10 tr. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



occur in small numbers in the Too;iak, Kuskokwim, and Yukon 

 Rivers, which debouch into Bering Sea, and possibly occurs in the 

 Arctic streams of Alaska. Tlie run in western Alaska begins usually 

 early in June and extends usually to the middle of August, the bulk 

 of the run occurring in the lirst three weeks of July. It begins earlier 

 in Prince William Sound, however, and sometimes extends into Sep- 

 tember in southeast Alaska. The duration of the run averages about 

 the same in each section. 



SILVER OR COHO SALMON. 



The silver or coho salmon (0. Tcisutch) is silvery in spring, greenish 

 on the upj)or parts, where there are a few faint black spots. In the 

 fall the males are mostly of a dirty red. The flesh in this species is 

 of excellent flavor, but paler in color than the red salmon, and hence 

 less valued for canning purposes. The maximum weight is about 30 

 pounds, with a general average of about 6 pounds. 



The silver salmon is found as far south as Monterey Bay, where 

 it appears during the month of July, and is taken by the trollers. 

 From Eel River, in California, north, it is found in most of the 

 coastal streams. It usually appears in eJuly, and runs as late as 

 November, the time of appearance and disappearance varying some- 

 what in different sections. Owing to its late appearance compara- 

 tively few, and they usually in the early part of the season, are packed 

 by the canneries, most of which shut down in August and September. 

 This flsh also tarries but a short time about the mouth of the stream 

 it is to enter, and is wary of nets, which makes it rather unprofitable 

 to fish for the latter part of the season when it is running alone. 



HUMPBACK OR PINK SALMON. 



The humpback or pink salmon {O. gorhusclia), the smallest of 

 American species, weighs from '.\ to 11 pounds, the average being 

 about 4 p(uinds. Its color is bluish above, silvery below, the posterior 

 and upper |)ai'ts with many round black spots, the caudal (in always 

 having a few lai'g(>, black spots oblong in shape. The males in fall 

 are dirty red an<l are very much distorted in shape, a decid(Hl hum]) 

 appearing on tlu> back, from which deformity the species acquires 

 its name. The flesh is pale, hence its canned name, "pink" salmon. 



The southern limit of the fish is the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz 

 County, but only occasional specimens are found here and in the 

 rivers to the northward until Puget Sound is reached. Here a large 

 run appears every other year, the only place on the coast where such 

 is the case. 



The humpback occurs in varying abundance in the waters of 

 British Columbia, but it is in the waters of southeast Alaska that it 

 appears in its greatest abundance. Many of the canneries in this 

 region and some of those operating in central Alaska depend mainly 

 upon the humpback for their season's pack, and the canned product 

 now occupies an excellent position in the markets of the world. 

 The fish spawn in nearly all of the small, short streams. 



In western vVlaska the runs are much smaller and the humpback 

 is not much sought after by the catmery men, who are usually able 

 to (ill their cans with the more valuable species. 



