149 



ABDOMINAL 

 MALACOPTERYGIT. ESOCIDJB. 



This family, the Esocidct, of which the true Pike, Esox Lucius, of 

 Europe, is the type, is largely represented in the waters of the United 

 States and the Provinces ; six or seven distinct species having been 

 discovered, exclusive of the formidable Garpike, Esox Osseus, of the 

 south-western waters, which, instead of scales, is cased in a complete 

 armor of rhomboidal plates ; and which is held, by Mr. Agassiz and 

 other distinguished naturalists, to be a connecting link between the 

 animals of the present period and those contemporaneous with the 

 Saurians, and other extinct races. 



The fish of this family are distinguished, generally, by the want of 

 the second dorsal or adipose fin, by the situation of the dorsal very far 

 backward and opposite to the anal fin, and by having the border of then- 

 upper jaw either formed solely by the intermaxillaries, or by having 

 the labials destitute of teeth, if they enter at all into its composition. 

 The mouth is always large, and the teeth sharp and powerful, but the 

 shape and proportional length of the jaws vary greatly in the various 

 species, as do the situation and number of the teeth, and the formation 

 of the gill-covers ; and by these particulars are the species distin- 

 guished. 



The principal of these various species, are — 



The Mascalonge, Masqueallonge, Esox Estor, of the great lakes ; 



The Northern Pickerel, Esox Lucioides, of the same waters ; 



The Common Pickerel, Esox Reticulata, of all the ponds and 

 streams of the northern and midland States. 



The Long Island Pickerel, Esox Fasciatus, probably peculiar 

 to Long Island, formerly Nassau Island, on the southern coast of 

 New York. 



The White Pickerel, Esox Vittatus, of the Ohio, the Wabash, 

 and others of the western waters. 



And the Black Pickerel, Esox Niger, of Pennsylvania. 



Of all these- species, the first two form the type, all the others fol« 



