AETIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF PACIFIC SALMONS. 9 



given. During the fall of 1916, which is known as the off season in 

 Piiget Sound, 1,887 cases were packed. This shows a healthful in- 

 crease over the seasons previous to the Bureau's attempting the estab- 

 lishment of an annual run in this region. 



In nutritive value the fresh-run humpback is scarcely inferior to 

 any other salmon. While the flesh has a very fine flavor, it is 

 paler than that of the chinook or blueback salmon, and it loses its 

 color when canned. The total amount of this species canned during 

 the calendar year 1916 was 2,036,077 cases, of which amount 1,753,546 

 cases, valued at $6,446,168, were packed in Alaska. 



The humpback salmon usually seeks the smaller streams for repro- 

 duction, depositing its eggs a short distance from the sea, sometimes 

 within a few rods of the ocean. At Kodiak Island, Alaska, where 

 it is often very abundant, it arrives in the latter part of July, the 

 run continuing only a few weeks. Spawning occurs in August. The 

 eggs, of which there are about 2,000 per fish, are smaller than those 

 of the chinook, but larger than those of the blueback and paler than 

 either. 



Shortly after its arrival from the ocean, and with the approach 

 of the spawning season, it develops on its back a prominent hump, 

 which, with the distortion of the jaw, gives the fish a very singular 

 appearance. As is the case with the other salmons, it dies on the 

 spawning bed or after being swept to sea by the current. 



SILVER SALMON. 



The silver salmon {Oncorhynchus kisutch) is also known as silver- 

 sides and coho salmon. It is a beautiful fish, having a graceful form 

 and a bright, silvery skin. Its flesh is usually of a bright-red color; 

 but, as this fades on cooking, it is less highly regarded for canning, 

 though large quantities are thus utilized on the Columbia River, 

 Puget Sound, and the short coastal streams of Oregon and Wash- 

 ington. 



In 1916 the total pack was 715,815 cases, of which 265,184 were 

 put up in Alaska. Its range is from Monterey Bay to northern 

 Alaska, and as far south on the Asiatic coast as Japan. It ascends 

 the rivers to spawn in the fall and early winter, when the waters 

 are high. In most of the rivers which it frequents there appear to 

 be two well-defined runs, the early run ascending to the headwaters, 

 while the later run is found in the streams nearer the ocean. The 

 early run is composed of small-sized specimens. In Alaska the aver- 

 age weight of this salmon is nearly 15 pounds, and in the streams far- 

 ther south about 8 pounds. It rarely attains a weight of 30 pounds. 

 The average egg production per fish is about 3,500. 



CHUM SALMON. 



The chum salmon {Oncorhynchus keta) is the least valuable of the 

 Pacific salmons, although it is canned and dried in large quantities 

 on the Pacific coast and in Alaska. Its average weight is 10 pounds, 

 and the maximum is about 20 pounds. It is found from the Colum- 

 bia River northward, being especially abundant in Alaska. It is 

 taken occasionally in the Sacramento River. When just from the 

 ocean, the flesh is of a very pale red color. At that time it is a very 



