ESOCIDiE. 163 



On a minute examination, however, of its characteristics, and espe- 

 cially of the size of its scales, I was perfectly satisfied that it was 

 neither more nor less than an individual Long Island Pickerel, Esox 

 Fasciatus, which, having wandered into salt-waters, had thus entirely 

 changed its colors, and grown to a weight exceeding its natural average, 

 in the ratio of at least three to one, probably from the superiority and 

 greater abundance of food which he found in his new hunting grounds. 



I did not myself taste the fish, but was informed that it was of 

 very unusual excellence. 



I never saw a more striking instance of the effect which different 

 waters have upon the coloring and condition of fishes, than in this 

 Pickerel ; nothing was left unchanged except those specific characters 

 on which alone permanent distinctions can be founded ; and without a 

 knowledge of which, the quickest observation is useless, so far as as- 

 signing their places to any of the animal kingdom. 



In addition to the four species above described, there are laid down 

 in the books three others, beside the hideous Garpike, or Alligator 

 Gar, Esox Osseus, of the West. 



These are the Esox Niger, Esox Phaleratus, and Esox Vtttatus, 

 of the western waters, all which are so closely allied, and so closely 

 similar in habit, that there is no object in occupying space in their 

 description, the rather as they are well known, and not liable to be 

 mistaken for others of the same familv. 



Note to Revised Edition. — I have observed a statement of a correspondent to the 

 N. Y. Spirit of the Times, that I have erred in assigning one to one and half pounds 

 as the limit of growth to the Long Island Pickerel, because he had killed Pickerel 

 of four pounds and upward on Long Island. The common Pickerel, Esox Reti- 

 culatus, which grows to five and even seven pounds, is taken on Long Island, but 

 is not, therefore, or for other cause, the Long Island Pickerel, which was scientifi- 

 cally distinguished from it by DeKay, on account of its diminutive size and largs 

 scales. The distinction has been allowed by Agassiz, and all eminent naturalists. 



