92 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 



jecting ledge of rocks. The number of fish of this species consumed by the inhabitants of Norton 

 Sound is enormous. They are used as food for man and dog. The natives either cook them by 

 boiling, or else freeze and eat them raw. I have never eaten a boiled Vakhnya, neither do I 

 desire to eat it. The flesh is rather firm, but in a very short time becomes watery. When they 

 are fried hard and brown they do well enough as a change but not as a regular diet month after 

 month. 1 have eaten them while frozen so hard that the flesh had to be shaved off with a knife, 

 but there is so little fleshy fiber and so much water in the meat that it is like eating ice made from 

 the water in which they were boiled. 



The geographical distribution of this species is not well made out. They occur on the mainland 

 shores of Alaska from Bering Strait to Kadiak Island. Among the Aleutian Islands I have seen 

 this species only at Unalashka, aud there only on two occasions and not half a dozen fish altogether. 

 1 do not believe that it occurs to the westward of that island, as all inquiries concerning it at 

 Atkha and Attn elicited no information that led me to recognize this species as existing there. 



The Eskimo assert that these fish spawn in February among the pebbles at the bottoms of the 

 deeper portions of the bays. I have seen small fry of this species in the latter part of Septem- 

 ber and in October. They were about an inch to an inch and a half in length. They do not as- 

 semble in large schools, but seem to stream out irregularly along the beach and search round 

 aud round for food. There appears to be but little regularity in their method of moving from place 

 to place for either young or old fish. 



There is considerable individual variation in this species. Some have a darker color than 

 others and a slightly different shape. The general color when fresh is a grayish brown above, 

 becoming lighter on the sides and belly. Toward the tail the color is also lighter. Some indi- 

 viduals have small, darker colored spots on the sides; but this seems to be due to the effect of 

 season, as the greater number of spotted fish are to be found in the winter months. 



The size of this species is not great. They rarely attain a greater length than fifteen inches 

 and not more than a pound and a quarter in weight. 



19. Lota maculosa (Le S.) Rich. 



This species is the "Losh" of the Hudson Bay men; and the name has been introduced into 

 Alaska also, as the Russians, in speaking of this fish, always use the word "Losh." 



This fish attains a considerable size, often of more than four feet long and weighing sixty to 

 seventy -five pounds. Their flesh is firm and dry, scarcely eatable, used principally as dog food. 

 The liver is very large, and contains a great quantity of rich oil which is highly prized for cooking 

 purposes by both whites and natives. When part of the oil has been removed from the liver the 

 latter is then excellent food when fried and eaten hot. The roe also attains an immense size, and 

 affords a very rich soup. This species is found only in the Yukon River, so far as my own knowl- 

 edge is concerned. It is said to be abundant throughout the Hudson Bay territory. 



I am not aware that it visits the sea. The lowest point on the Yukon River from which I could 

 obtain any information was at the Mission, and from there up to Fort Yukon it is plentiful during 

 the winter months. It is usual} taken in wooden (wicker) traps. 



The specimens which I saw were brought from Nulato to be used for dog-feed while on a trip. 

 They were too large too be preserved by any means at my disposal. 



LYCODID.^!. 



20. Gymnelis viridis (Fabr.) Reinhardt. 



The small fish discribed under this name were obtained at Saint Michael's, October 10, 1876. 

 They are to be found at low tide under the flat stones in the muddy places along the beach. They 

 scoop out the mud and a slight amount of water is retained in the depression until the return of 

 the tide. They are very plentiful in such localities; as many as a half dozen may be found under 

 a stone not over a foot in diameter. Their food consists of slugs and marine worms. 



They are small in size, rarely over four or five inches in length and of very slender body. The 

 color is uniform, dark sooty-brown with a greenish reflection when wet. Many interrupted bands 

 of lighter color extend on sides and lower parts. 



