1 10 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 



snouts and Jins of the fish arc worn nearly off at the end of the season. The fish in the latter part 

 of October and November are SO exhausted that they then ascend the small branches of the 

 principal streams and there wait their death. I have seen them with the end of the snout worn 

 off past the muzzle and not a fin on them. At this season the native (Aleut) boys go early in the 

 morning and catch these fish as they move in the deeper portions of the little streams — deeper 

 than wide — which have cut through the ravines. The number of these fish at Atkha is considerably 

 greater than at Attn and less than at Uualashka. I have seen individuals of this species caught 

 as late as the middle of January. They are, after the middle of September, in poor condition and 

 fit only for food during most pressing need. 



The fish is a strong swimmer and very active, stemming the strong currents of the mountain 

 streams with a rapid, zigzag course. 



The eggs of this species are collected by the youngsters and put into the skin of the fish after 

 all the flesh has been removed. This is as carefully saved as is the ukali made by the adults. 



The Russian name of this species is Ke'zooch. The Aleuts call it Ka lie' thakh. 



103. Onchorynohus gorbusoha (Walb.) Gill and Jordan. 



This salmon is the smallest of all the species in this genus. They will not average over five 

 pounds in weight. They are distinguishable at a glance by the arched back, which gives them the 

 common name Hump back or Gorbu'sha in the Russian language. This species arrives at Saint 

 Michael's about the 25th of July and remains five weeks. They also prefer the smaller streams 

 and in some places are to be couuted only by hundreds of thousands. They appear at the surface 

 of the water like the pin-drops of an April shower. Near the head of Norton Sound these fish are 

 so abundant that the streams are choked with the struggling mass impelled by the calls of repro- 

 duction. These fish are obtained in the same manner as the other species. They are fat and when 

 fried are next to the chavi'cha in flavor. The extremely old fish have a mealy substance at the base 

 of the dorsal fin, beneath the skin, which has a tendency to make the meat dry. The belly is very 

 fine, and in the earliest fish to arrive it is not to be surpassed as a pan piece. 



This species has about the same habits as the keta, preferring, however, to deposit its spawn 

 on the clean sand at the bottom of the lakes. 



The exterior color of this species is much lighter than either of the others. The back is light 

 plumbeous with silvery sides, the belly white. The fins are darker at the tips and lighter at the 

 base, the dorsal and caudal are like the color of the back. 



This fish makes a good article of ukali, but is apt to become very dry. Much other matter 

 might be written in regard to the salmon of Alaska. The fishing interest is merely being awakened, 

 and not until the supply nearer home is exhausted and the demand becomes greater will it be fully 

 known what stores of fish are yet in Alaska awaiting the enterprise of the people to bring them 

 to a market. The season is sufficiently long for any well-regulated cannery or packing establish- 

 ment to procure all that could be taken care of. Native help is abundant and may be procured 

 at a very reasonable rate, especially if supplies of tea, coffee, sugar, flour, and crackers are kept 

 in store for the natives to draw upon while engaged in the season's work. 



. Several persons have attempted to establish works for preserving these fish, but have failed 

 for lack of the requisite knowledge and, in some instances, insufficiency of capital. There is no 

 doubt that thousands of barrels of salted salmon and the same number of cases of canned fish 

 could be prepared in the summer season at the mouth of the Yukon. A vessel would have to take 

 the supplies for each year in advance, as the fishing season would be half over before a vessel 

 could arrive at the grounds, owing to the shifting of the channel. At the Nushagak and Ugasik 

 Rivers, also, canneries could be profitably erected, and with a season of ten days longer than at 

 the Yukon. At Kadiak. but little has been done, though the day is uot far distant when other 

 establishments will be erected in that neighborhood. The fish already command a remunerative 

 price in the San Francisco markets, and have only to be introduced to give an extended eastern 

 demand for them. 



The Aleuts give the name Ath ga' yuk to this salmon. 



The relative values of the different species stand as follows, according to the opinion of those 

 who have had opportunity to test the matter : first, the chavi'cha, then gorbuscha, kisutch, keta, 

 and nerlca. 



