32 SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



About 140 barrels were dressed. These were loaded in bulk into a small schooner, 

 and then the men were occupied three hours in clearing the seine, in which the 

 remaining salmon were about 4 feet deep. 



The Humpback Salmon arrives at St. Paul, Kadiak, about the 10th of July, and 

 there is only one run a year. From the statement of Mr. Hirsch, above referred to, 

 it will be seen that it makes its appearance on the western side of the island at about 

 the same time. Mr. Turner records the date of arrival at St. Michael's as about the 

 25th of July, and the period of running about five weeks. Nelson's earliest speci- 

 mens were taken at St. Michael's July 24. He states that the species is rather 

 numerous until the end of July, with more or less common stragglers until late in the 

 fall. We found Humpbacks in good condition in Plover Bay, Siberia, about the middle 

 of August. 



The species continues to enter the rivers usually for a period of about five weeks, 

 but it is not regular in its appearance. The enormous run in the Karluk, mentioned 

 above, was exceptional, for the fish seldom enters that river. In the Yukon, during 

 some years, according to Mr. Nelson, only a few are taken, and at other times they 

 are present in such excessive numbers in the lower part of the river that the fish-traps 

 must be emptied several times a day. 



This salmon is much addicted to jumping out of the water. In the vicinity of 

 St. Paul, Kadiak, one of the commonest sights was this breaching of the Humpback 

 Salmon. Fishermen at this village told me that the sea run Humpback often contains 

 a small fish, which, from their description, must be the capelin. 



In the Karluk River, as already mentioned, the species continued to enter for five 

 weeks, and then dead fish began to float down the stream, and this continued about a 

 month. It does not go far from salt water and frequently enters streams which are 

 too shallow to cover its fins. Its business in the fresh waters is simply to deposit its 

 eggs, after which, apparently, it dies on the spawning-grounds or is carried to sea in 

 a dying condition. Spawning takes place withiu a few rods of the sea. It is a com- 

 mon thing to see large areas of the bottom entirely covered with the eggs, either 

 lying unprotected on the gravelly bottom or partly concealed in crevices between 

 moderately large stones. In Afognak River the eggs were cast among stones about 

 half as large as a man's fist. 



There are no signs of diminution of the supply of this fish. A small number are 

 salted annually, and the natives dry large quantities for winter use. 



In the fresh run condition this is one of the most palatable salmon in Alaska, and 

 the time is not far distant when it will be a very important species for canning. The 

 flesh is somewhat paler than that of the Red Salmon, yet it has a beautiful color. 

 Properly introduced into the markets this would become a very valuable fish, and its 

 wonderful abundance would establish a great industry. 



The height of the spawning season in the Kadiak streams is evidently about the 

 middle of August. In Alexander's Creek, near the Larsen's Cove cannery of the Arctic 

 Packing Company, Messrs. Lewis and Stone found the Humpbacks spawning in vast 

 numbers August 15. Mr. Lewis took some of the eggs and fertilized them with the 

 milt of the males. The eggs are larger than those of the Red Salmon, but smaller 

 than King Salmon eggs and not so bright red. On the 22d of August we saw this 

 fish in the small streams at the head of the west arm of Uyak Bay trying to run up 

 the rapids to spawn. The current in some places was so swift as to wash the fish 



