FISH OF ONTARIO. 69 



cumstances it attains a large size, specimens of more than forty pounds 

 weight having frequently been captured in Europe. In Canada it does 

 not grow so large, though in Manitoba, where it is commonly known as 

 "Jackfish." Fish of twenty pounds were not very uncommon a few years 

 ago. In Ontario it is so constantly pursued that it does not now get a 

 chance to attain its full dimensions, and Pike of over ten pounds' weight 

 are becoming rare. 



Spawning takes place in early spring, as soon as the ice breaks up ; 

 the fish running up on to rush beds or grassy shallows for that purpose. 

 The females are very prolific, one weighing thirty-two pounds was esti- 

 mated by the late Professor Buckland to contain 595,000 ova. 



Many anglers profess to look upon the Pike with contempt and treat 

 its claim to be considered a game fish with derision. This is because it is 

 usually taken by them in the summer months, when it is not in good con- 

 dition. It is then soft in flesh and weedy in flavour, but in the autumn, 

 after the weeds have died down, it is a different fish ; then its flesh is firm 

 and good and its fighting powers will tax the angler's skill to the utmost. 



Subgenus MASCALONGUS. 



(77) Mascalonge. Lunge. 



(Lucius masquinongy.) 



Body elongate, though stout ; caudal peduncle short and slender. 

 Head large ; eye nearly in the middle of length of head. Mouth very 

 large, the maxilla extending to below the hind margin of the eye. The 

 teeth are as in the Pike, but even more formidable. Dorsal and anal fins 

 far back. Caudal deeply forked. D., 17; A., 15 to 16. Scales on lateral 

 line, 1 50 ; cheek and opercle scaled above, but both naked on their lower 

 half 



Colour, dark grey, greenish or brownish, always darker on the back, 

 ligj^iter on the sides. Belly white or whitish. The fins usually have dusky 

 spots or blotches, the lower fins and caudal are sometimes reddish. The 

 body markings vary a great deal. In the young the upper half of the body 

 is covered with small round black spots, which usually change their shape 

 or disappear as the fish grow older. In mature fish the spots are more 

 diffuse, sometimes enlarging to an inch or more in diameter, or by coales- 

 cing, form vertical broad bands, while in others there are no distinct dark 

 markings. All these various markings are found in fish from the same 

 locality. The majority of Lunge in our waters are either unmarked or 

 show faint bars, the spotted form being the most uncommon. 



The distribution of Mascalonge in our waters is somewhat irregular. 

 It is found in the St. Lawrence about the Thousand Islands, in the waters 

 of the Trent Valley, Lake Scugog, Lake Simcoe, and many of our inland 

 lakes, but I have no record of its occurrence in any of the Great Lakes 



