CHAPTER XV. 



Pike, Pickerel, Muskellunge, and Pike-Perch. 



XCEPT for the last named fish in the title 

 of this chapter, all of those named belong 

 to one family, and resemble one another 

 >o much that frequently one is mistaken for 

 another. The last named, the pike-perch or 

 wall-eyed pike, does not belong to the pike 

 family, but is included in this chapter because of its name 

 and its general resemblance to a pike. 



The pike, known in Canada sometimes by the name of 

 jackfish, is found throughout the Great Lake region, prac- 

 tically all of Canada, and a part of Alaska, also in less 

 numbers in the eastern states and upper Mississippi valley, 

 but never south of the Ohio river. Its natural home is 

 Canada; in parts of the dominion it is very abundant and 

 grows to a large size. The "pike" of other parts of North 

 America are pickerel. 



The usual weight of full grown pike is about ten pounds, 

 but it may be more or less in certain waters and in various 

 parts of the range. Specimens of thirty pounds are some- 

 times taken. The color is dark gray or greenish gray on the 

 back, lighter on the sides, and silvery white on the under 

 parts. The sides show many irregular oblong spots lighter 

 than the ground color. The dorsal and anal fins and tail 

 show dark or black blotches. As on all the pikes, the dor- 

 sal and anal fins are on a vertical line. The body is long 

 and the head is about one-fourth of the length of the fish 

 over all. The jaws are long and armed with sharp teeth, 



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