12 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



THE HUMPBACK SALMON. 



The humpback salmon {Oncorliynchus gorhuscha) is the smallest of 

 the Pacific salmons; its average weight is only 5 pounds, and it is rarely 

 found weighing as much as 10 pounds. Its geographical range is from 

 San Francisco probably as far north as the Mackenzie River, and it 

 is also common on the Asiatic coast. It is the most abundant and 

 generally distributed salmon in Alaska, but in the Pacific States it 

 does not ordinarily occur in great abundance, although there is some- 

 times a noteworthy run in the Puget Sound region. 



In food value the fresh-run humpback is scarcely inferior to any other 

 salmon. While the flesh has a very fine flavor, it is paler than that of 

 other red salmon, and the species has consequently been neglected by 

 canners. It is probable, however, that it will eventually be utilized for 

 canning purj)oses, and its excellent qualities when fresh are undoubtedly 

 destined to give it a great commercial value. The chief consumption 

 now is by Alaskan natives, who cure large quantities for winter use. 



The humpback salmon generally seeks the smaller streams for the 

 purpose of spawning and dei>osits its eggs a short distance from the 

 sea, sometimes within only a few rods of the ocean. At Kadiak Island, 

 Alaska, where it is often very abundant, it arrives in the latter part of 

 July, the run continuing only a few weeks. Spawning takes place in 

 August. There are only a few hundred eggs to each fish, the eggs 

 being smaller than those of the quinnat but larger than those of the 

 redfish, and paler in color than the eggs of either of those species. 



When this salmon first comes from the ocean it resembles a small 

 quinnat, but as the spawning season advances it develops a very large 

 and prominent humj) on its back. This, with the distortion of the jaws, 

 gives the fish a very singular appearance. The extreme emaciation and 

 the extensive sloughing of the skin and flesh, which are incident to 

 spawning, result in the death of all the fish, either on the spawning- 

 grounds or after being swept out to sea by the current. 



THE SILVER SALMON. 



This fish ( OncorhyncJms Msutch) is known as silver salmon, silversides, 

 skowitz, kisutch, hoopid salmon, and coho salmon. It is a beautiful 

 fish, having a graceful form and a bright silvery skin. The flesh, which 

 is fairly good, usually has a bright red color, but owing to its fading 

 on cooking it is not highly regarded for canning pm-poses, although 

 large quantities are thus utilized in the Columbia River, Puget Sound, 

 and in the short coast streams of Oregon and Washington. Its average 

 size in the Columbia and Puget Sound is 8 pounds, but in Alaska the 

 average is nearly 15 x)ounds. It rarely reaches 30 pounds in weight. 

 Its range is from Sau Francisco to northern Alaska, and as far south 

 on the Asiatic coast as Japan. It runs up the rivers to spawn in late 

 fall or early winter, when the waters are high, but does not ascend 

 great distances from the ocean. The average number of eggs to a fish 

 is about 2,000. 



