88 TELEOSTEI: HAPLOMI. — XIV. 



very evident ; lower jaw black. Head 3| ; depth 3|. B. 6. D. 14 

 A. 9. Scales 35-15. L. 4. N. C. to Conn, and Ontario, W. to 

 Ind. and Minn., in cool weedy streams and swamps. (Lat., of the 

 mud.) 



Family XXXIX. BSOCID^. (The Pikes.) 

 Body elongate, somewhat compressed, with rather small, cycloid 

 scales ; lateral line present, more or less imperfect ; head long, the 

 snout much prolonged and depressed ; mouth very large, the lower 

 ]'aw longest; upper jaw not protractile, most of its edge formed by 

 the maxillaries; premaxillaries, vomer, and palatines with bands of 

 more or less movable cardiform teeth ; lower jaw with strong, un- 

 equal teeth ; tongue with small teeth ; head naked above, scaly on 

 sides; gill rakers tubercular; B. 12 to 20; D. opposite A. as in 

 other Haplomi ; C. emarginate ; P. small ; intestinal canal simple, 

 with cseca; air-bladder present. One genus, with 5 species, one 

 in the fresh waters of both continents, the rest all American. All 

 are noted for their voracity, " mere machines for the assimilation 

 of other organisms." The flesh is white, flaky, and excellent. 

 The Pike is " a solemn stately ruminant fish, lurking under the 

 shadow of a lily-pad at noon, with still, circumspect, voracious eye, 

 motionless as a jewel set in water, or moving slowly along to take 

 up its position ; darting from time to time at such unlucky fish or 

 frog or insect as comes within its range, and swallowing it at a gulp. 

 Sometimes a striped snake, bound for greener meadows across the 

 stream, ends its undulatory progress in the same receptacle." 

 (^Thoreau.') 



94. ESOX (Artedi) Linnseus. (An old name of the Pike). 



a. Cheeks and opercles entirely scalj'. 

 A. Branchiostegals 12 (11 to 13) ; scales 105 to 108 ; D. 11 or 12; A.. 11 or 

 12 ; snout short, the middle of eye nearer tip of lower jaw than edge of 

 opercle ; species of small size. 



213. E. americanus Gmelin. Head short, 3^ ; snout 2J in 

 head; eye 2f in snout, Dark green, sides with about 20 distinct 

 curved dusky bars; fins plain. Depth 5^. L. 12.» Mass. to Fla., in 

 coastwise streams. 



214. B. vermiculatus Le Sueur. Little Pickerel. Head 

 longer, 3|^ ; snout 2^ in head ; eye i\ in snout. Olive green ; sides 

 with many darker curved streaks, usually distinct and more or less 

 reticulate; fins mostly plain; depth 5^. L. 12. Miss. Valley, etc., 

 very abundant in small streams and bayous. (Lat., having marks 

 like worm-tracks.) 



bb. Branchiostegals 14 to 16 ; D. 14 (developed rays) ; A. 13 ; scales 

 about 125; snout long, the middle of eye midway between chin and 

 edge of opercle. 



