20 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Tlie first redfisli seen was caught in Alturas Lake near the inlet July 16, while 
fishing for Dolly Yarden trout in about 30 feet of water. It was a male, 11£ inches 
long, and was taken on a hook baited with salmon spawn. Its stomach was well filled 
with food, chiefly small crustaceans. Its color was a rich metallic blue on the back, 
becoming silvery on the lower sides and under parts. The reproductive organs were 
not greatly developed. 
The next redfish were caught in the inlet gill net on the night of the 2d of August, 
3 males in prime condition. On the next night 3 more males were taken, in excellent 
condition and nearly or quite ripe. On the next night 8 males and 3 females were 
caught, all the males ripe and the females nearly so. No others were seen until 
August 6, when about 40 were observed in a deep hole about a mile above the lake. 
As the redfish were now running up in considerable numbers, the nets were taken 
up and not put down again except for one night, August 13, when 53 males and 32 
females were caught. None of these showed any sores or mutilations of any kind. 
By the middle of August the fish had arrived in large numbers, the maximum 
being reached during the last week in that month. The fish in the inlet were counted 
at intervals and a careful record made of their numbers. The record reads as follows: 
1,044 fish on August 18; 1,345 on August 21; 1,038 on August 25; 1,558 on August 
28; 1,354 on September 1; 1,515 on September 4; 1,286 on September 9; 1,067 on 
September 12; 952 on September 14; 703 on September 18; 214 on September 25; 106 
on September 28; October 2, none. 
The fish seen on the first few days were all in perfect condition, but soon after 
they began spawning mutilations appeared, and some died as early as August 23. 
After that date they died rapidly, but the numbers were reinforced from time to tirnii 
by new schools which continued to come up from the lake until probably the first week 
in September. The large decrease shown August 25, compared with the number 
observed four days earlier, was apparently caused by a great many fish being caught 
out by campers. Beginning early in September the number of dead fish increased 
and the number of live ones gradually decreased until October 2, when all had died. 
The dead fish were usually found in the deeper pools or quiet portions of the inlet. 
On September 14 one dead redfish was found lodged against the net in the outlet a 
few rods below Alturas Lake, and on September 25 four were found washed up on the 
shore of the lake a few rods west of the inlet. These had all doubtless been carried 
down by the current. 
Bun later than in 1895 . — In 1895 the first redfish appeared in Alturas Inlet July 
25, the maximum was reached about September 6, and all had died by September 25. 
In 1896 the run began nine days later, the maximum was attained about nine days 
earlier, and the last live fish were seen about nine days later than in 1895. Though 
the season began a little later, it covered almost exactly the same length of time. 
Mutilations . — Previous observations concerning the cause of the mutilations were 
verified. As the fish came into the inlet they were all in perfect condition, and con- 
tinued and careful observation of their movements during the spawning season showed 
conclusively that the injuries are caused by contact with the gravel and by fighting 
on the spawning-beds. 
Dying of the redfish . — The conclusion reached last year, that every redfish dies 
after spawning once, was based upon absolute proof, so far as this region is concerned, 
and no other conclusion was possible from the observations made this year. The 
