FISHERIES OF ALASKA IX 1909. 
39 
bay in May, some with the sac still unabsorbed. They were seen in 
many places in Wood River. At the native village at the foot of 
the lake there were swarms of them, and they existed in the lake in 
various places along its shore, not only off the mouths of creeks but 
in localities distant from the nearest salmon-carrying creek. In one 
case they were in numbers on the flats about one of the islands, which 
they must have reached by crossing deep water, if not spawned di- 
rectly in the open lake about the island. No such abundance of fry 
was seen in 1908. The two parent runs of adults readily explain the 
difference, that of 1907 being unusually small, that of 1908 unusually 
large, and the corresponding spawning quotas probably even more 
disproportionate. 
The yearlings in their downward migration were frequently seen 
near shore at the rack, but the chief evidence of their presence w^as 
given by the arctic terns, which made almost nightly forays on the 
passing schools. The web of the salmon rack probably interrupted 
or delayed the progress of the young salmon, and the terns used the 
tops of the piles as resting places for observation. They seldom fed 
much during the day, but were abundantly in evidence late in the 
evening as the daylight became dimmer. 
Compared with the preceding season but few dead fish were found 
in the vicinity of the rack. The ragged and injured salmon toward 
the end of the run occurred in about the usual proportion. Bacterio- 
logical culture plates were made from the blood of spent salmon 
after their natural death, but only negative results were obtained. 
It appears unlikely that the dying spent salmon have uniformly a 
terminal infection, as has been thought. 
The weather during the six weeks ending about August 1 was note- 
worthy for many bright, warm days. There were no blows as heavy 
as during the preceding summer. Careful measurements were made 
to determine the date of seasonal high water in the lake. The highest 
level was reached June 19, and the fall began within two days. Ap- 
parently the water reached about the same level as in 1908. The fall 
was very slow at first. The rains interrupted the fall, but never 
occasioned more than a very slight rise during the season. The total 
fall during the forty-nine days following June 21 was about 41 
inches. 
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