The Pacific Salmon 



not, according to the species, and with the mouth about equally 

 symmetrical in both sexes. As the spawning season approaches 

 the female loses her silvery colour, becomes more slimy, the 

 scales on the back partly sink into the skin, and the flesh changes 

 from salmon-red and becomes variously paler from the loss of 

 oil, the degree of paleness varying much with individuals and 

 with inhabitants of different rivers. In the Sacramento the flesh 

 of the quinnat, in either spring or fall, is rarely pale. In the 

 Columbia a few with pale flesh are sometimes taken in spring, 

 and a good many in the fall. In Fraser River the fall run of 

 the quinnat is nearly worthless for canning purposes, because so 

 many are " white-meated." In the spring very few are "white- 

 meated," but the number increases toward fall, when there is 

 every variation, some having red streaks running through them, 

 others being red toward the head and pale toward the tail. 

 The red and pale ones can not be distinguished externally, and 

 the colour is dependent upon neither age nor sex. There is 

 said to be no difference in the taste, but there is no market 

 for canned salmon not of the conventional orange colour. 



As the season advances, the difference between the males 

 and females becomes more and more marked, and keeps pace 

 with the development of the milt, as is shown by dissection. 

 The males have (i) the premaxillaries and the tip of the lower 

 jaw more and more prolonged, both of the jaws becoming, 

 finally, strongly and often extravagantly hooked, so that either they 

 shut by the side of each other like shears, or else the mouth can 

 not be closed. (2) The front teeth become very long and canine- 

 like, their growth proceeding very rapidly, until they are often ^ 

 inch long. (3) The teeth on the vomer and tongue often disappear. 

 (4) The body grows more compressed and deeper at the shoulders, 

 so that a very distinct hump is formed; this is more developed 

 in Oncorhynchns gorbiischa, but is found in all. (s) The scales 

 disappear, especially on the back, by the growth of spongy skin. 

 (6) The colour changes from silvery to various shades of black 

 and I'cd, or blotchy, according to the species. The blueback 

 turns rosy or brick-red, the dog salmon a dull blotchy red, and 

 the quinnat generally blackish. The distorted males are com- 

 monly considered worthless, rejected by the canners and salmon 

 sailers, btit preserved by the Indians. These changes are due 

 solely to influences connected with the growth of the reproduc- 



146 



