hidden ; air-bladder simple ; gill-opening very wide " 

 (Gunther). 



" This family," says Gunther, " includes one genus only, 

 EsoXy the ' Pikes/ inhabitants of the fresh waters of the 

 temperate parts of Europe, Asia, and America. The 

 European species, E. lucius, inhabits all three continents ; 

 but the North American waters harbour five, or perhaps 

 more, other species, of which the ' Muskellunge ' or ' Mus- 

 kinonge' (E. estor), of the great lakes, attains the same 

 large size as the common pike. The other species are 

 generally called ' Pickerell ' in the United States." 



Yarrell gives the generic characters of the pike, E. lucius, 

 as : " Head depressed, large, long, oblong, blunt ; jaws, 



