FISHES OF NEW YORK 301 



Some of the largest pike were upward of 4 feet long. The 

 average length is about 2 feet. 



The fishing season generally begins June 1 and ends Decem- 

 ber 1; but many of the states have no close season. In Penn- 

 sylvania the close time lasts from December 1 to June 1. 



The pike is a voracious fish and destroys everything within 

 its reach in the form of animal life; other fish, water birds and 

 mammals are consumed in enormous numbers. From its con- 

 cealment, like a beast of prey it darts out suddenly on its victims 

 and seldom misses its mark. The pike is even more destructive 

 than the pickerel, and tw r o of the latter, measuring 5 inches in 

 length, have been reported to eat more than 100 minnows in a 

 day. Spawning takes place in winter and early spring on shal- 

 lows and frequently on overflowed meadows. The eggs are about 

 J inch in diameter, and a female weighing 32 pounds was esti- 

 mated by Buckland to contain 595,000. The young pike has a 

 very large yolk sac. The period of hatching varies, with the 

 temperature of the water, from 14 to 30 days. The female is said 

 to be larger than the male; the fish breeds at the age of three 

 years. At the age of one year the fish may reach a length of 12 

 inches, and, if well supplied with food, it will increase in weight 

 from 2 to 3 pounds yearly. 



The pike is a fairly good food fish and forms an important 

 element of the Lake Erie fisheries. As a game fish the species 

 is widely known; it can be readily caught by trolling or spinning 

 or on lines set under the ice. Live minnows and frogs are 

 favorite baits; and Dr Henshall says it will rise to a large r 

 gaudy fly. In Lake George the white chub is one of the best 



known baits. 



Subgenus MASCALONGUS 



The largest member of the pike family is the single repre- 

 sentative of the section Mascalongus, in which the lower 

 half of the cheeks, as well as of the opercles, is scaleless. The 

 scales are smaller than in the other groups. 



The sides and vertical fins are profusely covered with roundish 

 black spots on a pale ground. The branchiostegals number IT 



