SUCKLEY MONOGRAPH OP THE GENUS SALMO. 103 



" The spotted or le leal saJmon enters the rivers of Piig-et Soaiul in great 

 luinibers every autumn, generally appearing between September 15 and 

 October 10. They come in vast numbers, and arrive so simultaneously 

 as to seem to be in shoals, though, probably, that is occasioned, not by 

 a gregarious habit, but by the same instinct causing all the individuals 

 to leave the sea at about the same period for the purpose of procreation. 

 They are not a finely liavored fish, even when "fresh run," many indi- 

 viduals being- at that time in bad condition — a condition unusual among- 

 salmon just quitting salt water. After a short residence in fresh water, 

 all become poor and unsavory, and some even intolerably rank. Upon 

 first arrival the sickly fish are readily distinguished by the natives by 

 their colors, the best fish being of a leaden-olive or dingy-green on the 

 back, and a yellowish-white along the belly. The poor ones are of 

 various shades and tints of dingy-green and yellow, more or less macu- 

 lated on the sides with purplish and black blotches. They enter by 

 preference the smaller streams. Owing to the large jaws and long fero- 

 cious-looking teeth of the species, they have obtained from the whites 

 the name of dog-salmon. Vast numbers are taken by the Indians with 

 spears, gaii'-hooks, weirs, &c., and dried for winter use. Upon their 

 ari'ival in September and Octol)er their roes are nearly niatnre. It is 

 interesting to witness their persevering efforts to run up shallows, and 

 in overcoming insurmountable obstacles, even running out of water 

 upon the shores in their blind eagerness to surmount impossibilities and 

 reach the head- waters of the stream to deposit their spawn. In endeav- 

 oring to ascend high falls, and in passing through rocky, violent pas- 

 sages, their snouts and bodies become much bruised and injured, giving 

 rise to sores and ulcerations. The fins become much worn, also. The 

 impoverished fish have hooked snouts and ])ale whitish tlesh. At no 

 time is it seen with the bright salmon-red flesh common to other kinds ; 

 but on the first arrival, when in good order, thej' are found with flesh 

 which, when cooked, has a pinkish-buff color, and is not, in my estinui- 

 tion, bad. Like several other species of salmon, they are very regular 

 in the periodical arrivals at the mouths of the rivers. In 1850 they 

 arrived in the vicinity of Fort Steilacoom on the 3d of October, and by 

 the 7th were in such vast numbers that a small boy with a pole armed 

 with a gaff-hook could readily take one or two hundred pounds weight 

 in an hour." 



The Indians say that, althougli this species enters the rivers later tliari 

 the 8. scoulei'ij it returns earlier, staying a shorter time away from the 

 sea. They say, also, that most of the individuals return to the sea after 

 spawning, many more comparatively than do of the *S'. scoiiJeri. They 

 say that all individuals of the tS. proiens die. The dog-salmon is pre- 

 ferred by the Indians for drying, as it has but little fat. It is found 

 sparingly in the Straits of Fuca and the entrance of Paget Sound as 

 early as August 10. 



