SALMON FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 29 



This species is the first to arrive on the shores in the spring. It makes its ap- 

 pearance in southern Alaska in May, and Nelson found it in Norton Sound, the northern 

 limit of its known migration, early in June. The time of its coming into Norton 

 Sound corresponds with the breaking up and disappearance of the ice. Nelson 

 observed that " the largest of these salmon run during the few days just preceding 

 and following the breaking up of the ice, and thence on until the end of the season 

 they decrease gradually in size and quality." In the Yukon the season lasts only 

 about a month. Gapt. L. P. Larsen informed me that the King Salmon is the first to 

 appear in the Nushagak. Here the run is short, scarcely continuing into August. 

 At the Karluk the species arrives late in May. Very few were seined there during the 

 month of August. We saw stragglers on the 4th, 6th, and 27th of the month, and a 

 few spawning fish were in the upper part of the river August 21. On the 4th of 

 August a fine male of about 35 pounds, with the spermaries little developed, was 

 seined on the beach. In its stomach I found forty-five capelin. Mr. Charles Hirsch 

 states that the species is only an occasional visitor at Karluk. 



The King Salmon continues to enter some of the rivers for the purpose of spawn- 

 ing until August. The height of the season, however, is reached by the middle of 

 July in most localities. This fish travels up the rivers farther than any other species 

 except the Eed Salmon. In the Yukon it ascends far above Port Yukon, more 

 than 1,500 miles from the mouth of the river. Dr. George M. Dawson records its 

 occurrence in the Lewes River as far as the lower end of Lake Marsh, where it was 

 found in considerable numbers early in September. According to Indian authority it 

 pushes on almost to the headwaters of the tributaries to the Lewes on the east side. 



The King Salmon does not ascend rivers rapidly unless the spawning period is 

 close at hand. It generally plays around for a few days, or even a couple of weeks, 

 near the river limit of tide- water. After entering the fresh water to begin its journey 

 to the headwaters of the stream it moves rapidly until it finds suitable gravely 

 bottom in clear water. No food is taken in fresh water. When a barrier to its ascent 

 is met I am told that the fish charges at it repeatedly and persistently without regard to 

 the consequences to itself. The nest-building habits have been so often described that 

 it is unnecessary to repeat them here. The spawning takes place, as before remarked, 

 near the headwaters of streams in clear shallow rapids. As far as we can leatn, only 

 those fish that ascend the streams short distances return to the ocean after spawning, 

 and September is the mouth in which the spent fish go down to the sea. Turner 

 meutious a female weighing 38 pounds, which had spawned and returned to the sea 

 and was caught at Unalashka, September 25, 1878. This female was in fine condition 

 for eating. 



There is no reason why the King Salmon should not return down the Karluk, as 

 the distance is very short and the fatigue of the journey up-stream is very slight. There 

 is ample testimony of a conclusive nature to the effect that after a King Salmon ascends 

 500 miles from the sea it never returns to it alive. 



Mr. Charles Hirsch informed me that the Karluk natives watch for the King 

 Salmon in May, and set up a great shout as soon as they discover it. Like the other 

 species, it can be seen about 1J miles off shore in great schools, but before coming 

 nearer the schools break up. There is no salt-water fishery for this salmon in Alaska, 

 except along the beaches. 



