CHAPTER XV 



BONT PIKE, BOW-FIN, STURGEON, REED-FISH, AND BICHIR 



BY W. P. PYCRAFT, A.L.S., F.Z.S. 



THE present chapter deals with the remaining forms belonging to that great assemblage 

 of fishes known as the Bony-mouthed group, which includes all the members of the 

 class save the Lung-fishes on the one hand and the Shark Tribe on the other. 



This great assemblage, as we have already remarked, is divided into two sections the 

 Fan- and Fringe-finned Fishes. The fishes presently to be described belong partly to the one 

 and partly to the other of these divisions, and were at one time, together with the Lung-fishes, 

 regarded as nearly allied, and as forming but a single group, which, on account of the structure 

 of the scales, was known as the Enamel-scaled group. 



The BONY PlKE, the BOW-FIN, and the STURGEON are the last of the Fan-finned Fishes. 



The BONY PIKE, or GAR-PIKE, is an inhabitant of the fresh-waters of North America, and 

 has the most completely ossified skeleton and the most perfectly jointed backbone of all the 

 fishes, whilst externally it is covered with a complete armour of thick, quadrangular scales 

 coated with enamel. Three distinct species of this family are known, all of which are of 

 large size, attaining a length of 6 feet. They are carnivorous in their habits, lying in wait 

 among the reeds, and rushing out to seize their prey as soon as within range. In the 

 Mississippi, great lakes, and rivers of South Carolina bony pike are especially abundant, 

 occurring at times in such numbers as to fill the shad-nets and render the fishery for many 

 days impossible. The larger members are said to be as aggressive as sharks, and remarkably 

 tenacious of life. 



The geographical distribution of the BOW-FIN closely corresponds with that of the bony pike. 

 It is an extremely common fish, and, though worthless for food purposes, has yet been deemed 

 worthy of a number of different names, such as GRINDLE, DOG-FISH, SAWYER, MUD-FISH, and 

 LAWYER-FISH. At one time it was regarded as a near ally of the Herring Tribe, but modern 

 research has shown this view to be erroneous. The bow-fin attains a length of about 2 feet, 

 and is very voracious, preying both upon other fishes and aquatic insects and shrimps. It has 

 a habit of coming frequently to the surface to breathe, especially when the water is foul, 

 taking in large mouthfuls of air. When near the surface, it is said to utter a bell-like note, 



ftat b, A. 6. RudUnd tf Stni 



Unit k) Sittlaltti Pkat C.] 



BONY PIKE 



Ont of the very few lurvivon of the ancient group of Enamel-ualld Fis/ili 

 662 



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