474 NATUEAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC AlinMALS. 



have taken an average of three hundred Salmon each. For the last twenty years the catch has 

 been nothing to what it used to he, though some are taken even now. The gill-nets stretched 

 across the mouth of river assisted to a large extent in causing the decrease. The fish used to run 

 up to the falls, ten miles above Pulaski; now there are two dams in the way. They never could go 

 above the falls, as they are one hundred and eight feet in perpendicular height. I think the mills 

 (factories), tanneries, etc., are prolific causes of the disappearance of Salmon. Lime is one of the 

 worst things thrown iuto the river; vats of refuse lime have beeu emptied when the river was full 

 of fish, and upon the next they were gone. Lime, tan-bark, sawdust, and gill-nets have driven 

 the Salmon from our river. 



"There were formerly three salmon streams in this vicinity — Grindstone Creek, Deer Creek, 

 and Salmon Eiver — and each stream had a different type of fish. An experienced fisherman could 

 readily tell from which stream a fish was caught, though they are but four miles apart. In Deer 

 Creek the fish were long and slim, in Grindstone short and chubby, and in Salmon Eiver large and 

 heavy. 



"The largest specimen ever caught here weighed forty -four aud three-quarters pounds. Some 

 have been taken as small as one pound. A few will come up now as soon as there is a freshet. 

 There is a fish- way here on the lower dam, but its construction is so defective that very few if any 

 of the fish are able to get over it; they were seen to try last fall and fail. They are caught (and 

 always were) with a large three-tined spear from a skiff with a jack-lantern. Two thousand have 

 been landed at the bridge in one night." 



"Mr. Cross says: 'They often went over the dam before the apron was put in, but now they 

 must jump along a twenty-foot apron besides the height of the dam (eight feet). The way it is 

 now, a few manage to get as far as the first pocket and then fall back again. Forty years ago 

 the salmon fisheries on this river brought more money to the people than all the machinery now 

 on the river.' 



"At Cape Vincent they were formerly taken on the lake shore during the migrations. Never 

 went up the Chaumont Bay. No rivers here to spawn in. Never seemed abundant in the Saint 

 Lawrence only as they passed by. Even now one is occasionally taken in the gill-nets in the 

 lake. — (Mcpherson.) 



"At Chaumont four were caught in 1879; were formerly common during their migrations. — 

 (Dewy.) 



"At Sacket's Harbor very rarely taken now; used to get them at Phillips Point as they were 

 passing by." — (Clark.) 



161. THE SALMONS OF THE PACIFIC. 



By David S. Jordan. 



The Steel-head — Salmo Gaiednbri. 



This species is eveiy where known as the " Steel- head." The name "Hard-head" is some- 

 times applied to it, and it is known to the Eussiaus as "Seomga." The name "Mykiss" is said 

 to have been formerly applied to it in Kamtchatka. Large individuals are often called "Salmon 

 Trout." The Indian name " Humaana" is said to be given to it on the Upper Columbia. It reaches 

 a weight of twenty-two pounds, the average weight when fully grown being about sixteen. Young 

 specimens are very scarce in our experience. It is found from Monterey to Kamtschatka, always 

 close to the coast. lu the Columbia and Prazer Elvers it occurs in abundance in the spring at 

 the time of the salmon run. None have yet been noticed to the eastward of the Cascade Eange, 



