DKSCKirTIoN OF THK CtJ.MMoN riCKKHKI.. J.U 



seven, tlif thickness is ahout two-thirds of (he (hpth ; the 

 lenj^th of the head to the entire Icnj^th is as one to four; the 

 posterior edj^^e of tlie orbit is midway l)etwron the tip of tlic 

 snont and the posterior niarpn of the free j^ill-cnvcr ; the 

 ori-^in of the ventral tin is midway between the tip of the 

 >nout and the fork of the eimdal ; the termination of tlie 

 ean(hd opposite to the orij^in of thi' anal ; tlie ^ill-eovers are 

 nearly vertieal, and vi'ry slij^jitly ronnded, except the marj^in 

 of the suh-operculmn, wliieb is xcry short as compared with 

 the operruliim : the branehiostegous rays are nine in nnmber; 

 dorsal tin-rays, twenty; pi-ctoral, sixteen; ventral, ten; anal, 

 twenty; candal, eij;hteen, seven above, and seven below the 

 great rays. 



The back is of an olive green with bine reflections; the sides, 

 olive green fading into greenish yellow, with vertieal lines of 

 dnll brown occasionally crossing one another, so as to form 

 a sort of irregular network ; the dorsal and caudal fins are of 

 an olive brown clouded witli green ; the pectorals and ventrals, 

 greenish brown, margined \\itli dull yellow; the anal, dusky 

 green ; the irides, golden yellow ; the cheeks and (iprmila, 

 which are covered with small scales, arc olive green, with 

 brownish marks and reflections. The snout, brown ; the 

 lower jaw and gill-rays, white; the belly, white, marked with 

 brown. 



This is the Common Pickerel of the Middle and Kastern 

 States; and is the fish intended, when the word Pickerel is 

 used without any epithet or definition. It is rather a favourite 

 fish ; and has been injudiciously intro<luccd into many fine 

 Trout {H)nds and streams, which have in consequence lost all 



