100 FISHING-GEOUNDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



AH the Alaskan species of Bexagrammus, however, are present, the commonest one at Iliuliuk, 

 known to the whites as " green-fish" and to the Russians as turpulc, being H. ordinatus of Cope. 

 These fish remind me very much of our cunner and tautog, but they are much better than either, 

 being^ more solid and less bony. Flat-fishes and flounders are very abundant, and are taken in 

 large quantities by the spear in the evening, when they come into the shoal water close to the 

 shore, and may be readily seen on the sandy bottom. Halibut and cod abound. The "striped 

 fish", "yellow-fish", or "Atka mackerel" exists here in immense numbers, and deserves to 

 become a very important element in the Alaskan salt-fish trade. It extends around the whole of 

 the Aleutian chain and the Shumagins, congregating in great schools. At Attu it is known as 

 the "kelp-fish," at the Shumagins as the "yellow-fish" or "striped fish," and from Unalashka to 

 Atka as the "Atka mackerel." The last name is derived from the fact that when salted just as 

 mackerel are salted it has the same taste. I have been told that this fish can be taken by the 

 purse-seine, its movements being similar to those of the common mackerel. There is no doubt 

 that if the "striped fish" was properly introduced into the market it would find a ready sale, for 

 it is certainly an excellent fish, either salted or fresh. The fish was originally described by Pallas 

 as Ldbrax monopterygius, and is at present known as Pleurogrammus monopterygius, (Pallas) Gill. 

 Last year it visited Chernoffsky and Iliuliuk, on Unalashka Island, reappearing at the latter 

 place after an absence of a few years. Petroft' states that " full barrels of it [have] commanded the 

 unwonted price of twenty -four dollars each in San Francisco." Mr. Robert King, agent of the 

 Western Fur and Trading Company for the Unalashka district, writes me as follows concerning 

 the species: "Our agent at Atka says they are there in considerable numbers, and wishes me to 

 make preparations for taking three hundred barrels, which he thinks may be obtained in one 

 season of say two or three months. I believe these fish are more generally distributed than has 

 been heretofore known, as we saw young ones of the same kind at Chernoffsky on this Island, and 

 during the last few days there have been thousands of them moving through between the cribs of 

 our wharf." Mr. King's letter was dated at Iliuliuk, August 3, 1880. 



With regard to the price offered for the salted " striped fish," there seems to be some 

 difference of experience. Mr. Hague, general agent of the Western Fur and Trading Company, 

 has kindly written me the following concerning them : " The best offer we have had for these 

 striped fish is for a quantity to arrive not to exceed forty to fifty barrels at ten dollars per barrel." 



Trout and salmon are among the most important fishes of the region. The red-spotted trout 

 and all the species of Oncorhyiwhus are taken in their season. Herring are not always abundant, 

 but that they are of unusually good quality our own experience has proven. 



Sea-lions are captured at Attu, and in rather large numbers, by the Akun people, who go 

 to Oogamak for them and for the numerous hair seals found there. The skins of the hair-seal 

 and sea-lion are used in making bidarkas, which are used by the sea-otter hunters who visit 

 Sanakh. 



Quite a number of young fur-seals are caught by natives off Umnak, as they travel southward 

 from Bering Sea. The people of Makushin, too, secure between one thousand 'and thirteen 

 hundred of these animals yearly on their way through Umnak Straits in the fall. The inhabitants 

 of Borka capture from twelve hundred to fourteen hundred young fur-seals in favorable seasons 

 as they go through Oonalga Pass. 



Sea-otter are taken in small numbers by the people of Akutan around the small islands near 

 them and on the south end of Unimak. The. village of Borka secures a few sea-otter in its 

 vicinity, and some of its people also unite with the Unalashka hunters who visit Sanakh. The 

 Chernoffsky natives take sea-otter in Umnak Straits and send representatives to Sanakh with the 



