THE PA CIFIC SALMON. 



481 



four or five pounds, and probably never exceeding ten. It ranges from 

 the Sacramento River to Alaska, Behring Island and Kamtchatka. In the 

 Sacramento and Columbia it is only an estray, on the latter river being 

 sometimes called " Lost Salmon." In Puget Sound it runs in large num- 

 bers in late summer and fall, like the Keta or Dog Salmon, ascending 

 every little stream. Its run in Puget Sound takes place on alternate years,, 

 a fact which seems to be well established. It was very plenty in 1879. 

 None were noticed in 1880, but stragglers are occasionally taken during 

 the year of scarcity. A few were seen by us on the Columbia and Sacra- 

 mento. We are told that this species runs every year in Alaska. During 

 its run in Puget Sound the females are canned, and the males are thrown 

 away or given to the Indians. The flesh is then pale, and the canned 

 product is inferior in quality. In economic value the Hump-back Sal- 

 mon is far inferior to the Quinnat, the Blue-back and the Silver Salmon, 

 and, like the Dog Salmon, is mainly useful in furnishing a winter supply 

 of food to the Indians. 



- i - ~\ 



■■■• -^ i 



THE XEEKA SALMON 



The Nerka or Blue-back Salmon, Oncorhynchus ncrka, writes Jordan, 

 known as the " Red-fish" to the English-speaking inhabitants of Alaska 

 and Kamtchatka, and to the Russians, now as in the time of Pennant and 

 Pallas, as " Krasnaya Ryba," which signifies red-fish, the name having 

 reference to the color of the flesh. It is not unlikely that other species 

 are occasionally confounded under this name, but there is little doubt 

 that the present species is the one to which it is chiefly applied. On 

 Frazer River, where this species is the most important Salmon, it is known 

 as the "Suk-kegh," " Saw-quai " or "Suck-eye." Elsewhere in Puget 

 Sound it is rarely seen. In the Lower Columbia it is known by the ap- 

 propriate name of " Blue-back ;" in the Upper Columbia as " Red-fish." 



