174 NATURALISTS CABINET. 



Description. 



flesh being tender and of a good flavour, particu- 

 larly when fat. The same kind of worm, only of 

 smaller size, is found in the intestinal canal of 

 this fish, as in the salmon. According to Pon- 

 toppidan, the trout is subject to consumption, the 

 head is then large, the body meagre, and the intes- 

 tines covered with pustules. 



THE PIKE. 



THE head of the pike is very flat, the eyes small 

 and of a gold tinge ; the upper jaw broad and 

 shorter than the lower which turns up a little at 

 the end, and is marked with minute punctures; 

 the teeth are very sharp, disposed not only in the 

 point of the upper jaw, but in both sides of the 

 lower, in the roof of the mouth, and has often 

 three rows upon the tongue, and even down to 

 the orifice of the stomach ; the gape of the jaws 

 is wide, although loosely connected ; they have 

 on each side an additional bone like the jaw of a 

 viper, which renders them capable of greater dis- 

 tention when the prey is swallowed : the body is 

 long, the back broad and almost square when in 

 its best state ; the belly is always white. When 

 in high season their colours are very fine, being 

 green, spotted with bright yellow, and the gills 



