SUCKLEY MONOGRAPH OF THE GENUS SALMO. 117 



18. SALMO EICHARDI, Suckley. 



SUK-KEGH SALMON ; RICHARD'S SALMON. 



Syx. — Salmo rkkardli, Suckley, Notices New Species N. Am. Salmon. N. Y., 

 .June, 1861. 

 '^. S. pancideus, Rich., F. B. A. 



Sp. Oh. — [Based on a skin in alcohol, Xo. 2005, Smithsonian Cat. ; 

 Fishes.j Dorsal outline moderately convex, its point of greatest height 

 being at the insertion of anterior ray of dorsal — the arch from the snout 

 to the caudal insertion being very uniform. 



Female. — Head conical; jaws apparently equal — the thick, fleshy tip 

 on the point of the lower jaw of the fresh-run fish aiding much to give 

 this appearance. Maxillary extends back to a point immediately below 

 the posterior of margin of orbit. Teeth extremely small, and but few. 

 Tail deeply lunated — almost forked. Tail and other fins unspotted. 

 Does not often attain a greater weight than fifteen pounds — the average 

 being scarcely more than eight. Br. rays, usually 14. 



Hab. — Northwest Pacific coast. Enters Fraser and Skagit Rivers. 

 The species is named in honor of Mr. J. H. Richard, the clever artist who 

 has so handsomely and correctly drawn the ichthyological illustrations 

 of the Pacific Railroad Reports. 



Diagnosis. — The forked or deeply lunated tail will serve to distin- 

 guish the species from those not possessing that character. From the 

 quhinat it differs in lacking the strong teeth and pointed, triangular, 

 smooth, j)rojecting chin wluch extends in front of the teeth of tlie latter. 



The unspotted tail and fins assist in the diagnosis. Concerning its 

 identity with aV, pauciflens, see text beyond. The " lip" in front of the 

 teeth on the lower jaw is not triangular, but is rather thick, extending 

 some distance in front of the teeth, and in this respect approaching to 

 the S. quinnat. 



This salmon runs up Fraser River in great numbers, where it is the 

 principal summer salmon. In the Skagit it occasionally is found, and is 

 there considered a great rarity by the natives, who call it oheh-itl. This 

 fish in many respects agrees Avith Richardson's description of the S.j^ttn- 

 cidem. But as that is so meager and may apply to the young of so 

 many different kinds, 1 have been guided by the known difference of 

 time in their arrival from the sea. Dr. Gairdner says that the weak- 

 toothed salmon enters the Columbia in company with the *,S'. qiiiandf, (in 

 Ai)ril and May,) whereas the suk-kegli does not run up Fraser River 

 until later. 



'^ The procuring of specimens from the Columbia of the salmon 

 known to the Indians of the lower river as the kiceacht.'i, would settle 

 this question. 



" The HuTi-hegli is the best summer salmon of Fraser River, being in prime 

 condition in the rivers during August and the early iiart of September. 

 AA'^hen they enter Lake Chiloweyuck they almost immediately die, owing, 



