ZOOLOGY. 313 



tlirougli the British Possessions ; but short of those points vast numbers turn off into its numerous 

 tributaries — the Yakima, Snake, Okanagan, and other rivers. During the course of an expedi- 

 tion against the Snake Indians, in 1854, the writer saw vast numbers of salmon in the small 

 tributaries of the Snake, Boise, Powder, Burnt, Peyette's, and other rivers, at points nearly 

 250 miles from the mouth of Snake river, and about 650 from the Pacific ocean. This was in 

 September and October, when the fish were all engaged in spawning. Passing hy the multi- 

 tudes and multitudes of these fish, sufficiently in this respect worthy of wonder, we shall proceed to 

 describe the act of spawning as witnessed at Burnt river, on the southern slope of the Blue 

 mountains of Oregon. Camping at a point where the stream was tortuous, and its waters clear 

 and rapid, we saw a female salmon, some two and a half feet in length, dart rapidly down 

 stream to a spot abreast of where we were standing on the bank at the head of a rapid. She 

 turned suddenly about, resting with her head towards the current, which was rather strong. 

 Upon looking closely we observed that she was over her spawning bed, a peculiar looking cup- 

 shaped depression, of about three feet in diameter, in the bed of the stream. This had 

 evidently been produced by the lashing of the tail and fins. The fish remained stationary over 

 the "bed" about half a minute, keeping herself from being forced down with the current by 

 gentle motion of the fins, and during her stay apparently discharging a few ova, some of which 

 were probably washed down the rapid, the rest falling into their proper receptacle. She then 

 suddenl}' darted up stream to a quiet resting place. Immediately upon her departure several 

 males took her place over the "bed," and remained there about the same length of time ; they, 

 ill turn, retreated to a place of repose, the spawning "bed" being quickly again occupied by 

 one or more females, followed by males as before ; the same bed thus serving for about half a 

 dozen individuals of both sexes. The period of repose seemed to be about two or three minutes 

 for each individual. 



It was pleasing to witness the regularity with which males and females succeeded each other, 

 and also the spirit of combination which they manifested by depositing spawn and milt so 

 frequently in couples, each sex by itself, and each sex retiring to a restiruj pilace while its 

 opposite was engaged in his or her particular duty. The water on the spawning ground was 

 about three feet deep. The females were invariably the largest, their lengths being between 

 two and three feet. They also, as seen through the water, showed much of the red and purple 

 congestion of the skin and fins, already spoken of as a condition of exhaustion. The males 

 scarcely exceeded 20 inches in length, and were of a pale olive-gray color, very uniform with 

 each other, and scarcely, if at all, showing any red. Thus we see that this particular species 

 of salmon, at least, carries on the reproductive process by companies, and that both males and 

 females in alternating with each other in their duties seem to be impelled by fixed laws and 

 habits of custom or instinct. It was also interesting to see how they retreated after each 

 emission of spawn or ova to quiet places of the stream, where, totally at rest, they could 

 rapidly recuperate their energies for the next endeavor. We supposed that the species were 

 the same as those that arrive at the great falls of the Columbia at the Dalles in such vast 

 quantities in April, May, and June. 



Angus McDonald, esq., for many years the officer in charge of tlie Hudson Bay trading post, 

 Fort Colville, (situated at the Kettle Falls, on the Columbia river, but a sJiort distance below 

 the mouth of Clark's Fork,) furnished the following notes on the Salmonidaj of the upper 

 Columbia. The remarks were dated Fort Colville, September 1, 1854, and were kindly 

 communicated by George Gibbs, esq. : 

 40 Q 



