ESOCID^: THE PIKES 205 



to the Minnesota River. We have found no record of its occurrence 

 in the Missouri basin. It is usually taken "from grassy ponds and 

 clear creeks with a soft mud bottom. 



Family ESOCIDiE 



(the pikes) 



Body elongate, more or less compressed posteriorly; scales cycloid, 

 covering body and portions of head, which is always naked above; lateral 

 line weakly developed; skeleton osseous; anterior vertebrae simple; no 

 spines in fins; ventral fins abdominal; dorsal posterior; caudal emargi- 

 nate; no mesocoracoid; gill-membranes separate; branchiostegals 12 to 

 20; pseudobranchiae glandular, hidden; gill-rakers tubercle-like, toothed; 

 mouth very large, its cleft half of head; premaxillaries not protractile, 

 most of margin of upper jaw formed by maxillary, which is furnished 

 with supplemental bone; premaxillaries, vomer, and palatines with bands 

 of strong cardiform teeth; lower jaw with strong teeth of different sizes; 

 tongue with a band of small teeth; stomach n:ot cascal, without pyloric 

 appendages; air-bladder simple, with distinct duct; oviparous. 



Fresh waters of northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North Amer- 

 ica. Size moderate or large. One genus with six species, all but 

 one confined to North America ; fossil remains found in Oligocene of 

 Europe. All are of carnivorous habit, being voracious and gamy. 

 The flesh is flaky and of good flavor. 



Genus ESOX (Artedi) Linn^us 

 (pikes) 

 Characters of the genus included above. 



Key to the Species of ESOX found in Illinois 



a. Cheeks entirely scaly; branchiostegals 11 to 16. 



b. Opercles entirely scaly; dorsal rays 11 or 12; scales 105; color greenish, 



barred or reticulated with darker; fins without black spots; length 12 

 inches vermiculatus. 



bb. Opercles with the lower half bare of scales; dorsal rays 14 to 16; scales 125 ; 

 color purplish gray to greenish, with many small whitish or yellowish 

 spots; dorsal, anal, and caudal spotted with black; length 3 feet. . . .lucius. 



aa. Lower half of both cheeks and opercles naked; branchiostegals 17 to 19; 

 dorsal rays 17; scales 150; color dark gray, sides usually with scattered 

 round black spots, sometimes without spots, sometimes banded with dark ; 

 fins spotted with black; length 4 to 8 feet masquinongy. 



