The Days of a Man 1880 



is his definite determination of the age of an in- 

 dividual by a study of its scales. These grow in 

 minute concentric ridges or rings, those produced 

 in winter, the period of slowest growth, lying close 

 together and forming definite bands which are 

 Age of readily counted under the microscope. By this 

 salmon means he was able to verify. our previous assump- 

 tion that the King Salmon spawns usually at four 

 years, though some individuals delay until the 

 fifth, sixth, or seventh year, and a few (all males) 

 spawn, though more or less prematurely, at three. 

 But these last are Nature's windfalls and count for 

 nothing in the continuation of the species. At four 

 years the average weight is not far from twenty- 

 two pounds; old individuals, late-maturing, may 

 reach eighty or even more. 



The In the Columbia, as in all the streams up to Sitka, 



run a i so prodigious numbers of eulachon Tha- 

 leichthys pacificus a little smelt-like fish with "'the 

 spawning habits of a salmon. When absolutely 

 fresh and not "spent," it is in my judgment the 

 most delicious of all fishes delicate, fragrant, 

 saturated with an exquisite and readily digested oil. 

 William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) 

 expressed the same opinion at Astoria a century 

 ago. After the spawning season, however, the 

 flesh becomes mealy and free from oil, although still 

 excellent as food. 



The Indians of southern Alaska put the eulachon 

 into large vats containing hot stones to try out the 

 oil, of which they are very fond, notwithstanding 

 that the huge catch spoils on their hands and the 

 place can be smelt for miles. "Eulachon" looks 

 C 228 3 



