228 BULLETIN OF THE BUREALF OF FISHERIES. 



safely eluded the last net an Indian boy, swift on foot, is sent to apprise the villagers above of the coming 

 eels, "and so on, all the way up the river. 



ill tlie "out" there looks to be some 15 or 20 liushels of frozen eels. I understand these eels are 

 exceedingly oily, and if the oil were clarified would make a good oil for painting purposes. 



Tlie Indians catch these eels mostly for dog food, but do eat them only when there is a scarcity 

 of other foods, as they are much stronger flavored than the eels we have in the fresh water streams in 

 the States. 



Family ,;. SOUALID.^. The Doutishes. 

 4. Squalus sucklii (Gkard). Dof/Jiah. 



Specimens were secured in gill nets or seine at Nanaimo, Fort Rupert, Union Bay, and Diamond 

 Point ; others were taken on hook and line at Loring, Cleveland Passage, and a single specimen (field no. 

 3018), 29 inches long, was taken over the rail of the ship at Klawock. A female taken on hook and line in 

 Cleveland Passage was 44 inches long, weighed 17 pounds, and contained 14 very active young. Each 

 wa.s about 7.5 inches long, and the yolk sac was very large. Another specimen was taken on hook and 

 line at Shakan and one at Port McArthur. 



Those taken at Nanaimo were secured June 20 in a 5j-inch mesh gill net set at the surface on the 

 south side of the outer harbor. They were four in number, each about 3 feet long, all females with 4, G, 

 9, and 9 embryos, respeclively. The embryos in those having 9 were each about 9 inches long, those in 

 the other two were only about 1.5 inches long. Spots on the larger embryos were very plain; no 

 pigment developed in the smaller ones, except in the eyes. 



The dogfish is apparently common throughout Southeast Alaska, where, as elsewhere, it is regarded 

 with disfavor. At Loring considerable numbers are caught for the oil that is tried out of the liver. 

 They are taken by means of a gaff hook as they come about the cannery to feed upon the offal. 



This species has been recorded (as Squalus acanlhias) by Bean (I882i from Sitka: Port Althorp; 

 Marmot Island; and Red Bay. 



Family 4. SOMNIOSID.^. The Sleeper Sharks. 



5. Sonmiosus microcephalus (Bloch). Sleeper Shark. 



Two dead examples were seen July 13, 1903, on a mud flat at the Point Highfield cannery, where 

 they had been left by the tide. One lying near shore was a female 11 feet long. Skin covered with 

 short , stiff, hair-like prickles. Examined for its foetuses, but none found. On the evening of July 14, at 

 Sunny Bay, Taku Inlet, 2 examples were caught over the rail of the steamer. One took the bait, the 

 other was accidentally liooked in the tail. The latter was a female and gave the following measurements: 



Total length 8 feet 2 inches; length of snout to middle of eye 10 inches, to first gill opening 20 

 inches, to last, gill opening 25 inches, to base of pectoral 28 inches, to origin of first dorsal 50 inches, 

 to spiracle 13.5 inches, diameter of eye 1.5 inches; distance from front of fii-st dorsal to second dorsal 

 24 inches, from front of second dorsal to base of caudal 16 inches; length of upper caudal lobe 17.5 

 inches, lower caudal lobe 13 inches; length of gill slit 3.75 inches; posterior height of second dorsal 

 6 inches, base 4.5 inches; posterior height of first dorsal 5 inches, base 5 inches; length of pectoral 

 11 inches, base 13.5 inches; height of ventral 5 inches, base 5.5 inches; girth at base of pectoral 51 

 inches; greatest girth at upper base of pectoral 52 inches; greatest girth of tail Ki inches, least girth 

 12.25 inches. Total weight 381 pounds, liver 48 pounds. Ovaries very immature; gall 24 ounces. 

 Axil to axil over back 28 inches. Color sooty black, a little mottled. 



.\lso recorded from IIa.ssler Harbor (Bean 1884) and St. Michael (Tmiier 1886). Mr. A. B. Alexander 

 informs us that the Albatross has taken examples on trawls at various places in Alaska. 



Family 5. SOUATIMD.Ji. The AnucI Sharks. 



6. Squatina squatina (Linmeus). 

 One specimen, a female ] 1 inches long. The locality label has been lo-st. 



