Description of the Species 163 



twelve branchiostegals ; a bluish color above and 

 silvery on sides ; the posterior part of back, adipose 

 fin, and tail with numerous small black spots. It 

 ranges from San Francisco to the Arctic Ocean, 

 and is found in abundance on the Asiatic coast. 

 In Alaska it is the most abundant and generally 

 distributed of the salmons, but in the Pacific 

 States it does not ordinarily occur in great num- 

 bers, although there is sometimes a large run in 

 the Puget Sound region. 



During the exploration of the Kowak River, 

 which lies within the Arctic Circle, Mr. Town- 

 send found humpback and dog salmon very 

 abundant, the Eskimo from the coast being 

 located in temporary camps along the river for 

 the purpose of drying fish for winter use. 



The humpback usually ascends small streams 

 for the purpose of spawning, and often deposits its 

 eggs within a few rods of the sea. When it first 

 comes in from the ocean, it resembles the quinnat 

 salmon in form and color, but as the spawning 

 season advances it develops a large hump on the 

 back, whence the common name. This promi- 

 nence, together with the distortion of the jaws, 

 gives this species a very striking appearance. 



When fresh from the sea the humpback is 



