SALMONID^E 379 



ABDOMINAL 

 MALACOPTERYGII. SALMONID^. 



THE SALMON OF THE PACIFIC WATERS. 



As these varieties are now falling within the notice of American 

 citizens, and furnishing both food and sport to the bold and hardy 

 pioneers of civilization who are resorting in such numbers to the El 

 Dorado of the Far West, I quote from Richardson's Fauna Boreali 

 Americana the following lively description of their structure, species 

 and habits : 



" In the paucity of our information respecting the fish of New Cale- 

 donia, the following notices, collected from the Journal of Mr. D. W. 

 Harmon, a partner of the North-West Company, are valuable. This 

 gentleman resided for several years at a fur-post on Stuart's Lake, 

 which lies in the 55th parallel of latitude, and 125th degree of longi- 

 tude, and which discharges its waters by a stream, named also Stuart, 

 into Frazer's River, that falls into the Strait- of Juan da Fuca. As 

 his remarks upon fish relate chiefly to the Salmon tribe, this appears 

 to be the most appropriate place for their insertion. 



" ' 1811. May 11. STUART'S LAKE. The ice in the lake broke up 

 this afternoon. 22. We now take Trout in the lake, with set lines 

 and hooks, in considerable numbers, but they are not of a good kind. 

 It is perhaps a little remarkable, that Pike or Pickerel have never 

 been found in any of the lakes and rivers on the west side of the 

 Rocky Mountains. 



" ' August 2. It is impossible at this season to take fish out of this 

 lake or river. Unless the Salmon from the sea soon make their ap- 

 pearance, our condition will be deplorable. 10. Sent all our people 

 to a small lake about twelve miles off, out of which the natives take 

 small fish, much resembling Salmon in shape and flavor, but not more 

 than six inches long. They are said to be very palatable. 22. One 

 of the natives has caught a Salmon, which is joyful intelligence to us 

 all, for we hope and expect in a few days to have abundance. These? 



