ESOX LUCIUS. 365 



In Ireland the Pike spawns as early as February, but it is a month or two 

 later in England. In North Germany it spawns from February to April, but 

 in South Germany spawning 1 takes place from March to May. The young 

 spawn earlier than the old fishes, and in Scandinavia there are three successive 

 spawnings, which correspond with the disappearance of ice, the pairing of 

 frogs, and the unfolding of the leaf on trees ; and these broods are known 

 to the people, according to Mr. Lloyd, as ice Pike, frog Pike, and blossom 

 Pike. The female is always larger than the male, and is sometimes attended 

 by four males. The males are said to be more numerous than the females. At 

 spawning-time the female remains quiet, and the males are reputed to rub 

 themselves against her body till she deposits the yellow, somewhat large eggs, 

 which are three millimetres in diameter. The number of eggs varies with 

 the fish. In a Pike weighing twenty-eight pounds there were 292,000 eggs, 

 weighing one pound five ounces, but in a fish weighing thirty-two pounds the 

 eggs weighed five pounds, and numbered 595,000, so that in the large fish 

 they weighed nearly four times as much, but were only twice as numerous. 

 Pike first breed when they are three years old. According to Benecke, the eggs 

 are hatched in about fourteen days, and the young have a large umbilical sac. 

 In Sweden the period of incubation is from twenty-five to thirty days. Except 

 when spawning, the Pike lives a solitary life. 



The same species of Pike is plentiful in Manitoba, and occurs in the great 

 Canadian lakes, and in the United States. Pike are taken with nets of all kinds, 

 especially in the winter, but they are captured with the rod and line at all 

 times from June till February. 



The number of thoracic vertebrae varies from forty-one to forty-three ; the 

 caudal vertebrae number from twenty to twenty-one. The stomach is not well 

 defined from the intestine. The intestine has two convolutions, and is about 

 one-quarter longer than the body. The liver is on the left side, and is 

 undivided. The air-bladder is simple, and loosely attached to the walls of the 

 abdominal cavity throughout its length ; a short pneumatic canal communicates 

 with the pharynx. The kidneys are at first slender, but unite behind into a 

 thick mass. The peritoneum is pearly-white. 



The arms of the city of Luc,on are three silver Pike. 



