52 



smallest of all, and has a reputation of being more bony 

 than any of the others. It is used chiefly by native travel- 

 ling parties and as food for dogs. This flsh seldom exceeds 

 a foot in length, and an average weight of less than one 

 pound, but it extends over a very large portion of Alaska, 

 and is represented by a vast number of individuals. As 

 far as our information goes it is found in all parts of the 

 territory excei3t the southeastern portion. 



The largest and handsomest fish of this category is the so- 

 called Mackenzie River salmon or inconnu (Plate II, fi.g. 6), 

 which is known to the Russian-speaking people as the 

 nelma. This species is intermediate between the white-fish 

 and the salmon. It has a strongly projecting lower jaw, on 

 account of which the additional name of shovel- jawed white- 

 fish has been applied to it. This beautiful species attains to a 

 length of five feet, and individuals weighing fifty pounds 

 are recorded. It occurs in the rivers during the greater 

 part of the year, is in the finest condition in the. early 

 summer, and is " full of spawn from September to January, 

 when it disappears." The species is known to occur from 

 the Kuskoquim to the Kuwuk. The largest individuals 

 are recorded from the Yukon. It is found also in the 

 Mackenzie. A closely related sx)ecies is found in the 

 Volga and other rivers of Russia, and is attributed also 

 to the Obi, Lena, and Colima, which flow into the Arctic 

 Ocean. 



The grayling {Thymallus sigiiifcr, Plate III, fig. 7) is a 

 very common fish in Alaska, especially in the northern por- 

 tion of the territory, and it is one of the most attractive of all 

 the Alaskan fishes. At one time the grayling had the rej)u- 

 tation of being the only fish in the fresh-water of Alaska 

 that could be caught with hook and line. It is known also 

 as the " blanket fish," and occurs southward at least to the 

 Nushagak region, where McKay found it " very abundant 

 in small rivers and lakes." He speaks of it as ''a good 



