LONGNOSE Oil SEA PIKE. 137 



LONGNOSE, OR SEA PIKE. 



Esox Helone, Linnicus. 



This curious fish is found in the deep sea, but 

 in the spring and summer migrates in shoals to 

 shallower water for the purpose of spawning. It 

 is usually caught when mackerel fishing, and gives 

 good sport from the determined fight it makes; 

 hut one must be careful not to let it touch the 

 clothes, as whenever it docs, a streak of scales 

 with a very offensive smell is left to the annoy- 

 ance of the captor. This fish is seldom eaten, as 

 the bones arc dark green in colour, and the flesh 

 is strong. The cod-fish and seal often prey on 

 it; they are usually eighteen inches long, and 

 have even reached four feet, but these arc very 

 rare sizes ; it is long, slender, and narrow in shape, 

 greenish blue on the sides and black. It is very 

 voracious, and of a fine day may be constantly 

 seen skipping along the surface of the water in 

 pursuit of the launce or brctt, with their curious 

 long beak, very like the snipe's in proportion, and 

 looking very odd, furnished with very strong teeth. 



