CLASS V. PISCES: ORDER 3. TELEOSTEA. 



473 



referring to the long mask or snout of the fish, E. cstor, " the finest, largest, and most excellent 

 food of all the pike fjimily," is found only iu the great lakes and waters of the St. Lawrence 

 basin. It is common in Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Huron. Its length is two to four feet, and it 

 soiuotiines weighs sixty pounds. It is bold and voracious even beyond its kindred, and is taken 

 with dead bait played with spinning tackle, and even by a bait of tin or red cloth, made to play 

 quickly through the water. It is also often taken with the seine. 



There are still many other species of pike in different parts of the world. 



THE MORMYRID^. 



These, very few in number, are only found in the Nile and Senegal : they have a small elec- 

 trical organ in the sides of the tail : the flesh is excellent. 



ImW/i 



THE CARP. 



THE CYPRINID.^. 



This family, which includes the Carps^ also embraces the greater portion of all the fresh-water 

 fishes of temperate climates. They are distinguished by a small mouth and powerful teeth, 

 though not set in the jaws. The body is usually compressed, and always clothed with scales, 

 sometimes of very large, sometimes of very small size ; the head is small ; the dorsal fin single. 

 The fishes of this family are found in great abundance in all the iresh waters of Europe. Many 

 of them are much sought after by anglers, but rather for the sake of sport than for the goodness 

 of their flesh, which is usually watery and insipid. In former times, however, when the trans- 

 portation of marine productions, in a fresh state, to great distances from the coast was attended 

 with greater difiiculties than at the present day, these fish were regarded as of some importance, 



Vol. II.— 60 



