104 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 



Alaska that localities of but short distances apart make greatest differences in the quality of the 

 flesh of various kiuds offish. 



The Russian name of this species is Nnlatovslcy cigd. 



90. Coregonus merckii Giiuther (var. %). 



This species prefers the larger tide lagoons and streams which are slightly brackish and con- 

 tain muddy water. This fish is abundant in September to the middle of December. The flesh is 

 very fine and fat. It is at that time quite abundant. The natives set nets across the tide water 

 streams when the tide is high, and as it recedes the fish retire toward the bays and are caught by 

 the obstructing net. 



This species is the Morskoi cigd of the Russians. 



The coloration is darker than in the other species. The head is well formed and has a slightly 

 projecting lower jaw. The entire fish is rarely over ten inches in length, and weighs about three- 

 quarters of a pound. 



91. Coregonus clupeiformis (Mitchill) Milner. 



This species is the largest of the genus ; it often attains a weight of over thirty pounds. It is 

 very abundant in November to January in the Lower Yukon. It is less abundant in summer. It 

 spawns in September and October. The flesh is excellent when roasted. Many of these fish are 

 caught in. traps set in the ice, after the middle of November. 



The color is somewhat lighter than Stenodus ; the lower jaw is shorter than the upper; the 

 scales large, as are also the fins. The head is moderate, seeming small on account of the stricture 

 at the nape ; the teeth small and deciduous. , 



This species is the MaTcsun of the Russians, and Che of the Eskimo. 



93. Coregonus quadrilateralis Richardson. 



Thisspecies isquite small, rarely attaininga greater length than fourteen inches. Itis extremely 

 abundant at the mouth of the Yukon in the early winter months, and has a range throughout the 

 entire river, as young of this species about four inches in length were obtained from Fort Yukon in 

 the early part of June, 1877. They were the fish of the preceding winter. This species is not very 

 delicate eating. The form is peculiar, as its name indicates. The head is small and attenuated, 

 the lower jaw shorter than the upper. This species is called Kriig by the Russians. 



There are two other well-marked species of Coregoni in the Yukon district. I did not have the 

 opportunity to procure specimens. 



The Russians refer to one of them as Gorbata, signifying humped, or arched back. I am not certain 

 to which species this should be referred. Several individuals of this species came to my notice, 

 but were obtained in January at Kothlik, near the Yukon Delta, and brought to Saint Michael's on 

 the sled with other fish. The fins were so broken by being frozen that the specimens were worth- 

 less. The second species may be the one referred to as C. kennicottii* by Mr. Milner. Not having 

 specimens of my own collecting, I am not able to state positively that ihis is the species, but it is 

 more than probable, as Mr. W. H. Dall collected it at Nulato, on the Yukon, March 27, 1867.t 



SALMONDIiB. 



95. Salvelinus malma ( Walb.) Jordan and Gilbert. 



The Salmon-trout is a resident of the smaller streams of the mainland and islands. It comes 



from the sea in September in great numbers into the rivers emptying into Norton Sound. In the 



latter part of October the natives put down wicker-traps and catch great quantities of these fish. 



They are brought to Saint Michael's by the sled-load and sold. In the month of July they descend 



*A figure (No. XI) of this well-marked species is inserted in order to snow the characters of it. Specimens, 

 now in the collection of the U. S. Nat. Museum, were procured at Nulato, Alaska, by W. H. Dall ; and, from these 

 the drawing was prepared. 



tThe occurrence of the Grayling in those waters is of sufficient importance to warrant the insertion of a figure 

 of Thymaixus signifee (Rich.) Cnv. & Val. Specimens were secured by H. M. Bannister at St. Michael's, and by 

 W. H. Dall at Nulato. (See Fig. XIII.) 



