134 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Habitat. — “It is believed originally to have been restricted to the fresh waters of the Atlantic 
seaboard, being commonly found anywhere east of the Allegheny Mountains, from southwestern 
Maine to Florida. Aided by man, its range has been extended throughout the southern half of 
Maine and even farther north, into the lower waters of the St. John River, into New Brunswick, 
and elsewhere.” (Kendall, 1917, p. 24.) 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: Many places from the tide waters and streams 
tributary to Chesapeake Bay. ( b ) Specimens in collection or observed in the field: Havre de 
Grace, Md., April, 1912; May 8-19, 1922; Aug. 26-31, 1921; November 9-12, 1921; December 20, 
1911. Baltimore, Md., fish market, November 4-8, 1921. Annapolis, Md., May 1-3, 1922; 
August 17-19, 1921; November 1-3, 1921. Solomons, Md., April 26-28, 1922. Love Point, Md., 
May 11, 1922. Norfolk, Va., fish market, November, 1921, and November, 1922. The greatest 
salinity in which the species was taken was 12.61 per mille. 
56. Esox americanus Gmelin. Banded pickerel; “Pike.” 
Esox lucius americanus Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1788, p. 1390; Long Island, N. Y. 
Esox umbrosus Uhler and Lugger, 1876, ed. I, p. 144; ed. II, p. 123. 
Esox niger Uhler and Lugger, 1876, ed. I, p. 146; ed. II, p. 124. 
Lucius americanus Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 626; Smith and Bean, 1899, p. 184. 
Esox americanus Fowler, 1912, p. 54. 
This species is much less common than E. reticulatus in the tide waters of Chesapeake Bay. 
A single small specimen occurs in the collection. This little species may be distinguished from the 
chain pickerel (the only other species of the genus known from Chesapeake waters) by the some- 
what shorter dorsal and anal fins, fewer branchiostegals, and by the color. These differences are 
shown in the key to the species. 
The food of this fish, according to Bean (1903, p. 294) and Smith (1907, p. 143), consists princi- 
pally of minnows. Its breeding habits have not been specifically described, but Kendall (1917, p. 
37) wrote that they probably were very similar to the eastern pickerel. 
This pickerel is of small size; according to Smith (1907, p. 143) and other authors it rarely 
exceeds a foot in length and is of less importance than the eastern pickerel as a food fish. 
This species is reported from brackish and salt water from New York and New Jersey (see 
Kendall, 1917, p. 36), but it appears to be rare in the brackish waters of Chesapeake Bay, and it is 
of no commercial value. 
Habitat. — East of the Allegheny Mountains, from Vermont to Alabama. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: Streams in the vicinity of Havre de Grace, Md.; 
Rappahannock River; Potomac River. (6) Specimen in collection: Havre de Grace, Md., Septem- 
ber 1, 1921. This fish is known to enter brackish water, but it was not taken under these conditions 
in Chesapeake Bay during the present investigation. 
Order CYPRINODONTES 
Family XXXI.-CYPRINODONTIDiE. The killifishes 
Body elongate, compressed (at least posteriorly); mouth small, usually terminal; premaxillaries 
protractile; teeth pointed in Fundulinae, incisorlike in Cyprinodontinse; gill membranes united, free 
from the isthmus; gill rakers short and thick; scales large, cycloid; no lateral line; dorsal fin single, 
composed of soft rays only; caudal fin posteriorly square or rounded, not forked; anal fin somewhat 
similar to the dorsal, not modified in the male; ventral fins abdominal; species oviparous. 
KEY TO THE GENERA 
a. Body short and deep, compressed; head not notably depressed; teeth in a single series, incisorlike, 
tricuspid Cyprinodon, p. 135 
aa. Body elongate and less strongly compressed; head more or less depressed; teeth in a single series 
or in bands, pointed. 
b. Teeth in a single series, all pointed; head scarcely depressed Lucania, p. 136 
bb. Teeth in bands, all pointed; head depressed, flattened above Fundulus, p. 137 
