916 FISHES — ESOCID^. 



Esox reticulatvs, Kirtlakd, Bob*. Jonrn. Nali. Hist., v, 1846, 233, pi. 10, f. 2 (not LeSnenr, 



first carefally distinguished from the Mnskallnage). 

 Esox deprandus (LbSukur), Cbv. and Val., xvili, 1846, 336.— Copb, Proo. Acad. Nat. 



Sci. Phila., 1865, 79 ; Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc. 1866, 408.— Gunther, Cat. Fishes 



Brit. Mus., vi, 1867, 2. 

 Esox borem, Agassiz, Lake Saperior, 1350, 317. 

 Esox lucioides, Auct. 



Desoription. — Body elongate ; the head very long ; eye midway in head, 6J in its 

 length, in specimens 18 inches in length ; month proportionately rather larger than in the 

 other pikes ; the palatine teeth much larger than those of the vomer, except in front, the 

 two series about equal in length ; scales a little larger than in the Maskallunge ; lower 

 two-thirds of the pperole, or from the eye downward, naked ; cheeks scaled ; the scales 

 on the lower half of the cheeks smaller than those of the upper ; coloration bluish or 

 greenish-gray, with many yellowish white spots rather smaller than the eye, and ar- 

 ranged somewhat in rows ; eye yellow ; vertical fins with rounded, black spots ; scales 

 of the back with shiny, triangular specks. Young fishes are often darker and scarcely 

 spotted, but marked with yellowish-white bars, directed downward and forward, which 

 later break up in spots ; sides of head with 3 or 4 horizontal, whitish bars, one of them 

 bounding the scaly part of the operculum ; head 3f ; depth 5 ; D. 17 ; A. 16 ; V. 11 ; Lat. 1, 

 120-125 ; B, 15. European specimens have mostly but 13 or 14 branohiostegals. Length 

 2 to 4 feet. 



Habitat, waters of Northern North America, from the Great Lake Region to Alaska, 

 and in all waters of Northern Asia and Europe, one of the most widely difiused of fresh 

 water fishes. It is occasionally taken in tributaries of the Ohio River, but is very 

 abundant in Ohio in the northern part only. 



Diagnosis. — This species may be known at once by its spots, which are 

 pale or yellowish on a darker ground, and by its scaly cheeks and half- 

 bare operculum. 



Habits. — The Pike is very abundant in all the streams and ponds trib- 

 utary to Lake Erie, as well as in the lake itself. In the tributaries of 

 the Ohio it is less common, although frequently taken. It, however, 

 prefers cool waters. It is an important fish in the markets, and is read- 

 ily sold, although it is not a fish of the very first grade. 



This species has long served as the emblem of rapacity among fishes. 

 " They are mere machines for the assimilation of other organisms," feed- 

 ing freely on any animate thing which they can catch, and fortunately 

 they can sometimes catch each other. 



It is stated that Dr. E. T. Sturtevant once " put two young Pickerel 

 about five inches long in a trough with a great quantity of little Cypri- 

 noids of about one inch in length. These two Pickerel ate 122 Minnows 

 the first day, 130 the second day, and 150 the third day, and increased one 

 inch in length in forty-eight hours." In this statement, the rate of 

 growth ie, of course, exaggerated ; but they will unquestionably devour 

 Minnows till the tail of the last one hangs out of the mouth, there being 

 no room to swallow it. 



