THE PA CIFIC SALMON. 
481 
four or five pounds, and probably never exceeding ten. It ranges from 
the Sacramento River to Alaska, Behring Island and Kamtchatka. In the 
Sacramento and Columbia it is only an estray, on the latter river being 
sometimes called “ Lost Salmon.” In Puget Sound it runs in large num¬ 
bers in late summer and fall, like the Keta or Dog Salmon, ascending 
every little stream. Its run in Puget Sound takes place on alternate years,, 
a fact which seems to be well established. It was very plenty in 1879. 
None were noticed in 1880, but stragglers are occasionally taken during 
the year of scarcity. A few were seen by us on the Columbia and Sacra¬ 
mento. We are told that this species runs every year in Alaska. During 
its run in Puget Sound the females are canned, and the males are thrown 
away or given to the Indians. The flesh is then pale, and the canned 
product is inferior in quality. In economic value the Hump-back Sal¬ 
mon is far inferior to the Quinnat, the Blue-back and the Silver Salmon, 
and, like the Dog Salmon, is mainly useful in furnishing a winter supply 
of food to the Indians. 
THE NERKASALMON. 
The Nerka or Blue-back Salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka , writes Jordan, 
known as the “Red-fish” to the English-speaking inhabitants of Alaska 
and Kamtchatka, and to the Russians, now as in the time of Pennant and 
Pallas, as “Krasnaya Ryba,” which signifies red-fish, the name having 
reference to the color of the flesh. It is not unlikely that other species 
are occasionally confounded under this name, but there is little doubt 
that the present species is the one to which it is chiefly applied. On 
Frazer River, where this species is the most important Salmon, it is known 
as the “ Suk-kegh,” “ Saw-quai ” or “Suck-eye.” Elsewhere in Puget 
Sound it is rarely seen. In the Lower Columbia it is known by the ap¬ 
propriate name of “ Blue-back ;” in the Upper Columbia as “ Red-fish.” 
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