SUCKLE Y MONOGRAPH OF THE GENUS SALMO. 115 



17. SALMO TRUNCATUS, Suckley. 



SHORT-TAILED SALMON; SQUARE-TAILED SALMON. 



S\'S.—Sahno trnncatus, SucKLEY. Ann, N. Y. Lye, Dec, 1858. — Ibid. Pacific R. R. 

 Reports, vol. xii, p. 327, 1859. 

 KUt-skbn of the Klallams. 

 Tyjiical specimen, No. 1134, Smithsonian collection. 



Sp. Ch. — [Based upon the skius in the Smithsonian collection.] Body, 

 fusiform ; dorsal outline but slightly arched 5 anterior margin of dorsal 

 fin much anterior to a ijoiut equidistant between the nose and the inser- 

 tion of the tail; head very small; jaws fnlly provided with small teeth ; 

 tail small, its free margin, when extended, being- almost straight, having 

 a very faint tendency to lunation ; scales large. Colors of the fresh 

 run fish : Back of head, back, dorsal and caudal fins bright blue, spotted 

 on the head with roundish, on the tins with oval spots of black ; the 

 blue of the back is silvery, that of the head and fins darker; lower 

 parts silvery white, this color extending about an inch above the lateral 

 line, and merging itself irregularly into the color of the back ; no spots 

 below the lateral line, which is faint and of a bluish dusky color ; lower 

 fins pale and unspotted, their tips somewhat darkish. Abdominal 

 cavity comparativelj' small ; fish weighty for its size ; usually two 

 rows of teeth along the body of -the vomer. 



The male has a slightly larger head than the female ; the teeth are 

 also stronger ; and between the front teeth opposite the intermaxillary a 

 notch exists for the reception of the more pointed chin. It probably 

 never becomes " hooked-billed." 



DiAaNOSis. — From S. quiimat can be distinguished by its more 

 rounded snout and chin ; by lacking the triangular bare space in front 

 of the maxillary symphysis anterior to the teeth : by its short head ; 

 even, spotted tail ; and by its large scales, which are double the size of 

 those of the qai)mat. From S. gairdneri, Rich. Snout and angle of 

 jaws sharper^ head much narrower at the base and more tapering; scales 

 slightly larger. 



The species are however nearly allied. [For remarks in detail con- 

 cerning the diiferences and affinities between this and other salmon, see 

 Pacific Railroad Reports, vol. xii, i)art 2, page 328,] 



Hab. — Anadromous; Puget Sound; ? Columbia River, 



Siuce the preparation of the twelfth volume of the Pacific Railroad 

 Reports, Dr. Kennerly obtained and forwarded some additional material, 

 (skins 2097, 1119.) No. 2097 was obtained during the winter of 1859 at 

 Fraser River; the other in the Straits of Fuca, iu August. We have, 

 therefore, been able more satisfactorily to determine the distinctions 

 between this species and the S. gairdnerl. Mr. Gibbs now seems to 

 think this fish is not identical with the sJcicoicl of the iS^isquallies. 

 i The measurement of the head of the typical specimen mentioned in the 

 last works quoted in the synonymy was taken from the snout over the 



