JiENKUAl, DKSCKIITION. 



ZMi 



Tin; LoMi ISLAM) i'lLKEUiX. 



K*ox FtttciatM — Dekay. 



I.oiiK li-Uiul I'U'ki'ii'l. 



'riii>, ulii»-li is till- smallest mul most insigniticjiut vt' the 

 f'liiuily, SI) far as its sporting' or ([jinireaii (jualities are euii- 

 cerned, was first (listinj;uislii(l ami uaiiud hy l)r. Hekay, of 

 New ^ ork. 



Its principal eliuracteristic is the ven* remarkable size of its 

 scales, which, in most of tlie family, even in the enormous 

 Mascalon«;e, are very minute and slcmler. 



In this little denizen of the running brooks and clear 'rre)ut 

 ponds of Lonjr Island, their scales arc larger than in any other 

 of the taniily, so a.s to make it reseml)le, in that particular, 

 some of the Cyprinidip, rather than its own tribe. 



In other respects, size excepted, it difl'ers little iVom the 

 otluT I'ikr, which t'ollow the type of the Northern Pickerel, 

 rather than that of the Ma.<iralont/r, to which variety it l)elonj;s ; 

 as is readily seen in the short snout, straij;ht lower jaw, of 

 this small fish, the latter carrying its teeth, of full si/.i-, (juite 

 round the fore part of the jaw. 



The Lonj; Island Pickerel rarely, if e\er, in those waters, 

 exceeds a pound w(i;_'lit, and that is greatly above the average, 



