146 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Hab. — Chiloweyuck Lake, near the Fraser River, (Dr. Keunerly.) 

 Nahoi-al pit-kun R., (Mr. Gibbs.) This interesting species was first 

 obtained at Chiloweyuck Lake, near the forty-ninth parallel, and but a 

 short distance from Fraser River. It has seemed proper to name a fish 

 so well marked and so distinct from any other known American species 

 in honor of Dr. C. B. R. Keunerly, (its discoverer,) naturalist to the 

 Northwest Boundary Commission, whose lamented death, while return- 

 ing home after three years uninterruptedly spent in exploring the 

 wilderness, has already been alluded to in the early part of this report. 

 The full-sized figure in the plate was taken from a male specimen in 

 good preservation, now in the Smithsonian collection. This has 25 rows 

 of scales above the lateral line (counted just anterior to dorsal fin,) 24 

 below the line to middle of belly ; 155 on the lateral line and its fin 

 formula as follows: P. 17: D. 10: V. 11: A. 17: C. 21. In different 

 individuals the branchiostegals vary from 12 to 15 on a side. One fe- 

 male had 12 on one side and 15 on the other. Mr. Gibbs's specimen from 

 the west of the Cascade Mountains seems to dilier only in size from those 

 obtained at Chiloweyuck Lake. It is now in the Smithsonian collection, 

 No. 200G Museum Catalogue, fishes. 



Dr. Keunerly, in his notes and journal, gives the following items of 

 inten st concerning it : 



^'■August IG, 1859. ChiloiceyncJc dq)ot : When we returned from our 

 morning expedition. Lieutenant McKibben had been up to old Camp 

 Chiloweyuck, and iu the small stream near had seen vast numbers of a 

 small species of red salmon, and had caught many. They doubtless 

 ascend to get out of the way of the cheicagh, who feed upon them. A 

 chewagh weighing d^ pounds, caught by the party to-da^^, had two of 

 these small salmon whole in his stomach." 



[]LSr(5TE. — Dr. K. must be mistaken about the cause of the appearance 

 of this fish in such situations annually, as the /S". oqiiassa and various 

 other species have the same habit when about to spawn. — S.] 



August 17, 1859. Lal-e Cliiloweyuclc. — To-day Captain Woodruff and my- 

 self took several men with us, and went after the small salmon mentioned 

 by Lieutenant McKibben, yesterday. In a short time after reaching the 

 small brook spoken of, we had rare sport, killing one hundred and eighty 

 fish. Considering these sufficient for our present wants, we ceased and 

 returned home. A Skopaalitch Indian calls the kind tsi-mia, and says 

 they are common in Swheltscha and Pekosie Lakes, and that they never 

 descend into smaller streams, and never go to the salt water. They are 

 said to last but a short time, and disappear entirely after the arrival of 

 the Icowlmts. At another date he adds: " I believe this fish is peculiar 

 to the Chiloweyuck Lake, where it makes its appearance, about the 

 10th of August, at the mouths of all the small streams emptying into the 

 lake. They are then found in immense numbers ; so numerous are they 

 that they may be caught with the hand. They are followed by the clie- 

 wagJi, or large salmon-trout, who feed upon them. They try to escape 



