THE SALMON AND TROUT OF ALASKA. 43 



fabulous. ... It would appear reasonable to an- 

 ticipate, therefore, the adoption by our fishermen 

 of some machinery by which they can visit the Yukon 

 when the salmon begin to run, and while they ascend 

 the river catch a million pounds a day, for the raw ma- 

 terial is there, of the largest size, the finest flavor, and 

 the greatest number known to any stream in the 



world." 



My general views about Alaska differ widely from 

 those of the writer, but on the salmon question, I in- 

 dorse all I have quoted, excepting only the word flavor. 



I do not think the Alaska salmon equal in this respect 

 to those of the Atlantic coast, and far behind those of 

 the Rhine ; they are, however, superior to those of the 

 Columbia River. 



In speaking of the salmon, I find I have omitted to 

 mention that in early spring, before the arrival of the 

 salmon trout, and after their departure in fall, great 

 quantities of fingerling salmon pervaded the streams, 

 and bit eagerly at any kind of meat bait. 



While the spectabilis were present, these little fellows 

 kept out of sight and notice. 



Since the body of this paper was written there has 

 been on exhibition by Mr. Blackford, of Fulton Mar- 

 ket, New York, a number of trout, pronounced to be 

 the salmo irideus, one of which, weighing fifteen pounds, 

 was sent to the Smithsonian Institution, and there iden- 

 tified by Professor Bean as being " Salmo gar cine H, the 

 great trout of Edgecomb Lake." 



