ESOCIDiE OE PIKES. 303 



two North American species — the esox estor and the 

 esox reticulatus (the last distinguished by a network of 

 lines along the sides, which has suggested the name), 

 both, like our own, inhabitants of fresh water. The sea 

 also has its pikes, and to one of these we shall devote a 

 few words. The esox belone, or gar-fish, is very com- 

 mon in the Mediterranean, and under the Greek name 

 pa<f>h ^eXovrj, and its Latin equivalent acus, was well 

 known to the ancients ; though it must be admitted that 

 they do not, under the same denomination, always speak 

 of the same fish. Aristotle, for instance, as quoted in 

 Athenseus, says of his belone, that it is 'smooth' and 

 ' toothless,' which statement, as regards the odontics of 

 the gax-fish, is the reverse of fact, and quite at variance 

 also with what Oppian sings of a fish which he celebrates 

 under the same name as Aristotle. 



Th' unwary belone's proceedings show 

 WTiat dire effects from vengeful anger flow ■- 

 Safe through, the net escaped, the spleenful throng 

 Must needs return to recompense the wrong, 

 When fatal threads the pointed teeth receive, 

 And hold each victim fast without reprieve. 



Giannetazzio also speaks of the sharp, penetrating 

 teeth of belones, and of a plan yet successfully pursued 

 at Naples of converting them into instruments for their 

 capture. 



Bumish'd with blue, and bright as damask steel, 



Behold the belone with pointed bill. 



All fringed with teeth ; no greedier fish than they 



E'er broke va. serried Hues our foaming bay. 



Soon as the practised crew this frolic throng 



Beholds advanciag rapidly along ; 



Adjusting swift a tendon to the line, 



They throw, then drag it ghstening through the brine. 



Quickly the lure the snapping fish pursue : 



The gristle charms, but soon its charms they rue. 



Fix'd by the teeth to that tough barbless bait, 



The struggling suicides succimib to fate. 



