•218 ESOCID^. 



The principal of these various species, are — 



The Mascalonge {Masqueallonge, Esox Est or), of the Great 



Lakes. 

 The Northern Pickerel {Esox Lucioides), of the same 



waters. 

 The Common Pickerel {Esox Reticulatus), of all the ponds 



and streams of the Northern and Midland States. 

 The Long Island Pickerel {Esox Fasciatus), probably 

 peculiar to Long Island, formerly Nassau Island, on the 

 southern coast of New York. 

 The White Pickerel {Esox Vittatus), of the Ohio, the 



Wabash, and others of the western waters, and 

 The Black Pickerel {Esox Niger), of Pennsylvania. 

 Of all these species, the first two form the type, all the others 

 following the formation of the head, which is remarked in one 

 or other of these, as regards the comparative length of the snout, 

 the formation of the lower jaw, the dental system, and the gill- 

 covers. So marked is this difference, that, in addition to the 

 wood-cuts of the entire fishes, I have thought it well to give 

 large representations of the heads of these two noble fish ; and 

 by examining these with a little care, and comparing them with 

 the heads of any of the smaller varieties, it will be easy to 

 distinguish to which type any one of them belong. 



Thus, any person will at once perceive that the Common 

 Pickerel, in the comparative length of the jaws, and the beak- 

 like form and scanty dentition of the lower mandible, follows 

 the type of the Mascalonge ; while the Long Island species 

 resembles in the short obtuse snout, and extension of the teeth 

 to the tip of the lower jaw, the Northern Pickerel. 



