696 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



" This species is generally looked upon as the same with E. 

 retioulatus, although so very dissimilar in its markings, and uni- 

 formly smaller size. This pike is very generally associated with the 

 retioulatus, and in all its habits is identical. The smaller speci- 

 mens are generally found in small streams and ditches, with the 

 true 'ditch pike,' feeding on the swarms of small fish that fre- 

 quent such waters to avoid the attacks of the yellow and white 

 perch. They appear to be uniformly abundant throughout the 

 State, specimens being found in the streams of every county, 

 including Cape May county, where they are met with in 

 abundance and of large size." 



Var. porosus, Cope [eypho). Hump-back Pickerel. Ditch Pike. 



Has a more arched back, &c.; sometimes confused with 

 E. umbrosus, the " little pickerel," which has body moderately 

 stout ; eye large ; color greenish gray, with curved bars or reticu- 

 lations, variable ; a dark bar downward from eye and one forward. 

 Dorsal rays, 11 ; anal rays, 11 ; lateral line, 105 scales ; length, 

 12 inches. Mississippi Valley. Extra-limital to New Jersey. 



" This small pike prefers small ditches with overhanging 

 banks, yet that have a steady, gentle flow of pure, cool water. 

 In its habits generally it resembles the preceding, and not unfre- 

 quently is met with in waters abounding in the larger species. 

 It appears, from the author's observation, to prey principally 

 upon the ' mud minnow,' which is itself a ravenous, pike- 

 resembling species. It is not as abundant as the foregoing or 

 the succeeding, and has been found by the writer only in Mercer 

 county."— [C. C. A.J 



B. lucius, L. {estor, boreus, deprandus.) Great Lake Pike. Northern 

 Pickerel. 



Lower half of opercle bare ; light spotted on a darker ground 

 in rows ; color greenish gray or bluish gray ; black spots on fins. 

 Bands, 15; dorsal rays, 17; anal rays, 14; lateral line, 123 

 scales ; length, 2 to 4 feet. Common in the East and Great 

 Lake region. Not found in Atlantic coast system of rivers. 



B. retioulatus, Le S. {afflnis.) Green Pike. Common Eastern Pickerel. 



Head prolonged ; snout long ; eye small ; caudal well forked ; 



green, with golden luster on sides, marked with dark lines and 



