Photo by George Shiras, 3rd 

 A SPLENDID PAIR OF ANTLERS, WITH THE SKULL ATTACHED: FOUND ON THE BANKS 



OF THE UPPER KENAI RIVER 



It is impossible to tell whether the animal died of old age or from wounds. Spread, 

 Syi feet. Note extraordinary brow antlers, which have a spread almost equal to the main 

 branches (see page 453). 



the gTadually falling river had in many 

 cases separated these pools by interven- 

 ing bars, so that the fish, varying" from 

 two to a dozen, could be watched and 

 the individual relations of each easil}' 

 determined. While it was at once seen 

 that the salmon were carrying on a con- 

 tinual warfare, it was not until the close 

 of the first day that I found that the fi.sh 

 were paired apparently by hate and not 

 by any ties of aiTection. 



Whether this was a sexual antipath}' 

 I could not then determine, although as 

 a rule only one fish was the aggressor, 

 the other spending its time trying to 

 elude the attack. Continuously and re- 

 lentlessly they struggled in couples, 



rending and tearing the fins and tails, 

 scoring with their sharp teeth the some- 

 what smoother sides, and occasionally 

 seizing, with wide-open mouth, the nose 

 or lo\\'er jaw of their victim. 



On the four days spent rettu'ning up 

 the river, and while the men toiled at 

 the tracking line, I walked slowly along 

 the banks, carrying a pack containing 

 the more valuable part of our outfit, and 

 so there was plenty of time to observe 

 the salmon. From my notebook the fol- 

 lowing extracts depict what was happen- 

 ing much of the da)^ : 



"In one pool, separated by shallow 

 water from the others, there were ten 

 salmon and all in a state of fierce con- 



462 



