ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 143 
From tip of snout—To anterior edge of iris, 2 inches. 
by $f To posterior edge of iris, 2.75 inches. 
ES a To extremity of superior maxillary, 2.63 inches. 
= y To anterior base of dorsal, 10.75 inches. 
yy “ To posterior base of dorsal, 14 incbes. 
eS “i To anterior base of adipose, 19.75 inches. 
as or To base of tail along lateral line, 24.50 inches. 
We To base of tail, superior, 22.25 inches. 
A is To base of tail, inferior, 22.75 inches. 
ss ef To anterior base of anal, 17.50 inches. 
iy FS To anterior base of ventral, 12.50 inches. 
Greatest depth of body, 6.5 inches. 
Color above lateral line when first taken from the water, cupreous iridescent, 
gradually blending to silver-white along the belly; the colors soon fade to 
gray. 
The typical specimen from which this description is taken is a male of 
7.5 Ibs. weight. The average weight of the fish is about 12 Ibs. The largest 
that has ever been caught weighed 28.5 tbs.; the smallest that come to spawn, 
4 ibs. The color of the male is darker than that of the female. The male 
has very few spots, while the female is covered with them, except the belly: 
the spots along the sides are larger than the others. When first caught, the 
females are of a bright silver color; hence, some call them ‘‘ silver salmon.”’ 
The flesh of some is nearly white; of others, yellow or salmon-color. The 
males are deeper from back to belly, and thinner, than the females. 
The spawning season commences usually the latter part of March, and lasts 
about a month. The hookbill goes from the first to the last of January; the 
Sacramento salmon, from the middle of January to the middle of February. 
Both invariably depart before this fish commences to spawn. They come up 
in pairs, and select different kinds of locations from the hookbill and the 
Sacramento salmon. They will take a fine ripple caused by a large rock or 
by tightly packed gravel, about which there is always some dead water. After 
brushing away the sediment, if any has accumulated, they lay their eggs, 
well distributed, seldom more than two or three clusters touching. They 
never cover their eggs with sand, as some fish do; nor do they dig holes, as 
the hookbill; nor select holes among large rocks, as the large salmon occa- 
sionally does. The period of incubation is not known. When hatched, the 
little fish must work down stream, as none are found in the rivers save those 
which are between half a pound and three pounds in weight. Like salmon, 
they must go to the sea and mature; though this voyage is not absolutely 
necessary, as some remain during the entire year, when the streams, drying 
up, prevent them from passing down; but, generally, they seem to depart 
before the water falls solow. Those caught in the fall, which have remained 
during the summer, are generally in as good condition as those which appear 
in the spring. They eat small fish and frogs, when in the spawning-beds. It 
"seems to make no difference how large the fish may be, as to their stopping 
in fresh water. They are very sagacious about the time and place of deposit- 
ing their spawn, when there are no large fish to prey upon them; nor do they 
lay them in such localities as the water may subside and leave them exposed. 
