322 NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA 



50. Ammoccetes aureus Bean. Lamprey Eel (Esk. yfi-miKj-ushuk), 



MLssion, Yukon River, winter, 1877-'78. 

 Mission, Yukon Kiver, winter, 1877-78. 

 Mission, Yukon River, winter, 1877-'78. 

 Mission, Yukon River, winter, 1877-'78. 

 Mission, Yukon River, winter, 1877-78. 

 Mission, Yukon River, winter, 1877-78. 

 Mission, Yukon River, winter, 1877-78. 



Ordinarily soon after the ice set.s in tbe Yukon, and rarely just before this occurs, these fish 

 run up the Yukon in large numbers, reaching at least up to Nulato. They keep lu the middle of 

 the river and move u]) against the swiftest part of the current aud run in a dense body. So 

 compactly do they run that the natives use either a stick, with two short cross-bars at the lower 

 end, or a dip-net to throw them out on the ice. By means of these implements great numbers of 

 them are caught, although it is claimed that the eels only require about an hour for the main body 

 of them to pass any given point. The I'ukou Eskimo have holes cut in the ice, and continuous 

 watch is kept when the time for their run approaches, and as soon as they appear the alarm is given 

 and every one runs out on the ice with stick or dip-net, and, making holes in the thin ice, secures as 

 many as possible while the flsh pass their station, aud then they run upstream a half mile or .so 

 and make another hole and secure as mauj^ more as possible, and thus follow the slowly-moving 

 flsh for a long distance. In 1879 the run began at Anvik on the evening of November 2C. They 

 are extremely oily, and the natives use the oil for eating and for lamps as a substitute for seal oil. 



