III.-FISHES. 



By JOHN MURDOCH, A. M., Sergeant Signal Corps, United States Army. 



Fishes were scarce in the neighborhood of the station, and the shortness of the open season 

 rendered collecting exceedingly difficult. The marine species were almost all obtained from the 

 natives, who caught them while fishing for food through the ice. 



The fresh-water ponds and small streams around Point Barrow are quite barren of fish life, 

 and the fresh-water species in the collection come from the great rivers east of Point Barrow, 

 whence they were brought in frozen in the fall and early spring. 



Dr. Tarleton H. Bean has kindly identified the species of the difficult genera Gymnelis, Lycod.es, 

 Liparis, and Cotttis, and has verified the writer's identification of the other species. 



GASTEKOSTEID.E. 

 1. GASTBROSTEUS FUNGITIUS L. subsp. BRACHYFODA Bean. 



On December 1, 18813, Capt. E. P. Herendeen brought in a number of large burbot (Lota) from 

 Mcade Eiver and Kuaru, both streams flowing into the Arctic Ocean east of Point Barrow. 



On preparing these for the table, one or two were found to have their stomachs literally 

 crammed full of sticklebacks, which on examination proved to belong to this species. 



They were most of them fresh enough for preservation. 



GADID.E. 

 2. BOREOGADTJS SAIDA (Lepech.) Bean. 



This species was found to be quite plenty close to the station at most seasons of the year. Wo 

 first saw them early in October, 1881, when the natives brought down large numbers from Point 

 Barrow, where they had been washed up on the beach. 



Usually during the latter part of October and early in November, after the sea has closed, 

 and when tide-cracks form along the shore, the natives generally catch a good many of them at 

 the very edge of the beach in about a foot of water. 



They use a short line of whalebone to which is attached a small lure made of blackened ivory, 

 which roughly represents an amphipod crustacean, and is armed with a barbless hook. 



After this, no more are caught till after the return of the sun, early in February. The natives 

 say that they go away, and it is quite probable that they leave the shore and go off into deeper 

 water. If there Avere any fish to be caught, the natives would undoubtedly fish for them during 

 the winter months, as at this season they are frequently hard pressed for food. 



Early in February, they become exceedingly abundant in about 15 fathoms of water, wherever 

 there is a level field of the season's ice not over i feet in thickness, inclosed between rows of hum- 

 mocks of broken ice. Such a field as this was formed in the winter of 1882, and remained unchanged 

 from February till about the middle of May, when the ice began to soften and melt on the surface. 

 Large numbers of the natives from the Cape Smythe village, especially women and children, resorted 



im 

 H. Ex. 44 17 



