THE FISHES OF ALASKA. 



293 



The fish were in schools and it was easy to get great numbers; in fact, one would be kept busy 

 hauling in the fish and taking them off the hook. Usually they were near the bottom when the fish- 

 ing began, but they soon became greatly excited and would come near tin- surface, where they could be 

 seen swimming about as if greatly disturbed and evidently searching for the piece of white muslin 

 which had attracted their attention. When first hooked they would come up very readily; in fact, 

 they seemed to swim upward until near the surface when they would become alarmed and dart back 

 and forth in their efforts to tree themselves. Then the sport was very exciting. 



The Atka mackerel reaches a length of 18 inches and a weight of 3 or 4 pounds. The average 

 weight of 585 fish was about 2J pounds and the maximum 3J pounds. 



Commercially this species has never come into the prominence which its excellence as a food fish 

 justifies. As a fresh fish it is delicious either baked or fried. It takes salt well, and in that con- 

 dition is a very palatable and nutritious article of food. There seems to be no good reason why an 

 important fishery should nof I"- established. 



93. HexagTammos decagrammus (Pallas i. Rock Trout. 



Four specimens 3 to 8 inches long, collected at Sucia Island, (inlf of (leorgia, May 6, 1894. No. 

 2230-2233 and 2235, each about 11 inches long, collected by the Albatross in Rednsb Bay, Baranof 



Island, September <i. L897, showing the two distinct color patterns, and no. 1729 (1763), a specimen 

 13 inches long, collected al Sitka by Buttrell. 



41. lli'Xiitmimmn* .lccji^rarnnuis (Pallas). 



Recorded by Bean I 1882) from Sitka; (lid Sitka; Chatham Strait; ami I'nalaska, and in 1884 from 

 Tolstoi Bay. Nelson i L887), Unalaska. 



This species, also called boregat ami bodieron by the Russians, ranges from Point Conception to 

 Kodiak Island. It is most abundant southward ami is common at San Francisco. It attains a length 

 of 18 inches and is a good food fish. 



94. Hexagrammos octograniruus i Pallas). Alaska Gfremling. 



This species has been obtained by ihe Albiilmx al I'ganuk Bay, Kodiak Island ( 1S97), Attn Island, 

 Sucia Island, and Aktitan Bay i 1894), Tareinski Harbor, and I'nalaska. I.ilnik Bay (1900). Bean has 

 recorded it (1882) as //. ordinatus from Old Sitka, from Popoff Island iShumagiu Group), and Ibuliuk 

 and Chernofski; and Nelson (1887) records ii from I'nalaska. Il has been recorded also from Petro- 

 paulski, from Robben Island, and [turup Island. In 1003 the Albatross seined an example (no. 2971) 

 9.5 inches long atUyak Bay, another (no. 2!)7(i I 10 inches long at Snug Harbor, and one 10.25 inches long 

 al Union Bay. An example mo. 151 i 4.25 inches long from Tareinski Harbor shows plainly the black 

 humeral spot and 7 black transverse bars on anal tin; supraoccipital flap very small, about equal to 

 pupil; a few while spots on side. 



