The Salmon of the Pacific Slope. 209 



Ichthyologists have placed the salmonoids with the long anal fin in a 

 division, which they have called Oncorhynchus, and of which some five or 

 six species are now more or less perfectly known. All of them come from 

 waters that flow into the North Pacific Ocean, whilst they are entirely absent 

 from Atlantic waters. 



To prevent any misunderstanding I must mention that, on the other 

 hand, there are, beside these Oncorhynchi, on the Pacific coast of North 

 America, plenty of real trout and sea trout with short anal fin, very similar 

 to ours. Only our real salmon is absent. It occurs in many of the 

 Atlantic rivers of Canada ; and therefore the term " Canadian salmon " is 

 .an obvious misnomer, if applied (as has been done) to the fish from 

 British Columbia. 



The fish sent from the Fraser river belong to a species which takes its 

 highest place among the Oncorhynchi. In European and part of the 

 American literature it is known as the quinnat (Oncorhynchus yuinnat); in 

 the trade as Californian or Columbian salmon ; on the Columbia river as 

 chinnock * ; in other parts as saw-kwey, or suck-eye ; in Alaska as the king 

 salmon (if, indeed, the Alaskan fish is the same species). But these 

 vernacular names are, as is always the case, frequently applied to different 

 species, according to locality ; and it is certain that in many of the factories 

 several species are used for canning. 



Among the salmonoids of the Pacific with which we are acquainted at 

 present, the quinnat carries easily off the palm with regard to size, 

 abundance, flavour of flesh, and economic importance generally. It 

 abounds all along the Pacific coast and in the Pacific rivers, from the 

 Sacramento river in the south to Alaska in the north, and is stated to be 

 equally abundant in the rivers of Kamtschatka. When in full condition, 

 on its arrival at the mouths of the rivers, it is adorned in its brightest 

 .s'lvery coat with steel-blue back, and not very numerous small black star- 

 like spots above the lateral line. It has not the same graceful lines of 

 the build of the body of the salmon, its head being thicker, the eye 

 conspicuously smaller, the back broader, and the tail shorter; but it 

 exceeds the salmon in size, on the Columbia river specimens being on 

 record of above 8olb. in weight, and others of 6olb. not being scarce. 

 Farther northwards, in Alaska, Dr. Bean has met with individuals of icolb. 

 and more. Sixteen pounds are stated to be the average size of the fish 

 caught for the canneries on the Sacramento, and 2olb. on the Columbia rivers. 



* Dr. Giinther spells this word chinnock, but this is probably a misprint. 

 So far as I know the word is invariably spelt with two " o's." 



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