1008.] 



FISHES. 



509 



These fish ascend the Mackenzie in summer, but apparently do not 

 winter in that stream. Pere Giroux told me that they pass Arctic 

 Eed Kiver from about the second week in June to the 1st of August, 

 and reach there on their return toward the end of October, and that 

 they winter at the mouth of the Mackenzie, where they are taken in 

 numbers by the Eskimo at that season. 



The Eskimo catch them through the ice or from the edge of a floe 

 by means of a stout line which is attached to a stick about 15 inches 

 long having a pistol-sha^^ecl handle to insure a firm grasp, and which 

 has short pegs inserted near its extremities. This is used as a reel 

 in lengthening and shortening the line. The bait is an ivory imita- 

 tion of a small fish furnished with a barbless hook. The fish seizes 

 this moving bait and is hauled out before it can disengage itself from 

 the hook. The natives are said to be very successful in this method. 



The 'conies' are taken in summer at all the posts on the Mackenzie 

 as far up at least as Fort Simpson, but I did not learn whether or 

 not they ascend the Liard. They are taken in nets usually set in 

 eddies. Most of them are caught in September and October, when 

 presumably they are spawning, and are hung on stages to freeze. 

 When thus j^reserved they are never used for human food except 

 from necessity, as they are usually oily and rank, but are used for 

 dog food. In summer, however, when many are taken in the white- 

 fish nets, the smaller ones are quite palatable. 



This fish remains in Great Slave Lake the year round, but as far 

 as I know this is the only inland lake which is thus distinguished. 

 The fish frequently attains a weight of 30 or 40 pounds, and is said on 

 good authority to reach CA^en as high as 60 pounds. It is found as 

 far east in Great Slave Lake as the Xarrows, where Back took it in 

 1833. The vicinity of Rocher River, east of Fort Resolution, is a 

 favorite fishery. In 1903 I took it at the lowermost rapid on Grandin 

 River. Though ordinarily caught in nets, it takes a bait readily, 

 especially in a strong current, or at the foot of a rapid. It is thus 

 easily caught at the outlet of Great Slave Lake and in many other 

 places. 



It is not a regular inhabitant of Great Bear Lake, but has been 

 taken on one occasion at Fort Confidence.* MacFarlane states that it 

 is abundant in the Anderson, whose Hare Indian name, ' Beghula 

 Tesse,' is said to be derived from this fish. 



Oncorhynchus nerka (?) (Walbaum). Sockeye Salmon. 



Occasional specimens of salmon are taken in the Mackenzie. These 

 are said by the traders, man}^ of whom, because of a former residence 

 in British Columbia or on the Yukon, are familiar with salmon, to 



^ Simpson, Narrative Discoveries on North Coast of America, p. 217, 1843. 



