370 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



regular darker spots ; side olive green, mottled and blotched with 

 darker, and with more or less brassy in thin close lines ; opercle and 

 cheek greenish, blotched with dark; a broad dark line downward 

 from eye; upper part of head dark olivaceous, a narrow paler 

 median stripe; under jaw pale, darker at tip; lower fins pale red- 

 dish ; dorsal and caudal light olivaceous, tip of dorsal blackish, belly 

 white. 



36. COMMON PIKE 



ESOX LUCIUS Linnaeus 



The Common Pike has a remarkably wide distribution. It is 

 the only member of the family found outside of America, and is 

 found in the fresh waters of the northern parts of Europe, Asia 

 and North America north to Alaska and Siberia ; in the eastern 

 United States south to New York and the Ohio River; and in 

 Europe south to Italy and Greece, and is generally abundant 



1^^^S??^|B^«|pj^^^^fS 



Common Pike (Esox lucius) 



throughout its range. It is not at all common in Lake Maxin- 

 kuckee. One was obtained some years ago 3 feet long and weigh- 

 ing lOi pounds, and another was caught on July 20, 1900, which 

 weighed Sf pounds. It appears to be rather common in waters 

 not far distant from the lake. The largest of which we have any 

 record vra,s seen at Round Lake, 4 miles west of Bass Lake. It 

 weighed 32 pounds and had died trying to swallow a large bass. 

 One of the best streams of which we know for pike fishing is the 

 Kankakee. In November, 1892, a fisherman caught one there 

 weighing 26^ lbs. On August 4, 1906, one 40 inches long and 

 weighing 16 lbs. was caught in the Yellow River, a branch of the 

 Kankakee. 



Head 3^ ; depth 5 ; eye 6^ in head, Si in snout ; snout 2f in 

 head; branchiostegals 14 to 16; D. 16 or 17 (developed rays); 

 scales 123. Body moderately elongate, the back little elevated ; 

 head rather long, the eye exactly midway in its length, middle of 

 eye midway between tip of chin and gill-opening; cheeks entirely 



