284 OTHER FISH AND GAME 



of branchiostegal rays, as to the identification of the 

 maskinonge and of the true pike, or great Northern 

 pickerel, and that without reference to the coloration 

 or markings of the body of the fishes. But many of 

 those who have not taken the trouble, or have not had 

 the advantage, of carefully examining them are scep- 

 tical on the subject, because of the immense size to 

 which Esox lucius attains in northern Quebec. When 

 specimens of the fish, or even good photographs of 

 them, can be secured, it is quite easy for even the most 

 casual observer to distinguish between the elongated 

 form of the light-colored markings of the side and the 

 smaller, darker, and rounder spots of the maskinonge. 

 I have seen a forty-nine-pound pike that was taken by 

 Mr. William Hayes, of London, in Lac Tschotagama in 

 1890, and one of thirty-five pounds that was brought 

 to Quebec from the Peribonca River by Mr. B. A. Scott 

 in 1892. Mr. E. J. Myers claims a forty-seven-pound 

 pike taken by him in Lac Tschotagama in July, 1891 ; 

 and in August, 1892, 1 was close to Colonel Haggard's 

 canoe in the Peribonca when his guide lost a specimen 

 at least five feet in length while endeavoring to lift it 

 out of the water. To so large a size have these fish 

 attained in Lake St. John, and so voracious are they 

 known to be, that m&ny of the settlers about its 

 shores are too frightened of them to venture to bathe 

 in its waters. Both dogs and water-fowl swimming 

 upon its surface have been attacked by these fresh-wa- 

 ter sharks. I have killed a fourteen-pound specimen 

 that took the spoon close to the Island House, at the 

 head of the Grande Decharge, on an eight-ounce trout- 

 rod. A stiffer one is safer and better, however, in con- 



