SALMON INVESTIGATIONS IN COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN IN 1896. 35 
The principal rivers examined were the Nooksack, Skagit, Stillaqualmish, and 
Snohomish. The time was too short to permit an exhaustive study of the questions 
involved, but enough was done to show that most of the rivers flowing into Puget 
Sound from the east are salmon streams of considerable importance. This is particu- 
larly true of the Skagit. The sockeye runs into this river in large numbers, and there 
are important spawning-beds of this species in its headwaters. The State of Wash- 
ington has recently established, and is now successfully operating, a hatchery for this 
species on Baker Lake, one of the upper tributaries of the Skagit. 
The height of the run of sockeye salmon in 1896 at the San Juan Islands was 
from August 20 to 28. The run was regarded as unusually large in view of the fact 
that this was an off year. Nothing definite was learned regarding the occurrence of 
the sockeye in any streams except the Skagit, nor whether it is found in any of the 
upper tributaries of the Skagit except the Baker. The Baker Biver has a lake in its 
upper course which can be reached by the sockeye. 
So far as is yet known, this species spawns only in such streams as have lakes at 
their headwaters, and the spawning-beds are found only in the streams tributary to 
the lakes or in the lakes themselves. Several streams tributary to the northern part 
of Puget Sound contain lakes in their headwaters, and it would prove interesting and 
valuable work to determine accurately the distribution of the sockeye in this region. 
All the other species of west coast salmon are found here in large numbers. The 
Chinook first appear, then the silver salmon and steelhead, and still later the humpback 
and the dog salmons. The Nooksack is the principal river frequented by these species. 
The silver, humpback, and dog salmons are said to ascend both forks of this river. 
The actual or even relative abundance of the different kinds of salmon and their 
distribution in the rivers of western Washington is not well understood, and scarcely 
anything is known regarding them after they enter the rivers. 
LAKE WASHINGTON. 
In February, 1889, the United States Fish Commission planted 375,000 fry of the 
common whitefish ( Coregonus clupeiformis) in Lake Washington at Seattle. In June, 
1896, Mr. A. B. Alexander visited this lake and began a series of observations for 
the purpose of determining the results of this planting of fish. After a few observa- 
tions he was called away to other work, but returned and again took up the inquiry 
November 23, continuing it to January 10 following. 
General description of Lalce Washington . — This lake is situ ated in King County, 
Washington. Its greatest length, whichlies nearly due north and south, is 18^ miles, 
and its greatest width, from Mercer Slough across Mercer Island to the west shore, is 
about 4g miles. The greatest width of open water is about half a mile north of Mercer 
Island and is 3£ miles. The narrowest channel lies between Mercer Island and a 
point on the east shore about | of a mile north of Mercer Slough. T'he city of Seattle 
is situated upon the west shore about equally distant from the north and south ends 
of the lake. There are numerous bays and indentations, which give the lake a total 
shore-line of about 58 miles. The lake has an elevation of 34 feet above low tide at 
Seattle. The principal outlet is Black River, at the extreme southern end of the lake. 
This river is 2£ miles long, and unites with White River to form Duwamish River, 
which flows into Elliott or Duwamish Bay a short distance south of Seattle. About 
a half mile below the lake Black River receives the Cedar River from the east. 
