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Fishes of Massachusetts. ALT 
scales ; dorsal fin placed very far back, over the anal 
fin. 
E. reticulatus. Le Sueur. The common Pickerel. 
Journal Academy Nat. Sciences, vol. i. p. 414. 
'This fish, one of our most beautiful species, is 
known throughout the state as the “ pickerel.” — It is 
taken in most of the ponds and rivers, and is every 
where valued. Brought to Boston market in the 
spring and autumn, and frequently through the 
greater part of the winter, it meets with a ready sale. 
The largest specimens are received from Brewster, 
Cape Cod; individuals have been sold in Quincy 
market from that place, weighing seven pounds; and 
they are said to be taken there considerably larger 
even than this. Its color varies exceedingly in dif- 
ferent localities; thus, while in some ponds it is of 
a greenish brown color, in others, the entire surface 
is of a brilliant golden ; all however are more or less 
distinctly marked with the irregularly distributed 
. long itudinallines. 'The fishermen have an idea that 
i the oil of this species, carefully prepared, is a good 
application for ear-ache, and it is collected by some 
for that purpose. 1 
The specimen before me is sixteen inches in 
length ; head about one fourth the length of the 
body ; width of the head, in front of the eyes, equal — 
to half of its length. Body above green; sides of - 
a beautiful golden yellow, marked over their whole 
extent with dark lateral lines about one third of an 
inch in width, which, by their irregular union, pro- E 
35 
VOL. III.—NO. III—IV. 
a 
