1881. ] Observations on the Salmon of the Pacific. . 185 
river the evidence appears somewhat conflicting ; the catch during 
the present year (1880) has been considerably greater than ever 
before (nearly 540,000 cases of 48 lbs. each having been packed), 
although the fishing for three or four years has been very exten- 
sive. On the other hand, the high water of the present spring has 
undoubtedly caused many fish to become spring salmon which 
would otherwise have run in the fall. Moreover, it is urged that 
a few years ago when the number caught was about half as great 
as now, the amount of netting used was perhaps one-eighth as 
much. With a comparatively small outfit the canners caught 
half the fish, now with nets much larger and more numerous, 
they catch them all, scarcely any escaping during the fishing sea- 
son (April 1 to August 1), Whether an actual reduction in the 
number of fish running can be proven or not, there can be no 
question that the present rate of destruction of the salmon will 
deplete the river before many years. A considerable number of 
quinnat salmon run in August and September, and some strag- 
glers even later; these now are all which keep up the supply of 
fish in the river. The non-molestation of this fall run, therefore, 
does something to atone for the almost total destruction of the 
spring run. 
This, however, is insufficient. A well ordered salmon hatchery 
is the only means by which the destruction of the salmon in the 
river can be prevented. This hatchery should be under the con- 
trol of Oregon and Washington, and should be supported by a 
tax levied on the canned fish. It should be placed on a stream 
where the quinnat salmon actually come to spawn. 
It has been questioned whether the present hatchery on the 
Clackamas river actually receives the quinnat salmon in any num- 
ers. It is asserted, in fact, that the eggs of the silver salmon and 
dog salmon, with scattering quinnat, are hatched there. We have 
no exact information as to the truth of these reports, but the 
matter should be taken into serious consideration. 
On the Sacramento there is no doubt of the reduction of the 
number of salmon; this is doubtless mainly attributable to over- 
fishing, but in part it may be due to the destruction of spawning 
beds by mining operations and other causes. : 
As to the superiority of the Columbia river salmon; there ts 
no doubt that the quinnat salmon average larger and fatter in the 
Columbia than in the Sacramento and in Puget sound, The dif- 
VOL. XV.—No. 111. ee 
