242 



BriLLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



28. Oncorhynchus keta (Walbaum^. Dng Salmon; Chum; Calico Salmon. (PI. xxvii and xxvin.) 



The ilo-r salmon i.s a species of wide distribution. On the .\merican coast it occurs from San Francisco 

 northward at h>a.st to Hotham Inlet, Kotzebue Sound, and Bering Strait (Bean 1882). It is found also 

 on the Asiatic coast and is the principal salmon in Japanese waters, where it is known as sahe. It is 

 not abundant on the coast of California, but increases in numbers northward, being most abundant in 

 Southeast Alaska. Dr. Bean records it fi'om Old Sitka, from Alexandrovsk, Cook Inlet, and from 

 St. Paul. Kodiak Island. Mr. Hess reports its occuiTence at Teller in a stream flowing into Port Clarence. 

 In the streams of Seward Peninsula it runs from July 15 to August 31; then comes a mixtm'e of dog 

 salmon and silver salmon. The species was found by Mr. Hess on July 1, 1900, near Council, in the 

 lower Fish River, which flows into Golofinin Bay. 



It is said that the run of salmon in the Tanana is not great enough for canning purposes; but in 

 the Yukon at the mouth of the Tanana the nin of salmon (all species) is probably enough to justify 

 commercial fishing. Mr. Townsend (1885) records it as the principal salmon of the Kobuk River. 



According to Mr. E. \V. Nelson (1880) the dog salmon is abundant at St. Michael. The run begins 

 at the end of June and is over by the last of July. On account of its gi'eat abundance, this is to the 

 Eskimo the most valuable food fish about the .shores of Bering Sea and the lower Yukon and Kuskoquim 

 rivers. On the lower Yukon the main run occm-s between the last of June and the end of July. The 

 fish is rarely taken at St. Michael before June 12. 



Dog salmon are said to go through Chilkoot Lake and spawn in its inlets, but we have no positive 

 knowledge to this effect. At Sitka on August 20, where boys were seen gaffing salmon at the bridge 

 across Indian River, several dog salmon were noted. 



Dog salmon were seen by us at most of the canneries visited, especially in August. We saw them 

 at Taku Inlet (July 14 1. Killisnoo and Sitkoh Bay (July 26), Chignik (.\ugust 9 and 10), Kell Bay 

 (August 23 1. Dundas Bay. Point Ellis (August 21), Fimter Bay (Jidy 23), Hunter Bay (August 28), 

 Cleveland Passage (July 13), Pillar Bay and Loring. 



The run of dog salmon in Alaska seems to come later than that of any other species except the coho. 

 In Southeast Alaska the season is not at its height until late in August or September. Spawning fish 

 have been taken in the vicinity of Fort Yukon in August and September. Like the humpback, the 

 dog salmon seems to prefer the smaller, coastal streams. Although it runs to some extent in the larger 

 rivers, such as the Columbia, Copper, and Yukon, it ordinarily does not ascend them to great distances. 

 It is unknown in the headwaters of the Columbia; the records of "dog salmon" there and in the head- 

 waters of other large rivers probably refer in most cases to spawning males of the chinook salmon, which 

 are, in many places, popularly known as "dog salmon."' This species is most aljundant in small 

 streams near the sea and in the small lower-course tributaries of the larger streams. 



The dog salmon is second in size only to the chinook, as is shown by the following table. A total of 

 202 samples were examined. The average weight of these was 8.33 pounds, the average length, 29 inches. 

 The largest male examined was 35 inches long and weighed 16 pounds; the smallest was 25.5 inches long 

 and weighed 5 pounds. The largest female was 33 inches long and weighed 15 pounds, the smallest female 

 was 25 inches long and weighed 7 pounds. 



Me.\sukeiients and Weights op Dog S.\lmon. 



