88 MARINE AND FRESHWATER FISHES 



The genus Esox, including a single British species, the 

 common Pike, or Jack {Esox lucius), No. 156, and some 

 half-a-dozen exotic species, all inhabitants of fresh water, is 

 alone comprised in the family Esocidas. The above-named 

 well-known British type is the largest of our purely fresh- 

 water fishes, and in connection with its remarkable voracity 

 enjoys a world-wide reputation. Every description of fish, 

 with the exception, perhaps, of the prickly Perch, water- 

 fowl, and even water-rats fall victims to its insatiable appetite, 

 and instances have been recorded even of large Pike 

 greatly pressed by hunger seizing the muzzles of cattle and 

 horses when repairing to the riverside to drink. A weight 

 of as much as sixty or seventy pounds is not unfrequently 

 attained by a full-grown Pike. Numerous admirable casts 

 of monster specimens of this destructive fish will be found 

 in the Buckland Museum, and likewise an example of a 

 half-grown fish which was captured in the act of gorging 

 one of its own species about equal to itself in size. 



FAMILY IV. — Saury Pikes (Scombresocidce). 



Body covered with scales, those developed along each 

 side of the belly keeled or carinate ; upper jaw-bones con- 

 stituted as in the Esocidse ; the lower pharyngeal elements 

 united into a single bone ; dorsal fin developed opposite 

 the anal one towards the caudal region ; no adipose fin ; 

 air-bladder without a pneumatic duct. 



This family includes the Gar-fish, Gor-bill, or Long-nose 

 (Belone vulgaris), No. 157; the Saury Pike or Skipper 

 (Scombresox saui'us), No. 158 ; and the Flying- fish {Exocetus 

 evolans), No. 159. The two first-named types are com- 

 pressed elongated forms remarkable for the beak-like 

 prolongation of their upper and lower jaws, suggestive of 



