ZOOLOGY. 



Description of a female salmon caught September 22, 1853, on a branch of the Yakima river, 



Washington Territory, ~by George Gibbs, esq. 



Inches. 



Total length 24 



Tip of nose to first dorsal fin 10^ 



Length of base of dorsal fin 2 



Nose to adipose fin 17| 



Length of adipose ^ 



Nose to root of tail 21^ 



End of lower jaw to pectoral fin 4| 



Base of pectoral fin | 



To abdominal fin 12 



Inches. 



To anal fin 17 



Base of anal fin 2 



To base of tail 22 



Girth before dorsal fin 10 j 



Girth before tail 4^ 



Length of head 4 



Circumference of head 9 



From eye to eye over back of head .... 2 



Length from orbit to nose 1| 



Form slender, rounded; back and head dark olive, with black spots; sides silver gray, with 

 purplish and green lights; belly silver white; iris pale gold; head short, thick; jaws equal 

 length; spines in dorsal fin 14 inches; a distinct lateral line; eggs nearly matured. 



A hunter told Mr. Gibbs that this fish is found altogether above the Cascades of the Columbia, 

 and that they grow to one-third larger size. 



SALMO CONFLUENTUS, Suckley. 



Typical specimen in Smithsonian collection, Fishes, No. 1135. 



STN. Salmo confluentus, SUCKLEY, Ann. N. Y. Lye. , December, 1858. 



t,. SP. CH Male Form, stout ; dorsal profile rising to a point just anterior to dorsal fin, then rapidly tapering to tail; dorsal, 

 adipose, and caudal fins profusely spotted ; caudal broad and moderately lunated ; adipose opposite anal, and much elongated ; 

 spots along the back and sides, generally linear, or V-shaped ; others irregular, (but few round,) and covering from two to 

 five scales ; the most common cover three scales, and are about half an inch in length ; fins on under parts unspotted, as also 

 all p.irts beneath the lateral line. 



A triangular bare projection of the chin anterior to the front teeth, as in the S. quinnat ; scales scarcely as large as those of 

 S truncatus. Teeth of irregular size, and not so closely disposed on the arms of the jaws and labels as in S. gairdneri ; middle 

 of dorsal fin nearly opposite a point at the middle of the total length. 



Differs from S. quinnat in having the tail but moderately lunated at the extremity, that of the latter being so deeply cut out 

 as to be almost forked. 



ILb. Northwest coast of America, entering the rivers for spawning purposes during the spiing, and continuing throughout 

 the summer. 



The typical specimen, from which the foregoing description was taken, is a dried skin, now 

 in the Smithsonian collection, procured by the present describer from the Puyallup river, near 

 Fort Steilacoom, Washington Territory, September 27, 1856, and called by the Indians who 

 saw it To-oh-odlt. The Indians seem to apply the same name to another species of salmon, as 

 I have heard of a gigantic kind, only found in certain localities, which is also called To-oh-odlt. 

 The colors of the specimen procured an adult male were evidently much changed by long 

 residence in fresh water, and the exhaustion consequent upon procreation. This was rendered 

 evident by the altered appearance of the jaws and teeth, as well as by the lean condition of 

 the fish. The colors, as they appeared, were as follows: Upper parts, dingy olive-green, 

 profusely spotted with diagonal and confluent spots of dark brown, or black. Lower parts 

 dingy yellowish white, unspotted, but tinged with a reddish band along the flanks. Dorsal, 

 adipose, and caudal fins dark yellowish green, spotted profusely with dark brown or black. 



The examination of the dried skin shows branchial rays 13.14, as near as can be counted. 



