SALMON AND SALMON RIVEES OF ALASKA. 
191 
•• has not yet acquired the importance belonging to it on the Columbia River, chiefly 
because of the distance from San Francisco to the Alaskan Kiug Salmon rivers, and 
tne difficulties of fishing in those waters. 
This species is the first to arrive on the shores in the spring. It makes its ap- 
pearance in southern Alaska in May, and Nelson found it in Norton Sound, the northern 
limit of its knowu migration, early in June. The time of its coming into Norton 
Sound corresponds with the breaking up and disappearance of the ice. Nelson 
observed that “the largest of these salmon run during the few days just preceding 
and following the breaking up of the ice, and thence on until the end of the season 
they decrease gradually in size and quality.” lu the Yukon the season lasts only 
about a month. Capt. L. P. Larsen informed me that the King Salmon is the first to 
appear in the Nushagak. Here the run is short, scarcely continuing into August. 
At the Karluk the species arrives late in May. Very few were seined there during the 
month of August. We saw stragglers on the 4th, 6th, and 27th of the month, and a 
few spawning fish were in the upper part of the river August 21. On the 4th of 
August a fine male of about 35 pounds, with the spermaries little developed, was 
seined on the beach. In its stomach I found forty-five capelin. Mr. Charles Hii’sch 
states that the species is only an occasional visitor at Karluk. 
The King Salmon continues to enter some of the rivers for the purpose of spawn- 
ing until August. The height of the season, however, is reached by the middle of 
July in most localities. This fish travels up the rivers farther than any other species 
except the Red Salmon. In the Yukon it ascends far above Fort Yukon, more 
than 1,500 miles from the mouth of the river. Dr. George M. Dawson records its 
occurrence in the Lewes River as far as the lower end of Lake Marsh, where it was 
found in considerable numbers early in September. According to Indian authority it 
pushes on almost to the headwaters of the tributaries to the Lewes on the east side. 
The King Salmon does not ascend rivers rapidly unless the spawning period is 
close at hand. It generally plays around for a few days, or even a couple of weeks, 
near the river limit of tide- water. After entering the fresh water to begin its journey 
to the headwaters of the stream it moves rapidly until it finds suitable gravellj^ 
bottom in clear water. No food is taken in fresh water. When a barrier to its ascent 
is met I am told that the fish charges at it repeatedly and persistently without regard to 
the consequences to itself. The nest-building habits have been so often described that 
it is unnecessary to repeat them here. The spawning takes place, as before remarked, 
near the headwaters of streams in clear shallow rapids. As far as we can leani, only 
those fish that ascend the streams short distances return to the ocean after spawning, 
and September is the month in which the spent fish go down to the sea. Turner 
mentions a female weighing 3S pounds, which had spawned and returned to the sea 
and was caught at Unalashka, September 25, 1878. This female was in fine condition 
for eating 
There is no reason why the King Salmon should not return down the Karluk, as 
the distance is very short and the fatigue of the journey up-stream is very slight. There 
is ample testimony of a conclusive nature to the effect that after a King Salmon ascends 
500 miles from the sea it never returns to it alive. 
Mr. Charles Hirsch informed me that the Karluk natives watch for the King 
Salmon in May, and set up a great shout as soon as they discover it. Like the other 
species, it can be seen about 1^- miles off” shore in great schools, but before coming 
