ESOCID^E. 161 



ABDOMINAL 

 MALACOPTERYGII. ESOCID^E. 



THE LONG ISLAND PICKEREL. 



Esox Fasciatus ; De Kay. 



THIS, which is the smallest and most insignificant of the family, so 

 far as its sporting or epicurean qualities are concerned, was first distin- 

 guished and named by Dr. DeKay, of New York. 



Its principal characteristic is the very remarkable size of its scales, 

 which, in most of the family, even in the enormous Mascalonge, are 

 very minute and slender. 



In this little denizen of the running brooks and clear Trout ponds 

 of Long Island, the- scales are larger than in any other of the family, 

 so as to make it resemble, in that particular, some of the Cyprinida, 

 rather than its own tribe. 



In other respects, size excepted, it differs little from the other Pike, 

 whieh follow the type of the Northern Pickerel, rather than that of the 

 Mascalonge, to which variety it belongs ; as is readily seen in the 

 short snout, straight lower jaw, of this small fish, the latter carrying 

 its teeth, of full size, quite round the fore part of the jaw. 



The Long Island Pickerel rarely, if ever, in those waters, exceeds 

 a pound weight, and that is greatly above the average, which is proba- 

 bly nearer one-half that size. It is less voracious also than the larger 

 members of its family, and is said to be in no wise detrimental to the 

 Trout, which literally swarm in the same waters. Indeed, its size 

 would render it innocuous to anything beyond the small fry, as a 



