204 HISTOEY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



but they are thinner, less fat, and more pot-bellied, and weigh rather less when dressed 80,000 

 Shumagin fish, dressed, weigh 260,000 pounds ; 80,000 Okhotsk fish, dressed, weigh 220,000 pounds. 

 The latter are poorer, perhaps, because they are caught so early in the spring. They are fatter in 

 July. Fishing, however, begins in June." For the dressed Shuinagin fish this gives an average 

 of 3| pounds each, and for the Okhotsk 2f pounds. The average for the Shumagin fish agrees 

 substantially with that given by most persons who have furnished information about the Alaska 

 cod. Professor Jordan's information was obtained from the foremost fish merchants in San Fran- 

 cisco, and mine from captains of fishing- vessels. The average size of the Shumagin fish is higher 

 for 1880. There are many large fish averaging 6 to 8 pounds, or even more, when prepared for the 

 market. 



SHAPE AND COLOR. With reference to the Shumagiu cod, Capt. J. C. Caton informed me that 

 most of them have black napes, but in some the nape (peritoneum) is white. Some of the fish which 

 we caught on Portlock Bank July 8, 1880, had the nape black, and in others it was white. Mr. Devine, 

 of Pirate Cove, Shumagin Islands, reports there black napes generally, with white or gray occasion- 

 ally. Capt. H. R. Bowen, of Kodiak, says "they very seldom find cod with white napes they are 

 generally black." Capt. D. C. Bowen, of the same island, told me that white-nape and black-ncpe 

 fish both are caught, black-napes being most plentiful. He says that young cod generally have 

 white napes, and the big ones are almost always black-naped. Captain Haley informed me that 

 the Hoochenoo cod have black napes. These statements coincide with my own observations at 

 various points along the coast of Alaska, and it seems to be true that the peritoneum of the 

 Alaskan cod is generally dark. The two large ones already referred to as having been caught in 

 Port Chatham, July 5, 1880, had black napes. 



The same variations in the external colors of the fish exist as are observed in the Atlantic. 

 The shore fish are generally darker than the bank fish, and a reddish tinge is very common. Rock- 

 cod are as well known as in the east. Mr. Deviue states that very pretty yellow cod are some- 

 times taken. Capt. H. R. Boweu says that the deep-water fish are generally light in color. Mr. 

 Devine informed me that the winter fish are whiter than those of any other season. 



The same gentleman mentions peculiarities of shape among the cod, as, for example, " bull- 

 eyed" fish, or those with very prominent eyes, probably due to their sudden removal from very 

 deep water, and "seal-head" fish, distinguished by a short snout and wide space between the eyes. 



The shore fish which were brought to us by Indians from Old Sitka were always dark colored, 

 with long heads and eyes far apart, and with conspicuous blotches, in general appearance often 

 resembling the small cod taken in shallow water off South Greenland the ogac form of the 

 common cod. 



There are no differences as far as general appearances go between Alaskan and New England 

 cod. It would be impossible to tell one from the other if they were mixed in a tank without tags 

 or some other means of identification. 



MIGRATIONS. Mr. B. G. Mclntyre, Mr. D. C. Bowen, and Capt. H. R. Boweu all agree in 

 stating that cod remain throughout the year around the island of Kodiak. They were scarce last 

 winter on account of the extreme cold, and up to the time of our arrival at Saint Paul (July 9, 1880) 

 the customary summer run had not yet begun. Between that date and July 14, however, we saw 

 schools of them around the vessel where she lay at anchor. According to Mr. Bowen, they made 

 their first appearance at Saint Paul May 7, 1880. Captain Bowen states that they are always 

 found in the same places. Mr. Mclntyre informed me that they were so scarce about Saint Paul 

 last winter that the natives could not catch enough of them for their own use an illustration of 

 the influence of temperature in determining the movement seaward of cod. 



