222 ESOCID^. 



The fins, according to Professor Agassiz's singularly precise 

 mode of enumeration, contain — the dorsal, twenty-two fin-rays ; 

 anal, twenty ; ventral, thirteen ; pectoral, eighteen. The main 

 part of the caudal fin is divided into two somewhat unequal 

 lobes, containing the upper, nine ; the under, eight fin-rays ; 

 while above and below the two larger lateral rays, there are nine 

 smaller rays. 



In colour, it differs from the Northern Pickerel in having the 

 general tint of the body lighter than the markings. The back 

 and upper part of the sides are dark, changing from greenish 

 to bluish grey on the sides, which are irregularly dashed with 

 darker spots and splashes. When exposed to a strong light, 

 every scale reflects bright colours, which vary as the fish is 

 moved ; but there is no fixed pale mark on the tip of the scales, 

 as in the succeeding species. 



The Mascalonge, which owes its name to the formation of 

 the head — masque-allonge, long-face or snout, Canadian French 

 — but which has been translated from dialect to dialect, mask- 

 inonge, muscalunge, and muscalinga, until every trace of true 

 derivation has been lost, is said to be much more common in 

 Lakes Erie and Ontario than in the more northern waters of 

 Canada; but this will, I fancy, prove to be erroneous, as I know 

 them to be taken of great size, and remarkable excellence, in 

 Lake Huron. 



It is the boldest, fiercest, and most voracious of fresh-water 

 fish ; and there is none, unless it be the Great Lake Trout, that 

 can ofi^er any adequate resistance to his attacks. It is said that 

 even the spiny dorsals of the Percida do not protect them from 

 his ravenous attacks. 



