CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 109 



ditiou aud also prevent mold from spoiling them. When food is scarce, the chief or some other 

 selected person divides the supply of fish, giving to each person a stated quantity, so that each 

 will get an equal share. 



The fall of snow of the preceding winter has much to do with the summer's catch of fish at Attu. 

 The streams are short and shallow, so that if sufficient suow has not fallen during the winter to 

 feed the streams with water during summer the fish will not enter the creeks. The supply of these 

 fish laid by at Attu for the winter of 1880-'81 was not over 1,200, for during the preceding year but 

 little snow had fallen and but little rain in July and August of 1880. This same species is also 

 caught at that place by means of a small seine about 120 feet long, off the mouths of the small 

 streams as the fish are waiting for a favorable tide to help carry them over the small bars at the 

 mouth of the creek. When the wind is blowing on shore the fish keep at some distance, but when 

 blowing from the land the fish come into shallow water. The net is carried out by meaus of two 

 canoes lashed together, or else from a small, open skinboat called a bidard. Two men row the boat, 

 another puts the net out in the proper position, while those on shore hold to a rope by which it is 

 gently drawn along the beach until the fish begin to show signs of being within the net. The boat 

 is then rapidly taken to shore and the two ends slowly dragged out until the captured fish are 

 drawn out. This manner of taking fish is practiced by all the Aleuts, while the traps across the 

 streams are not used at all places on account of scarcity of wood. At Atkha and Unalashka 

 seines or nets are mostly used. 



The Aleuts in former times procured their fish in the same manner. At some places are traces 

 of former superstitions concerning the fish streams. A man who was guilty of some crime against 

 his fellows was not permitted to cross the stream during the fishing season. At Umnak Island 

 women at certain periods are not, even at the present time, allowed to participate in the labor of 

 catching the fish, for fear of polluting the stream. 



The Alaska Commercial Company and the Western Fur and Trading Company have erected 

 quite extensive packing works at Karliik. on the northwest end of Kadiak Island, for salting their 

 fish. During the season of 1881 over 3,000 barrels of these fish were put up for the California 

 market. The workmen of the two companies used seines for catching the fish, and could catch as 

 many as were possible to save when caught. 



This species is called Krdsnaya re'ba in the Russian language, and Nu'k l;hk in the Eskimo 

 language; and A' nuk by the Aleuts. 



102. Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walb.) Gill and Jordan. 

 This species arrives at Saint Michael's about the first of August and remains until the freez- 

 ing of the fresh water in the latter part of October or early November. These fish are not so 

 numerous at Saint Michael's as the species nerla, Tceta, or gorbuscha. They are larger than either 

 of those species, and less in size than the chavicha. The average weight of tin's species will be not 

 far from twenty-two pounds. They are darker colored exteriorly than the other species and have 

 spots on the fins, upper sides, and head. These spots are dark chocolate in life, and soon become 

 pale after death. They are procured in the same manner as the other species and are dried for 

 food. The natives of the mainland do not consider this species as being particularly good. It is 

 used principally for dog-food by the Eskimo. I have reason to believe that the more northern 

 individuals of this species are not so good as those found farther south. They are quite plentiful 

 among the Aleutian Islands. Here they are preserved by drying, salting, or drying for a few days, 

 then salting very slightly and hanging in the smoke to finish drying. When prepared with care 

 and smoked for several days with good hard wood (any other than spruce or cotton wood) they are 

 fine eating. When fried these fish are very dry, and have a tendency to crumble to fine pieces 

 while in the pan. The fibers of the meat do not hold together. This species is the last to arrive at 

 the Aleutian Islands and remain until the suow covers the ground. The habits of this species are 

 similar to those of the species nerlia and gorbuscha, excepting that the spawn is laid among coarser 

 gravel and stones along the banks of the creek and lakes. These fish tear up large areas of 

 stones, and by rolling them about clean the slime and mud from the surface of the spawning- 

 grounds. Even the banks of the lakes, where a gravel bed has previously formed, will be 

 excavated so as to procure the necessary stpnes among which to deposit their spawp, The, 



