1006 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
weighing 21 oz. (607 grammes), Buckland® found 
292,320 eggs, and in another weighing 32 lbs. (14 1 / 2 
kilo.), and with ovaries weighing 5 lbs. (2 1 /* kilo.), 
595,200. The Pike is thus fairly prolific, but its fe- 
cundity is not above the average, as compared with 
B 
Fig. 255. A, young Pike 2 days old and hardly 10 mm. long. 
The vent has not yet divided the vertical embryonic fin. Pectoral 
fins rudimentary. No fin-rays. Immediately after hatching the larva 
is hardly 9 mm. long. B , young Pike 11 days old and 15 mm. 
loDg; a, from the side; b, from above. Vent open. Ventral fins 
have appeared about half-way along the embryonic fin in front of 
the vent. No fin-rays. Distinct teeth in the lower jaw. Opercula 
developed. C, young Pike 5 or 6 weeks old and 20 mm. long. 
Dorsal and anal fins begin to separate, before the rays are formed. 
In the caudal fin the base seems to develop first, the rays being 
rather short. D , young Pike 7 or 8 weeks old and 26 mm. long. 
Of the vertical embryonic fin only a small remnant to be seen under 
the caudal fin and another, very narrow, from the anal aperture to 
the ventral fins. All the fins, though thick and rigid, have the com- 
plete number of rays. In the ventral fins the rays are separated at 
the base. The upturned tip of the tail still lies, rather large, in the 
form of a compressed, membranous lobe, above the caudal fin, but 
is confluent therewith, and no longer shows increase in size. — 
SUNDEVALL. 
Even in a larva 15 cm. long and between 6 and 7 months old 
(killed on November lOtli and born of an artificial impregnation per- 
formed in April) the development of all the fins and the cleavage of 
the branched rays are not much further advanced than in Hemibranchs 
and Lophobranchs (see above), these rays being compressed, with re- 
mote articulations, and with short and imperfect, almost exclusively 
simple division. 
that of other fishes. The eggs, which are at first 
rather adhesive, lie free on the bottom, and in spring 
(April) require about three weeks to hatch. 
“The new-hatched fry”, writes Sundevall, “are 
short and thick in shape, with rather large belly (fig. 
255, A). The coloration is yellowish, but quite trans- 
parent, and densely punctated on the surface with 
black dots, a dark band running from the eye along 
the sides of the belly. In coloration, external form, 
and movement they have some resemblance to tadpoles; 
but some are much more sparsely punctated with black, 
and consequently of a lighter tone. At first the larva 
remains for the most part still, preferring to lie close 
to the surface beside plants or floating straws and the 
like, to which it seems, as it were, to hang, or else 
at the bottom in less than an inch of water. On being 
touched, it swims rapidly about, with hasty movements 
of the tail, but soon resumes its former position. In 
about 10 or 11 days (fig. 255, B) the yolk is ab- 
sorbed, and the belly much reduced in size, but the 
head prolongated, with large mouth. It now begins 
at once to swim more steadily, in the same manner 
as its elders, and goes in quest of prey. It soon 
abandons the habit of lying at the bottom or resting 
alongside floating objects, repairs to somewhat deeper 
water, remaining for the most part stationary, as if 
on the watch for prey, and seizes small fishes and 
other aquatic animals of a size considerable enough 
in comparison with its own, but only those which it 
sees moving, just as older Pike .... The external 
form in which the specific characters of the Pike may 
be traced (fig. 255, I)) seems to be fully developed at 
an age of nearly 2 months and a length of about a 
Swedish inch (25 mm.).” Subsequently the growth 
proceeds rapidly, as usual, at first, but with very con- 
siderable variations, depending on the different supply 
of food under circumstances favourable in other re- 
spects. According to some observations a one year 
old Pike is only 15 cm. long, according to others 30 
cm. Blanchere states the growth as follows * 6 : 
Maximum length of the Pike at the age of 1 year . 
n ?? '>') n v 5 ? >> ^ years. 
?? 11 'll 'll >i i) ii i) ^ n 
?! ) ? ii ii a a a a a ^ a - 
1 2 
>, >> >) ii a ii ii ii ii x “ ii - 
M. M. 
0-25—0-30 
0-36—0-42 
0- 55—0-60 
1 - 00 
1-35. 
a Nat. Hist. Brit. Fish ., p. 387. 
6 Dictionn. Gen. Peches , p. 116. 
