290 GAME FISH OF NORTH AMERICA. 



and craftiness evinced in his appearance as clearly as in any other 

 member of the animal kingdom. At length he is within reach of 

 the gaff, and the silent and excited man of the tent, with skill and 

 muscle, snatches the fishy prowler from his native element. 



" As a food fish there is nothing superior to this. He ranks with 

 the salmon and speckled trout, and surpasses the black and striped 

 bass. The meat is almost as white as snow, fine grained, nicely 

 laminated, and the flavor is perfect." 



Besides the waters of the basin of the Great Lakes and of 

 the St. Lawrence, the interior lakes of Ontario, Canada, are abun- 

 dantly supplied with mascalonge, notably Rice Lake and the lakes 

 of the Muskoka region. Probably they are more numerous in the 

 last-named waters than in any others of America. 



The Pike. — Esox lucitis. — Linn. 



The Northern pike is found in the St. Lawrence River, and in 

 the larger inland lakes of the Northern and Western States. It is 

 often caught in the same waters and on the same grounds as the 

 mascalonge, from which it is readily distinguished by its general 

 shape, the shape of its head, its teeth, its color, and superficial 

 markings. Its back and head are of very dark green or greenish 

 black ; its sides in some waters are of a dull olive green, shading 

 to white on the belly, and in others of the intensest vivid green 

 and gold. Fins greenish ; those below tinged with red. Its sides 

 are marked by irregular longitudinal dusky streaks. It is distin- 

 guished by its alligator head and projecting lower jaw. It grows 

 to the length of three feet and more, though never attaining to the 

 gigantic weight and size of the mascalonge, and affords excellent 

 sport to the angler. It is taken by trolling along the margins of 

 weeds that border the lakes and rivers, and often in deep water ; 

 by skittering with frog, minnow, or pork bait ; and by still-fishing. 

 It is apt to resort to the vicinity of logs and fallen trees, where it 

 is most certainly taken. Fishing with jugs and " bobbers " is a 

 rather exciting sport, though hardly sportsmanlike. The method 

 is as follows : 



Being provided with a dozen or so of empty bottles — cham- 

 pagne or claret the best— cork them tightly and fasten a line of 

 suitable strength to the neck of each, winding the spare line upon 



