Fisnine in American WATERS. 
Having heard many anglers state that they could not dis- 
tinguish the maskinongé from the pickerel, I invite them to 
look at the diversities. The mandibles of the former are 
longer, the tail more forked and larger, the dark gray back 
and light sides are dotted in black, the outline of the fish is 
more delicate and elegant, presenting the appearance of 
greater refinement and higher breeding than the pickerel or 
pike. The surface differences are palpable, but they are not 
so marked as are the epicurean qualities. The meat of the 
maskinongé is compact, white, tender, and peculiarly delicate 
and rich in flavor, without partaking of any taint of extrane- 
ous substance such as decayed wood and bark, which so com- 
monly affect the flavor of pickerel, and even trout. This 
proves that the maskinongé inhabits springs; and when 
taken in lakes where surface-water is supposed to preponder- 
ate, is always found at points where the fountains gush from 
the bottom. 
THE MASKINONGE. 
Rice Lake, twelve miles north of Coburg, in Canada, con- 
tains favorite feeding-grounds for the maskinone¢. Its nu- 
merous springs, its beds of wild rice miles in iength, forming 
a ground shade, its row of islands rising high above the level 
of the lake, covered with dense forests of lofty trees in whose 
shade the fish disport near the fountains, make this their fa- 
yorite resort. These attractions, and the rivers which feed 
the lake and teem with shiners and other tiny baits, render 
Rice Lake remarkable for containing maskinongé which are 
equal in game qualities to any known in America; and TI be- 
lieve the fish has never been discovered in any water of the 
eastern hemisphere. 
This fish often attains to nearly seven feet in length, and 
