Ivi NATURAL HISTORY. 



SALMO ROSSII (Ross's Arctic Salmon). 



ICO^.—Foiin. Bor. Amer.—^\. 80, and the head pi. 85, fig. 2. 



This salmon, named Eekalook by the Esquimaux, was found in vast numbers* in 

 the sea near the mouths of rivers, and furnished an agreeable article of diet to the 

 members of the Expedition. It is quite distinct from any species that we have 

 had an opportunity of seeing in other parts of America, and it does not agree with the 

 character of any of those described in the History of Kamtschatka, as quoted in 

 " Arctic Zooloiiy," except perhaps with the Salmo mahna (Steller) or Golct of the 

 Russians, which corresponds with it in its comparatively slender cylindrical form, 

 small scales, scarlet spots on the sides, and the colours of some other parts. But the 

 Golet, instead of being found only in the sea, ascends rivers to their very sources, and 

 does not congregate in shoals like the Salmo Rossii. None of the Scandinavian 

 salmons described by Nilsson have any resemblance to S- liossii. 



The most remarkable peculiarities of this species, are the truncated form of the 

 upper jaw ; the length of the lower one, which considerably exceeds the distance between 

 the tip of the snout and nape of the neck ; and the smallness and form of its scales. 

 These are imbedded in a mucous skin, wliich entirely covers them, except their small 

 truncated tips, that project and feel very rough to the touch in the dried specimen. 

 The scales are rather remote, being nowhere tiled. The teeth in the jaws are 

 remarkably obtuse. In addition to the row on each side of the tongue, which exists in 

 all the other Truttce, there are two or more rows of smaller teeth, crowded across the 

 tip of that organ. Two drawings by Captain Ross, with the inspection of the dried 

 skin, enable us to describe the colours as follows: Back, top of the head, dorsal and 

 caudal fins intermediate between oil-green and hair-brown ; sides pearl-grey and 

 silvery, with a blush of lilac, marked near the lateral line with scattered round dots of 

 carmine. The belly varies from tile-red to arterial blood-red ; the sides of the head are 

 nacry. When the fish is out of season, the colour of the lower parts fades to a 



* Some idea may be formed of the amazing inimbers in which the Siilmo liossii visit the rivers of Roothia 

 Felix, by mentioning that from a single haul of a small-sized seine net, we landed 33T8 salmon, varying in 

 weight from two to fourteen pounds, and avernging something more than four; the whole rather exceeded 

 six tons weight. A great many more were enclosed in the net, but escaped through some holes that were for 

 Bome time unobserved, and others by leaping over it. — J. C, l!oss. 



