THE MSHEEY EESOUECES OF ALASKA. 83 



whitefish, and reaches a weight of thirty pounds. It is distinguished by its broad body, short 

 head, and large scales. It is usually very fat and excellent eating. It abounds in both winter 

 and summer, spawning in September in the small rivers falling into the Yukon." i The " Eound- 

 fish" of Mr. Ball's paper is Coregomts quadrilateralis, Eich. "A long, slender, subcylindrical fish, 

 not very abundant, but of excellent quality. They are caught occasionally throughout the 

 winter on the Yukon, and are distinguished by their attenuated muzzle and peculiar form." The 

 " Humpback" of Mr. Dall is related to clu]peiformis, from which it is separated by its arched and 

 compressed back. The "whitefish" (Eussian Morslcoi ciga) is G. Laurettw, Bean. Mr. Dall says of 

 the MorsTcoi ciga: "This is the most abundant and best flavored species of Coregonus in most 

 localities. It is distinguished by its small scales, fins, tail, and head, and is of symmetrical 

 proportions and moderate size. It rarely exceeds three pounds in weight, and is the staple article 

 of food in winter on the Yukon."' Ooregonus Laurettw is the prevailing species of the far north j 

 the writer obtained it in Port Clarence while in company with the United States Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey Expedition to Alaska, in 1880, and- Capt. C. L. Hooper, commanding the 

 Eevenue-Marine steamer Corwin, thus records it from Point Barrow in his report to the 

 Treasury Department of November 1, 1880 : 



" The temperature of the water was 40° F. We bought from the natives some eider ducks, 

 which were found to have a strong fishy taste, and some fish resembling shad, but smaller and 

 very fat; they differ also from the shad in having two double [misprint for dorsal] fins. We saw 

 the same species in Kotzebue Sound and at other places within the Arctic circle. They are 

 called by the natives 'tupook.' I preserved some specimens for the Smithsonian Institution." 



The "Nulato whitefish" (Eussian ^^ Nnlatoslci ciga^') is evidently what I have called in my 

 list of Alaskan food-fishes Coregonus Merlcii, GUnther, variety. This is a small, thin, bony species, 

 common near Nulato, on the Yukon, and is rarely more than half a pound in weight. It is of 

 little use as food, and is principally abundant in summer. Captain Hooper forwarded to the 

 Smithsonian Institution many specimens of this Avhitefish, which he obtained doubtless in 

 Kotzebue Sound and elsewhere in the Arctic i-egions. The grayling or blanket-fish concludes 

 the list of GoregonidcB. Of this Mr. Dall has written as follows : 



"Abundant in the small rapid rivers of Alaska. It is the only fish in the Yukon territory 

 flhich will take the hook. It is of moderate value only for table use, and is especially abundant 

 in spring when the whitefish begin to be scarce." 



The greatest fish wealth of Alaska lies in its abundance of fine salmon, so far at least as 

 shore-fishing is concerned. There are five species of OncorliyncJms : chouicha, Iceta, nerlca, Msutch, 

 and gorbuscha — all readily distinguished one from the other by well-marked characters, except the 

 first two. Three of them may be at once recognized by a single character even; gorbuscha, for 

 example, has much smaller scales than any other species ; Msutch has a much smaller number of 

 pyloric caeca than all the rest; nerJca has much the largest number of gill-rakers; chouicha is 

 the giant of the group, and may well be called the "king salmon." This is the largest and finest 

 of the Alaska salmon, reaching a weight of sixty to ninety pounds. Those weighing eighty 

 pounds are not uncommon, and others weighing a hundred-weight have occasionally been taken. 

 This fish, or a fish called by the same name, ranges from Sitka to Bering Strait, and is found in 

 all water-courses from the tide-ways of the Alexander Archipelago to the broad current of the 

 Yukon. It ascends the latter river for at least twelve hundred miles and perhaps farther. It is 

 a short and broad fish, with a large head, but comparatively small mouth and fins. It reaches 



' Dall, loc. cit. 



