74 FISHES OF PENNSYLVANIA. 

feet in diameter in which the eggs and milt are deposited, and then 
covered by the parent fish again with gravel. Spawning takes place in 
the late fall months, and the eggs are hatched very early in the spring. 
The artificial culture of this species has attained to very great import- 
ance. The eggs have been sent to nearly all parts of the world by tens 
of millions. Numerous attempts have been made to acclimate the spe- 
cies in eastern waters, but the experiment has been unsuccessful mainly 
because of a lack of conditions similar to those of their native habitat, 
and because of the almost total destruction of the tender fry by their 
enemies soon after their deposit. 
Uses.—The quinnat is one of the most important salmon of the world 
commercially. It is the chief salmon of the Columbia and Sacramento 
as well as those Alaskan rivers in which it occurs. In the canned con- 
dition it is known all over the world. The flesh of this salmon is a beau- 
tiful red and of most excellent quality. The fish is sometimes taken by 
trolling in the bays shortly after its arrival from sea. Herring is the 
most successful bait. For commercial purposes, however, seines, gill- 
nets and fish wheels are mainly relied upon for its capture. 
Grenos SALMO (Artepr) Linnzus. 
Pennsylvania has one representative of the marine salmon and two 
species of the river salmon. The first of these belongs to the genus 
Salmo, which is distinguished from the next group (/ario) by its sea- 
going habit, the feeble development of the vomerine teeth, and the great 
distortion of the jaws of the male in the breeding season. 
The group Fario, to which the river salmon are referred, is not sea- 
going to any great extent, although a few individuais of some of the 
species go into salt water occasionally. The teeth of the vomer are 
well developed in a long, zig-zag row, or two alternating rows, and the 
sexual differences are never strongly marked. 
90. Salmo salar Linyzxvs. 
The Atlantic Salmon. (/igure 4.) 
The Atlantic salmon has a moderately thick and elongate body. The greatest 
height at the origin of the dorsal fin is two-ninths of the total length without caudal. 
The caudal peduncle is rather slender ; its least depth about one-third of the greatest 
depth of body. The head is comparatively small; its length in the female about 
one-fifth of total without caudal. The eye is placed at a distance from the top of the 
head equal to its own diameter. It is one-half as long as the snout and about one- 
seventh length of head. The maxillary reaches a little past the eye in adults. Its 
length equals the depth of caudal peduncle. The dorsal origin ismidway between tip 
of snout and adipose fin. The adipose fin is longand narrow ; its width one-half its 
length and equal to length of eye. The dorsal base is slightly longer than its longest 
ray and nearly one-eighth of total without caudal. The last dorsal ray is about one- 
third length of dorsal base. The ventral origin is nearly under the end of the dorsal 
base. The length of the fin equals one-half length df head. The appendage is two- 
fifths the length of the fin. The pectoral is as long as the dorsal base. The distance 
