154 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



It is common in the grassy streams of the 

 Middle W'est and weedy bayous of the South- 

 west, never exceeding a foot in length. The 

 late Dr. Elisha Sterling, of Cleveland, Ohio, once 

 sent me a plaster cast of one not more than eight 

 inches in length, with the ovaries exposed, show- 

 ing the ripe ova. It is not of much importance 

 as a game-fish or as a food-fish. It spawns in 

 early spring, and feeds on small fish, frogs, and 

 tadpoles. It may be fished for in the same way, 

 and with the same tackle as recommended for 

 crappies on a previous page. 



THE BANDED PICKEREL 



{Esox americanus) 



The banded pickerel. Long Island pickerel, or 

 brook pickerel, as it is variously known, was one 

 of the first of its family to be recognized. It was 

 described by Gmelin, in 1788, from Long Island, 

 New York. He named it americanus, or " Amer- 

 ican pike," as a variety of the European Esox 

 lucius. 



It is found only east of the AUeghanies in 

 coastwise streams from Massachusetts to Florida. 

 It is almost a duplicate of the little \vestern pick- 

 erel in its general form, and represents that species 



