36 



lime ; on the other hand, hot weather does not in the least 

 trouble it, except that it gets its supply of air more frequently. 

 In movement it is very erratic, now dashing about as if mad, 

 again standing perfectly motionless in the water, only moving 

 the pectorals and ventrals "like a dog, running," again only 

 moving pectorals and the rear part of the dorsal or only the 

 latter fin alone. It can turn its head sideways at an angle and 

 remain a while in that position. When feeding it gorges the 

 morsel at one attempt, after staring at it a while. Sometimes 

 when overfed the dogfish cannot swim about at all, but lies 

 like a log on the bottom. 



Found in lowland streams east of the Alleghanies, from New 

 York to Carolina. 



Family Luciidae. 

 Pikes. 



Body much elongate, little compressed ; head flattened, snout 

 much depressed, mouth very large, full of teeth, those on the 

 lower jaw very strong and of unequal size. Dorsal and anal 

 very far back, caudal roundly forked. Scales on cheeks and 

 body; lateral line present. Intestinal canal simple. Air blad- 

 der simple ; gill openings wide. Extremely voracious fishes, 

 the sharks of the fresh waters. There are only five species 

 known, all of the one genus Lucius. Four are exclusively 

 North American, the fifth is arctogaeal. They are considered 

 among the gamiest of fishes and possess very edible flesh. Pike 

 in the aquarium must be kept by themselves, owing to their 

 rapacity; they are somewhat delicate in captivity. 



Lucius americanus (Gmel.). 



Pickerel. 



The large head is shorter than in the others. Olivaceous 

 above with about 20 distinct, curved, loop-shaped, dusky 

 bars ; fins plain, reddish ; a dark bar below the eye. D and A 

 11 or 12 rays each. Scales 105. Grows to a length of one 

 foot. 



Common east of the Alleghanies in coastwise streams. This 

 species is here often met with in brackish water, and is then 

 more brown in color. 



