36 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



which were feeding upon young salmon. Bears consume large quantities of the breed- 

 ing fish. They may be seen standing at the edge of the stream, where the water is 

 shallow, and occasionally striking salmoa with their claws and throwing them on the 

 shore, where they are eaten alive. We found a dolly varden trout just released by a 

 bear which our approach frightened away. One of the gill covers of this fish was half 

 torn off, but no other injury was visible. We saw Red Salmon partly eaten, but still alive, 

 lying on the shore after the retreat of the bears, which were disturbed while feeding. 

 Other enemies of the salmon attack it in the sea. Among them are the salmon shark 

 (Lamna cornubica), porpoises, and sea-lions. We found all the species of salmon more 

 or less covered with parasitic copepods. Collections of these were made, but the spe- 

 cies have not been determined. At Afognak Mr. Booth observed a very serious cause 

 of destruction of salmon. The estuary of Afognak River is generally left bare at low 

 tide and great numbers of salmon are thus stranded, many of which die before the 

 next tide rescues them. 



Red Salmon are seen in salt water off the mouths of the rivers in large schools in 

 the spring. The season of their approach to the shores has already been referred to, 

 and also the fact that they are not observed farther than about 1£ miles from the 

 shore. No attempt has been made to take Red Salmon until it comes to the shore. It 

 is not caught by trolling like the King Salmon and the Silver Salmon. 



The catch of Red Salmon has been increasing, owing to the increase in the number 

 of persons engaged in the fishery aud in the effectiveness of the implements used in 

 its capture. The size of seines has been greatly enlarged and the number of boats, 

 seines and men largely augmented. That there will be a falling off in the supply very 

 soon there can be no doubt. I have already remarked that the number of spawning 

 fish in Karluk Lake and its tributaries last year was unexpectedly small. It is true 

 that young salmon, from 1£ inches to 2 inches in length, were very abundant, but they 

 were the result of the spawning of the previous season. 



There was early in the season of 1889, and in previous seasons, injudicious ob- 

 struction of the ascent of spawning fish in the Karluk River. At one time an impass- 

 able weir, similar to the zapor of the Russians, was placed in this river. At the time 

 of our visit we saw the remains of pound nets made of wire netting, which interfered 

 so seriously with the ascent of the fish that they were dismantled by unknown parties 

 and were not reestablished. 



The Steel Head (Salmo gairdneri). 



(Plate iv, figs. 9 and 10.) 



This large black spotted trout is known also as Hard-head and G-airdner's trout. 

 The Russian name is Soomga. In some of our eastern markets, at this date, it is the 

 "Kennebec Salmon." 



This species sometimes reaches a weight of 30 pounds, and individuals of that size 

 bear a close resemblance to S. salar. The Steel-head is found from Monterey, Cali- 

 fornia, to Bristol Bay, Alaska, and is very abundant in some parts of the Gulf of 

 Alaska. This trout has been considered a winter spawner, but females full of ripe 

 eggs were seen by me near Sitka, June 10, 1880. Spent fish of this species are fre 

 quently taken with the spring ruu of the King Salmon, so that in all probability the 

 usual spawning time is late in the winter or very early spring 



