ES0C1TLE. 139 



FAMILY, III— ESOCIDiE. 



Branchiostegals numerous : pseudobranchise glandular and more or less 

 concealed. Gill-openings wide. Edge of the upper jaw formed by small pre- 

 maxillaries, divided in the median line by the head of the vomer : laterally by the 

 maxillaries. No barbels. The dorsal fin belongs to the caudal portion of the 

 body: no adipose dorsal fin. Scales present on the body. Stomach destitute 

 of a coecum : no pyloric appendages : intestines short but wide. Air-bladder 

 simple. 



This family of fishes is distributed throughout the northern and temperate 

 portions of Europe, Asia, and America. 



Genus I. — Esox (Artedi), Cuvier. 



Branchiostegals numerous (13-18) : pseudobranchio3 glandular. Body elongated. 

 Snout broad, depressed and, elongated : gape of mouth wide, cleft deep. A row of 

 irregularly-sized teeth, some of a large size, in the mandibles, absent from the 

 maxilla : cardiform ones on the premaxillaries, vomer, palatine, and hyoid bones : 

 also on the tongue. A single dorsal fin placed opposite the anal in the caudal 

 portion of the body. Caudal slightly forked or emarginate. Scales small, cycloid. 

 Lateral-line present. 



This fresh-water fish descends to the brackish and even salt water, and is 

 distributed similarly to that given for the family of which merely this single 

 recent genus is at present recognized. 



1. Esox lucius, Plate CXXVI. 



Lucius, Belon. p. 296 ; Rondel, ii, p. 188 ; Salv. pp. 94, 95 ; Schonev. p. 44 ; 

 Aldrov. p. 030 ; Johnston, iii, t. 3, c. 5, t. 29, f . 1 ; Gesner, p. 500 ; Willughby, 

 p. 236, t. P 5, f. 2; Ray, p. 112 ; Klein, Miss. Pise, v, p. 74, t. xx, f. 1. Esox 

 no. 1, Artedi, Synon. p. 26, Gen. p. 10, and Spec. p. 53 ; Gronov. Zooph. no. 361. 

 Pike, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (Ed. ] 776) iii, p. 320, pi. lxiii, and (Ed. 1812) iii, 

 p. 424, pi. lxxiv. 



Esox lucius, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 516 ; Gmel. Linn. p. 1390 ; Bloch, Fische 

 Deuts. i, p. 229, t. xxxii ; Bonnaterre, Enc. Ich. p. 174, pi. lxxii, f. 296; Bl. Schn. 

 p. 390 ; Lacep. v, p. 297 ; Donovan, Brit. Fish, v, pi. cix ; Turton, p. 105 ; 

 Jurine, Mem. Soc. Phys. et Hist. Nat. Geneve, iii, 1825, p. 231, pi. xv ; Fleming, 

 Brit. An. p. 184 ; Cuv. and Val. xviii, p. 279 ; Bowdich, Brit. F. W. Fish, fig. no. 

 xvii ; Bonap. Pesc. Eur. p. 25 ; Jenyns, Man. p. 417 ; Ekstrom, Morko, p. 78 ; 

 Fries and Ekstrom. Scand. Fisk. p. 49, t. x ; Tarrell, Brit. Fish. (ed. 1) i, p. 383, 

 c. fig. (ed. 2) i, p. 434 (ed. 3) i, p. 342 ; Templeton, Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837 (2) i, 

 p. 4l0 ; Johnston, Berwick. Nat. F. Club, 1838, i, p. 172; Pallas, Zoo. Ross. -As. 

 iii, p. 336; Parnell, Wern. Mem. vii, p. 272; Swainson, Fish, ii, p. 298; 

 Richards. Fauna Bor.-Amer. iii, p. 124 ; Kroyer, Dan. Fisk. iii, p. 236 ; White, 

 Catal. p. 70 ; Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 146 ; Nilss. Prod. p. 36, and Scand. Fauna, iv, 

 Fisk, p. 348 ; Thompson, Ireland, iv, p. 140 ; Giinther, Catal. vi, p. 226 ; Schlegel, 

 Dieren Neder. p. 151, pi. xiv, f. 4 ; Siebold, Siiss. w. f. p. 325 ; Heckel and Kner, 

 Siiss. w. f. p. 287 ; Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil. 1865, p. 79 ; Blanchard, Poiss. 

 France, p. 483, f. 128; Lunel, Lake Leman, p. 161, pi. xix; Collett, Norges 

 Fiske, p. 175 ; Malm, Fauna, p. 550 ; Winther, Ich. Dan. Mar. p. 45 ; Houghton, 

 Brit. Fresh-water Fishes, p. 73, c. fig ; Giglioli, Catal. Pesc. Ital. p. 42 ; 

 Feddersen, p. .81 ; Canestrini, Fauna Ital. p. 21 ; Moreau, Poiss. France, iii, 

 p. 466. 



Esox borcus, Agassiz, Lake Superior, p. 317. 



