4 THE PIKE. 



measured from the tip of the snout to end of the last caudal 

 vertebra, the caudal fin not being included. So in Eye 5 it 

 means that the horizontal diameter of the eye is one-fifth of 

 the length of the head. In Dr. Jordan's latest classification, 

 the pikes constitute the family Luciidce. Your pike is Esor 

 lucius, while ours, although the same fish, is by this classifi- 

 cation Lucius lucius. 



" MASCALONGE {Lucius masquinongy). Head, 3? ; depth, 

 6 ; eye, 4 to 6 in snout ; B., 17 to 19 ; D., 17 ; A, 15 ; scales, 

 1 50. These fish are hatched artificially by the State of New 

 York, and this year a 60 Ibs. fish was taken in the nets at 

 Chantanque Lake, where the hatchery is situated. They 

 reach a weight of 100 Ibs. 



" PIKE (Lucius lucius). Head, 3^ ; depth, 5 ; eye, 6J in 

 head, 3^ in snout ; B., 14 to 16 ; D., 16 or 17 ; A., 13 or 14 ; 

 scales, 123. They grow to a weight of 50 Ibs. 



" PICKEREL (Lucius reticulatus). Head, 3^ ; depth, 6 ; 

 eye, 3^ in snout, 8 in head ; B., 14 to 16; D., 14; A., 13 ; 

 scales, 125. This fish is marked with numerous dark lines 

 and streaks, which are constant, giving it a reticulated 

 appearance; hence the name. It never has the bean-shaped 

 lemon-coloured spots of the pike, and its maximum length is 

 74 in., and weight about 5 Ibs. The average weight is from 

 \\ Ibs. to 2 Ibs. 



"LITTLE PICKEREL (Lucius vermiculatus}. Head, 3^; 

 depth, 5 to 6 ; eye, "2.\ in snout, 6 in head ; B., 12 ; D., n to 

 12 ; A., ii ; scales, 105. This fish has a dark bar from the 

 eye downwards, and vermiculations on the sides. Grows to 

 12 in. in length. 



" BANDED PICKEREL (Lucius americanus}. Head, 3f ; 

 depth, 5^; eye, 5 ; B., 12 or 13; D., II or 12 ; A., u or 12 ; 

 scales 105. The sides of this fish are marked with about 

 twenty distinct blackish curved bars, and has a black bar 

 below the eye. I have omitted much of the colour descrip- 

 tion for the reason that it is not a sure guide to the identi- 

 fication of species, except in connection with the structural 

 formation of the fish. I do not refer to the scale formulas 

 on cheeks and gill-cover, as I have already written about 

 that, and given illustrations in the Fisheries Commission 

 Report. The scale formulas on cheeks and gill-covers, are 

 constant, however, and will alone identify the mascalonge, 

 pike, and pickerel, Reticulatus^ when the little pickerel and 



