210 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



scales very much as iu a prime fish. The scales were smaller than those 

 of the Sacrameuto salmon, and brushed off easily, as with a smolt. Both 

 jaws had large teeth, but, as will be observed in the specimen, they are 

 smaller than in the McCloud Eiver males and are fitted loosely and flexi- 

 bly into the jaw, as if set loosely in a piece of rubber lining. The teeth 

 are, also, unlike the McCloud River fall run male, dark and dirty-look- 

 ing. The teeth seemed to be in a transition state, and raised the ques- 

 tion whether they were comhuj or going. A female of the same variety 

 being found the next day with nearly ripe eggs, the inference seemed 

 to be that the teeth of the fish must be coming. The milt of this fish 

 was copious and prime. The eye, it will be observed, is larger than that 

 of the Sacramento salmon. It also has a less forked tail. The fisher- 

 men say that it will not compare in table qualities with the true Sacra- 

 mento salmon at this season. There were less fin-rays in the dorsal, 

 pectoral, and anal fins than in the respective fins of Sacramento salmon. 

 (See drawing.) There were grilse of this variety caught at the same 

 place, in the San Francisco market to-day, bright silvery, and of very 

 graceful form. These commanded a high price. (See drawing of No. 

 128.) 



No. 107. Young cod-fishes. November 24, 1872. San Francisco Bay. 



No. 108. Spawn of Point Arena salmon, showing stage of de- 

 velopment. (See No. 106.) E learned from parties living at Eel River, 

 north of Point Arena, that the salmon of that river come up to 

 spawn in December and January, and if the rains are early, that the sal- 

 mon spawn in those months in Eel River. It is possible that No. 10 G 

 was on his way to Eel River to spawn, as was also the female, having 

 the eggs (No. 108). It is obvious from the advanced stage of the milt 

 and eggs of these fish, that they were on their way to their spawning- 

 grounds. If it is true that the Eel River salmon deposit their eggs in 

 December and January, we have then seven months of the year now 

 known to be salmon-spawning months, namely, July, August, Septem- 

 ber, October, November, December, and January. 



No. 109. Pelican. fPclicanus fuscus.J San Pedro brook. November 

 22, 1872. Contributed by J. Williamson. 



No. 110. Dried salmon. This is a fair specimen of the dried salmon, 

 w^hich the McCloud River Indians live on chiefly through the winter-. 

 Most of the salmon used for drying are taken in August and September, 

 when they are spawning or falling down the river exhausted, after 

 spawning. They are then easily captured by spearing, or by traps. 

 The spears are very long, and carefully made. The traps are merely 

 baskets of bushes, placed at a fall or rapid, and winged on each side by 

 a fence of stakes or bushes running at a slight angle up the river, so 

 that the exhausted fish coming down the river, finally find their way into 

 the basket and are there trapped. The McCloud Indians do not try to 

 trap the fish coming vp the river, but only those going down, which is just 

 the contrary of the principle of the white man's trap and nets. The In- 



