46 tr. S. BUREAU OF FISHEEIES. 



along its west side disclosed no falls nor cascades jjor rise sufficient for a 

 gravity supply of water. The lake near the inlet mouth had an excellent 

 gravel shore with deep water. Many salmon bones lay in a windrow on the 

 bottom 10 or 12 feet from shore. Many thousands of redfish fry, the young of 

 the season with sacs but recently absorbed, were schooling along the beach 

 close inshore. On July 27 of the same season these young fish were no longer to 

 be seen. 



The inshore gravel was bare from the fall of the lake level, and the bottom 

 was algse-covered. In the shore eddies of the inlet stream many ragged and 

 tattered salmon were resting. Farther up a straggling procession, most of the 

 fish still uncolored, was ascending. No ripe salmon were seen, and it seemed 

 evident these fish were bound for the upper lakes and not to spawn in the 

 inlet. On August 8 at the same point a similar procession, nearly all in red 

 color, was still slowly passing at the rate of about 300 an hour. These were 

 close inshore, and although the depth prevented seeing any fish beyond a few 

 feet from shore they probably represented most of the run on the west side of 

 the inlet at this date. They kept close in to avoid the current, like the 

 ascending columns in Wood River. Certainly many of these migrating fish 

 were bound for the upper lakes. There was no good evidence of spawning in 

 the inlet. 



In 1909 a few observations were repeated. July 1 there were no fry on the 

 gravel beach where on June 12, 1908, they were in force. On July 23, how- 

 ever, they were again seen in numbers along the beach below the inlet. Some 

 young of the season were seen July 1 up the inlet but no adults. July 23 the 

 usual thin procession, with many gaps, was passing, and very few fish had 

 turned red. The native drying racks had only green fish. Information from 

 a native indicated that the inlet does not freeze over in winter, that consider- 

 able drift ice comes down, and that there are " plenty lakes " above. The 

 lake surface July 1 registered a temperature of 42° F. at 7 p. m. A bench 

 mark placed at this date showed on August 2 a fall of 21 inches for the lake 

 level. 



Padden Bay and ?7.s streams. — August 8, 1908. West of the inlet is a con- 

 siderable indentation known locally as Padden Bay. The trend of its upper 

 portion is NW. by W., of its lower or main portion about N. Five creeks 

 (18-22) empty into it, only one of which is of importance. 



Creek i8.— This is a small brown creek just inside the bay. There were 

 about 100 salmon in its sluggish muddy estuary. 



C7'eek 19. — A short distance beyond Creek 18 and of the same type. Many 

 live salmon and many eggs on good gravel were seen in its mouth. 



Creek 20. — Like the preceding. Fifty salmon were schooling off its mouth. 

 Heavy underbrush impedes progress along the stream, which is close to the 

 peninsula on which is located the cabin of the prospector whose name is given 

 to the bay. 



Creek 21. — A small brown creek, corresponding in position to Creek 22, 

 each emptying on opposite sides of a little peninsula. There were many salmon 

 about its mouth. Near by, among moss ;ind plants, a lot of young pike (Esox) 

 were seined. A small bight opposite the cabin may po.ssibly contain another 

 small creek. 



Creek 22, Padden Creek. — July 27, 1908. This is the main stream of the bay 

 and is indicated on Rodman's sketch map of 1900. No observations were made 

 August 8. Above its long narrow estuary it meanders -through tundra and is 

 bordered by black birch and alder. Its width varies greatly, not exceeding 

 8 or 10 feet. It is shallow, reaching a depth of 2 feet where its coarse gravel 

 is hollowed out by salmon. It has a moderate current with occasional riffles. 

 It soon bifurcates, and the eastern branch trends toward the second lake. 

 The salmon present were nearly all in deep red color, and many were spawning. 

 The fish were evidently the first comers, marking the beginning of the spawning 

 season here at a date when practically none of the salmon ascending the 

 main inlet had turned in color. Mr. Wallich estimated the stream as capable 

 of furnishing 12,000,000 to 15,000,000 eggs. 



The courting fish, in fine spawning color, were here and there fluttering and 

 fanning over the gravel. A pair seen at Chilkoot Lake in 1907 brought the 

 actual spawning under better observation. The female had been fanning with 

 her tail fin over a definite nest. The two fish approached each other and 

 heading in the same direction lay parallel at the bottom of the nest with their 

 sides in contact. At the same moment, while a convulsive fluttering shudder 

 shook their whole bodies and the mouth of each fish distended widely, eggs and 



