SALMON AND TROUT IN ALASKA. 107 



fish, 3 females and 1 male were retaken in the ocean by the cannery- 

 seines in from three to eleven days after tagging, 1 was retaken in 

 the trap the following day, and 2 males were found in the spawning 

 creeks. 



The main interest attaching to this result is in the number of ripe 

 fish obtained at the entrance to the lake. The percentage of ripe 

 fish in the number trapped is of no point, since the strong green fish 

 entered in the heavy current beyond the trap. It may be that these 

 fish were hindered from making an early ascent of the river by the 

 seining carried on for the cannery, and that such a condition of ripe- 

 ness is unnatural. If there is no purpose in a lake residence of about 

 one month it is difficidt to see how it should have been brought to 

 be the normal habit. That these exceptions were abnormalities is 

 shown by the failure to find any of these tagged fish in the nearly 

 22,000 spawned fish examined at a creek which these ripe fish would 

 most naturally seek, the nearest good ground about the lake. 



The main body of fish entering Karluk Lake came in against the 

 stronger current and in the deeper water. During the day they 

 entered in small schools of 20 to 60 or more, at intervals of a minute 

 or less. They seemed to linger about the foot of the lake some days. 



ENEMIES OF YOUNG SALMON. 



In the trap at the mouth of Karluk Lake in 1903, 190 charrs were 

 taken between June 5 and July 25. The biggest catch (20) was 

 made on June 5, after which the number fell off rapidly. The 

 next highest catch was made June 26, about ten da3"s after the arrival 

 of the first salmon. On the 27th a charr of 535 mm. length was 

 taken with salmon eggs in its stomach. On July 1 a steelhead, also 

 containing salmon eggs, was taken. One hundred and fifty-seven, 

 or about 82 per cent, of the stomachs were empty; 14, or Ih per cent, 

 contained remains of fish, mostly cottoids; 13, or 7 per cent, con- 

 tained insects or their larvse; 6, or over 3 per cent, contained mol- 

 lusks, snails, and clams; 3 in addition had eaten eggs, 2 salmon eggs, 

 and the third those of some small fish. 



It \vill be observed that these fish were taken in an "upstream" 

 trap into which the fish would come froni the river. In the river at 

 this time were numerous schools of salmon fry and small fingerlings, 

 yet there is no record that any stomach contained a single identifiable 

 young salmon. 



During May and June many of these trout (?) were seen jumping 

 near the foot of the lake. On the first day the trap was installed. 

 May 29, 10 were taken; on the 31st, 9, etc. No young salmon are 

 reported in these. Upon the occupation of the spawning beds by the 

 salmon the trout follow to feed on their spawn. This probably forms 

 a large part of their food until late in the season, when the maggots 

 from the flies breedins; in the dead salmon become more common. 



