PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 43 
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Lieneth of second dorsal .... 2... --- ree cee coe 2-2 -+ ween eee ee eee ens ee --s- ~'. 045 
Height of second dorsal...-.. ..--.- ------ +--+ ee enn ee ene cence ene ee eee 04 
See GMa ed mayer ote Sein elaleiniente'='o <n = mniee Sonn eweiea sence == 52 <2 aa=—~e . 035 
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Hrstance tromaventrals to;pecborals.. == 2-571. jsoe .- owner a clot elec a= = b25 
MME UN OL PECHOTANS ohana apse emia mia ie = Genial ome wows onan wenn ane Sens 15 
ee Ae VOME Ao om ata me noel anna avs seein wt =o wine ee wna n= enn . 045 
THE SURI-SMELT OF THE NORTHWEST COAST, AND THE METHOD 
OF TAMING THEM BY THE QUILLEHUTE INDIANS, WEST COAST 
OF WASHINGTON TERRITORY. 
By JAMES G. SWAN. 
NEEAH BAy, WASH., September 22, 1879. 
Thirty miles south of Cape Flattery, at the entrance to Fuca Strait, 
Washington Territory, is the Quillehute River, a small stream empty- 
ing into the Pacific Ocean near some rocky islets, the largest of which, 
named by the Indians “Alikistet,” and by the whites “James Island,” 
is a landmark for the entrance to the little bay or cove, on the shore of 
which is the principal village of the Quillehute Indians, who collect 
and dry for winter use a very choice variety of smelt (Hypomesus olidus), 
which I have named the surf-smelt, from its peculiar habit of deposit- 
ing its spawn among the shingle of the beach, coming in with the surf 
in ineredible numbers, and in this respect somewhat resembling the 
capelin (MJallotus villosus) of New Brunswick. 
The surf-smelt closely resembles the common smelt in shape, size, and 
the peculiar cucumber-odor, but differs in having its belly covered with 
a coating of yellow fat, which imparts an oily appearance to water where 
the fish have been cleaned or washed, and makes them the very perfee- 
tion of pan-fish. 
During the month of August, 1879, I was at the Quillehute Indian vil- 
lage from the 17th to the 22d, with United States Indian Agent Charles 
Willoughby, and had an ample opportunity to witness the habits of the 
surf-smelt and their capture by the natives. These Indians take them 
by means of a peculiar-shaped hand-net of a parallelogram form at top, 
five feet long, twenty inches wide, and from four to five feet deep, with 
a curved handle. 
The specimen net which I send is made of the fiber of the common 
stinging nettle (Urtica dioica 1.), which grows in luxurious abundance on 
the northwest coast near Indian villages and deserted camps. A spe- 
cimen of the prepared fiber is also sent with the net. 
The method of preparing the nettle by the Quillehute Indians, after 
gathering a quantity and stripping off the leaves and twigs, is to dry 
the stalks in the sun or on a frame in the lodge, near, but not directly 
over, the fire. 
