31(J NATUKAL HISTORY COLLFX'TIONS IN ALASKA. 



0-2671. (.47.) Nnlato, YnkoD River, January, 187.'!'. 



(Notes ou origiual No. 47.) 



Grayling. — Nulato, Yukon, Alaska. Speciuieu brought frozeu iu January, 1878. Color, dull 

 purplish-brown, very dark, with traces of black spots along sides. Fins nearly black. Dorsal 

 greatly developed. Eye golden-brown. A light fleshy tint is apparent on the sides of head and 

 body about shoulders. 



33^)30. (15-i.) Audraevsky, spring, 1H78. 



This is a fiesh- water species, straying occasionally into the brackish water near the mouths of 

 streams on the Arctic coast or along the shore of Behring Sea. They are very common about 

 Nulato in spring, but are not numerous at other seasons. They are one of the characteristic and 

 common species in all the clear streams tributary to the Lower Yukon, and to Behring Sea and the 

 Arctic coast thence north. 



In midsummer, 1881, when hunting near Cape Lisburue, ou the Arctic coast, I saw a number 

 of these fish in a small stream. They kept in the pools, and when I drew near swam hurriedly 

 about, trying to escape. I watched them from coucealmeut for some time, but did not see them 

 open the large banner-like dorsal fin either while they were unaware of my proximity or when 

 alarmed by me. This fin lay closely folded along the back in both cases. This fin is probably a 

 sexual character, as it can scarcely have a practical function. The creek where I found these Gray- 

 ling is a tributary of the Kowak Kiver, which flows into Kotzebue Sound. These fish are caught 

 by the Eskimo with small, brightly ornamented hooks, and also in nets and traps of wicker-work. 

 The following is the description of the life colors of a fine male, which was written down directly 

 after taking the subject, with several others, from a fish-trap iu Auvik Eiver ou November 20: 



Scales, ou the sides and back, with golden bronze reflections. Ou the sides, extending longi- 

 tudinally through the middle of each scale, is a bar of light color, thus forming a series of light 

 lines along the body. Extending back from the head for about half the length of the fish is a 

 straggling series of ten or fifteen black spots, each covering about half of a scale. The ventral 

 surface dingy white, with irregular diugy dotting iu minute points. From pectorals to veutrals ou 

 each side extends a bar of from two to three scales iu width of dai-k golden bronze, fading rjuickly 

 to brown after death. Back of ventrals this line is to be faintly traced. 



In fine specimens, mainly on the posterior half, particularly near the tail, the body is shaded 

 with purple, bluish-green, and dark livid blue, the latter color covering the entire tail. This col- 

 lection of colors gives an iridescent appearance to the posterior part of the body. The anal fin' is 

 colored a lighter shade of the same tint as the tail. Five narrow bars of pink extend diagoually 

 across the upper surface of the ventral fins from near their bases to the outer borders ; these bars 

 show nearly white ou the under surface of these fins. The ground color of these fins is dingy 

 bluish-green, punctulate with minute white specks on the under surface. Pectorals dingy olive, 

 with a dark-purplish shade. Head olive-brown, with bright-bluish aud greenish-purple reflections 

 from the opercula. Dorsal fin purplish, darkest ou posterior half. From frout to back ou the mem- 

 brane of this fin extend five or six pretty regular series of light spots iu so many rows. These spots 

 are small in frout and larger ^posteriorly. Their color is light purple iu front, but changes posteri- 

 orly to bright purplish, red, green, indigo, and violet, sometimes blending and sometimes separate, 

 so as to form a beautiful combination difiiculfc to describe. 



The flu on its posterior half also becomes much more intensely colored with shades of greenish 

 and purple. The upper and outer border of this fiu is narrowly edged with pink. It is impossible 

 to convey by description the beautiful array of colors this species presents when first taken from 

 the water, most of which quickly fade after death. 



Stenodus mackenzii Eichardsoii. Whiteflsh (A>?w(( of Eussiau ; Chi of Esk.) 



29888. (239 and 2-40.) Kotlils, January 20, 1881. 



Nelma, or Large Wldtejish. — Lower half silvery white, aud shaded by dusky olive ou upper 

 half. Lower fins pale or colorless. Upper fius dusky. 



29889. (255 and 356.) Nulato, March, 16^1. 



A native brought one of these fishes from Selsiwik Lake this wiuter (1SS0-'81). which weighed 

 forty-odd pounds aud was nearly 1 feet long. 



