[7] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 393 



nidce, is called " cusk " at the Skumagins, where it is highly esteemed 

 as a bait for the cod. 



The common species of lant (Ammodytes personatus Girard) is found 

 abundantly throughout the Territory and is largely used as bait by 

 native fishermen for catching cod, species of Hexagrammus, Sebastiehthys, 

 etc., in hook fishing. The movements of the cod are influenced to a 

 considerable extent by the presence of this little fish, so that fishermen 

 recognize a "lant" school among others. 



The pike (Esox lucius L.), according to Mr. Dall, is common in all the 

 lakes and ponds of Northern Alaska, but is not found in the rivers. The 

 U. S. National Museum has recently obtained it from the island of Kodiak 

 through Mr. W. J. Fisher. In Northern Alaska it is used principally 

 for dog-food. 



A small, but very important, fish belonging to the family of Umbri- 

 dce is Ballia pectoralis, the "black-fish" of Northern Alaska, a species 

 literally swarming in the innumerable fresh-water lagoons. Professor 

 Nordenskjold found it at Port Clarence and Bannister, Turner and 

 Nelson sent down many individuals from Saint Michael's. 



The family Mierostomatidw is represented in Alaska by the smelts 

 (Osmerus dentex and spirinchus), the surf smelts (Hypomesus olidus and 

 pretiosus), the capelin (Mallotus villosus), and the eulachou (Thaleichthys 

 pacificus). The smelts are found chiefly northward, no specimens being 

 recorded from any part of the Gulf of Alaska. It may be that there 

 is really only one Osmerus in Alaska, as the spirinehus type may be sim- 

 ply the spent condition of dentex; of this, however, we cannot now be 

 certain. Osmerus dentex resembles our Atlantic mordax in general 

 appearance and size; it is abundant and forms an important source 

 of food both fresh and in the dried state. The capelin is everywhere 

 plentiful and is a valuable food for cod ; it is extensively eaten by sal- 

 mon also. From the stomach of a single small cod caught on Portlock 

 Bank I took upwards of 40 capelin. In sheltered coves near the mouth 

 of Cook's Inlet salmon were observed in pursuit of the dense schools of 

 capelin which swarmed in those waters. In Plover Bay, Siberia, and 

 at Cape Lisburne we found young capelin abundant in the month of 

 August. The species of Hypomesus appear to be not widely distributed 

 in Alaska. H. pretiosiis is the larger and southern one and, doubtless, 

 the more important as a food-fish. R. olidus is little known in the Ter- 

 ritory ; unlike pretiosus, it spawus in fresh-water ponds; its size is small, 

 and it has been obtained from only one collector, Mr. Turner. The eu- 

 lachou frequents the Gulf of Alaska, ranging westward to Shelikoff 

 strait. Salted eulachon are sent from Katmai to Kodiak, and they are 

 said to possess excellent table qualities. 



The white-fishes (Coregonidce) are among the most important food- 

 fishes in Alaska. Six species of Ooregonus are found, one of which 

 reaches Kodiak southwardly. In Northern Alaska the largest species 

 exist; one of these is generally supposed to be identical with the common 



