INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 287 
stream to Nushagak and Aleknagik lakes, where they spawn. If the 
season be an open one, however, they frequently loiter on the way, 
spending considerable time on their upward passage. The latter con- 
ditions are, of course, most favorable for the fishermen. During the 
past spring the river was blockaded with ice until May 20, and the 
run was a late one in consequence. 
The fishermen consider that the salmon spawn about a month after 
entering the river. The superintendent of the Bristol Bay Canning 
‘Company, who has had much experience in this part of Alaska, states 
that from the first of August until October young salmon pass down 
stream, and enter the sea daily by the million. It takes, on anaverage, 
about 6 red salmon to make a case of the preserved product, and about 
the same number of silver salmon. Two and one-half of the king salmon 
are equivalent to about 6 of either of the other two species. 
Heretofore each cannery has had from one to five traps, but returns 
from them have not compared favorably with the cost of keeping them 
in repair. The original cost of a trap is $250. The main body is made 
of twine, but the leaders are constructed of galvanized-iron wire netting, 
which is superior to common twine netting, offering more resistance to 
the drift material which comes down the river in large quantities. 
Notwithstanding, however, that every precaution is taken to make them 
secure, they are frequently torn from their fastenings and swept away. 
The king salmon is said not to enter the traps like the other species. 
The Arctic Canning Company has this year built a trap in the Nak- 
nek River, which it is expected will give good results. 
VICINITY OF UNALASKA ISLAND. 
Along the Aleutian group of islands the bottom differs materially in 
character from that of Bristol Bay. Instead of large areas of sand, 
intermixed with patches of mud and rocks, nearly one continuous rocky 
bottom is found, upon which cod are fairly abundant. The investiga- 
tions of the Albatross among the Aleutian Islands were mainly confined 
to the continental platform along the Bering Sea side of Unalaska 
Island as far as Umnak Island. However, a line of soundings was run 
between Atka Island and Unalaska Island, nearly parallel with the coast: 
trend, which indicated the existence of much bottom suited to cod and 
halibut, and good fishing-grounds for those species will undoubtedly 
be found in that region, as well as about the other islands lying to the 
westward of Atka. Information to the same effect has been derived 
from other sources, but the occurrence of large fishing-banks is pre- 
cluded by the fact that deep water approaches to within a very short 
distance of the islands. 
Unalaska harbor and vicinity.—The fishing-grounds in the neighbor- 
hood of Ilinlink, Unalaska, extend only a short distance from the shore, 
3 to 6 miles being the width of area on which cod are likely to be found, 
The bottom consists mainly of rocky and muddy patches, of small to 
Jarge extent, on which sand, gravel, and shells also occur in small quav- 
