The Pike Family 127 



ward half of the upper lip is a row of small, but 

 very sharp, recurved teeth ; back of these on the 

 roof of the mouth (vomer and palatines), and ex- 

 tending back from the fangs in front to the throat, 

 are three rows of cardlike teeth, recurved and 

 very sharp. 



The coloration and markings vary so much 

 that several varieties have been needlessly estab- 

 lished, as the variations are found in every local- 

 ity, and do not seem to depend on habitat or en- 

 vironment. The usual color is dark gray, green- 

 ish or brownish, always darker on the back, 

 lighter on the sides, and belly white or whitish. 

 The fins usually have dusky or slate-colored spots 

 or blotches ; the lower fins and caudal fin are 

 often reddish. The markings of the body vary a 

 great deal. In the young the upper half of the 

 body is covered with small, round black spots, 

 which usually disappear or change their shape as 

 they grow old. In mature fish the spots are more 

 diffuse, sometimes enlarging to an inch or more 

 in diameter, or by coalescing form vertical broad 

 bands, while in others there are no distinct dark 

 markings. And while all of these various mark- 

 ings are found in fish from the same locality 

 there is no apparent structural difference. 



