ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1920 137 



of cohos is found in company with the " silvers " along the left limit 

 of the river. It appears, therefore, that there is a prevailing use of 

 the left shore by those fish which are bound for the upper reaches 

 of the river. This may have connection with the fact that the ma- 

 jority of the tributaries of the lower river enter on the right bank. 



The run of chums is not of uniform character and quality through- 

 out the season. Fishermen recognize a succession of phases in the 

 run, characterized by fish which on the average are recognizably 

 different. In general, it is stated that the run of chums which accom- 

 pany the king salmon are of relatively small size and poor quality, 

 commonl}^ known as dog salmon. Following these is a run of bright 

 fish of good quality but inferior size, known as " silvers," while the 

 last chums to run. late in August and early in September, are the 

 finest of all. the " silvers " par excellence, a bright rich form dis- 

 tinctly of larger size. This last run of "'silvers" ordinarily is of 

 short duration, but is frequently of great intensity, and furnishes the 

 most highly prized fish of the season. 



As it was necessary to make a canvass of the entire river before 

 the fishing season had come to a close, the writers were unable to 

 observe the alleged succession of forms of the chum salmon at any 

 locality. Distinct differences in the character and quality of the 

 fish appeared at the various camps visited, but these differences 

 were apparently dependent either on the proximity of the camp to 

 important tributaries into which spawning chum salmon would pass, 

 or, more especially, on the location of the camp with reference to 

 the river itself, whetlier on the right bank or the left. In general 

 when following up the right (north) bank of the river the quality 

 of the fish became poorer as one approached the mouths of the 

 tributaries. The impression was strong that the fish destined for 

 these tributaries were farther advanced than those with which they 

 were associated on the same side of the river bound for more dis- 

 tant spawning grounds. A further more detailed study of the char- 

 acteristics of the chums at different times and in different localities 

 and the distribution of the various strains to their respective spawn- 

 ing areas would offer results of imi)ortance equally from the bio- 

 logical and from tlie strictly practical point oi view. During the 

 season of 1919 the bright chums, or "silvers," were said to be almost 

 wholly wanting. If these were the fish bound for the more distant 

 spawning beds, then the upper sections of the river must have re- 

 mained largelv unseeded in 1919 and incapable of producing their 

 quota of a subsequent season's supply. In 1920 the run of chums 

 was peculiar, in that it lasted longer than is usual in good years, 

 but was of less intensity, and the August run of " silvers " failed to 

 attain its usual proportions. In subsequent years the late run of 

 "silvers" should be carefully noted. If there is evidence of a pro- 

 gressive decline, steps should be taken to protect this most important 

 part of the run. To accomplish this result information should be 

 obtained concerning the spawning beds which are resorted to by this 

 large and valuable race of chums. 



The chums travel up the river at a rate approximately equal to that 

 of the king salmon. In 1920, as has been shown, they were schooling 

 on the tide-fiats off the mouth of the river nearly a week befoi-e they 

 began to ascend the stream in any numbers on June 22. Adopting 

 the latter date as the beginning of the run. it appears that they 



