CLASS Y. PISCES: ORDEll 3. TELEOSTEA. 
referring to the long mask or snout of the fish, E. esior, "the finest, largest, and most excellent 
food of all the pike family," is found only in the great lakes and waters of the St. Lawrence 
basin. It is coinmon in Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Huron. Its length is two to four feet, and it 
sometimes weighs sixty pounds. It is bold and voracious even beyond its kindred, and is taken 
with dead bait played with spinning tackle, and even by a bait of tin or red cloth, made to play 
quickly through the water. It is also often taken with the seine. 
There are still many other species of pike in different parts of tbe world. 
THE MORMYRIDiE. 
These, very few in number, are only found in the Nile and Senegal : they have a small elec- 
trical organ in the sides of the tail : the flesh is excellent. 
THE CARP. 
THE CYPRINIDiE. 
This family, which includes the Carps^ also embraces the greater portion of all the fresh-water 
fishes of temperate climates. They are distinguished by a small mouth and powerful teeth, 
though not set in tbe jaws. The body is usually compressed, and ahvays clothed with scales, 
sometimes of very large, sometimes of very small size ; the head is small ; the dorsal fin single. 
The fishes of this family are found in great abundance in all the fi-esli waters of Europe. Many 
of them are much sought after by anglers, but rather for the sake of sport than for tlie goodness 
of theii- flesb, which is usually watery and insipid. In former times, however, wdien the trans- 
portation of marine productions, in a fresh state, to great distances from the coast was attended 
with greater diflaculties than at the present day, these fish were regarded as of some importance, 
Vol. IL— 60 
