78  RKl'ORT OF STA'PK BOAKD OK I'ISII COMMTSSIONERS. 



specimens in tlic lakes are bright crimson in color, the head clear 

 olive-green, and they become in a higli degree hook-nosed and slab- 

 sided, and bear little resemblance to the spring run. Young spawning 

 male grilse follow the changes which take place in the adult, although 

 often not more than half a pound in weight. These little fishes often 

 appear in mountain lakes, but whether they are landlocked or have 

 come up from the sea is still unsettled. These dM^arf forms, called 

 kokos by the Indians and benimasre in Japan, form the subspecies 

 OncorJij/iicliUS nerka kcnnerlyi. The flesh in this species is firmer than 

 that of any other and very red, of good flavor though drier and less 

 rich than the king salmon. 



The silver salmon, or coho (Oncorhynchus milktsehiterh or kisutch), 

 reaches a weight of 5 to 8 pounds. It has 13 developed rays in the 

 anal, lo branchiostegals, 23 (10+13) gill-rakers, and 45 to 80 pyloric 

 coeca. There are about 127 scales in the lateral line. The scales are 

 thin and all except those of the lateral line readily fall off. Tins 

 feature distinguishes the species readily from the red salmon. In 

 color it is silvery in spring, greenish above, and with a few faint black 

 spots on the upper parts only. In the fall the males are mostly of a 

 dirty red. The flesh in this species is of excellent flavor, but pale in 

 color, and hence less valued than that of the quinnat and the 

 red salmon. 



The dog salmon, calico salmon, or clium, called sake in Japan 

 {Onrorhynrhii>i krt<t), reaches an average weight of about 7 to 10 

 pounds. It has about 14 anal rays, 14 branchiostegals, 24 (9 + 15) 

 gill-rakers, and 140 to 185 pyloric c(Pca. There are about 150 scales 

 in the lateral line. In spring it is dirty silvery, immaculate, or 

 sprinkled with small black specks, the fins dusky, the sides with faint 

 traces of gridiron-like bars. In the fall the male is brick-red or black- 

 ish, and its jaws are greatly distorted. The pale flesh is well flavored 

 when fresh, but pale mushy in texture and muddy in taste when 

 canned. It is said to take salt well, and great numbers of salt dog 

 salmon are consumed in Japan. 



The humpback salmon, or })ink salmon {Oncorhynchus gorJnischa), 

 is the smallest of the American species, weighing from 3 to 5 pounds. 

 It has usually 15 anal rays, 12 branchiostegals, 28 (13 + 15) gill-rakers, 

 and about 180 pyloric coeca. Its scales are much smaller than in any 

 other salmon, there being 180 to 240 in the lateral line. In color it is 

 bluish above, silvery below, the posterior and upper parts with many 

 round black spots, the caudal tin always having a few large black 

 spots oblong in form. The males in fall are dirty red, and are more 

 extravagantly distorted than in any other of the Salmonidse. The 

 flesh is softer than in the other species; it is pale in color, and, while 

 of fair flavor when fresh, is distinctly inferior when canned. 



