The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-04
FISH on THE COAST.
Government Experts Studying
the Habits Of Salmon
m THE WATERS or WASHINGTON
The Experiment or Planting whifef2sh
In Lake washfngfon-A Remark
able Lake I'm Oregon.

ne Investigations o. the Initial Stairs
FISH commission IN regard 70 the cands-
ton Of asa II the Northwest are quite
comprehensive. and many important de-
psrrures are made On specIa. lines OF In
qaIry. q W. Everm4nn. member OF
the scientific corps OF the Tnsfed States
Esh commission, was IL the city yester-
day and less las. night wfEh MAJ. A. 3.
Alexander. also % the scientific corps,
for Portland.
ftons 70 make here OF gcecszl nature
said M Evermann at The Batter hotel
last night. There are three members OF
the scientific department now on the
Sound. Ms. L. .. Cox. DIR. Alexander and
myself. We viii inquire first as TO the
distribution OF the blueoack salmon in
the rivers tributary 10 the Sound In
other words, We viii see whether any
considerable number OF the salmon that
come In the straits ran into Washington
rivers for the purpose Of spawning. The
bulk. OF course. 20 TO the Fraser river,
bat the question as 10 the rest fs where
they 90 aad where their spawning
grounds are located. Several years ago,
] think In lSs9. the fish commission pant
ed Eastern shftensh In Lakes Pend
d'Orellie ard EoUer d Aiene, Idaho: the
Klamath lakes. Oregon. and Lake Wash
tngfon in this state. Another object OF
our work liz to ascertain whether any OF
these whltefsh have survived. and TO
study the fish food supply to ascertain
II Il Is Of the proper character TO sus-
tain life II that species.
In the third place. We VIII make a
study Of Crater lake IN Oregon as 70 the
ACCESSIBILITY of painting trout IN its waters
and also 10 determine Its temperature.
for which ] have sesf-registering Their
monefers. The request for the planting
OF trout has been made by the Maxamas.
a mountain climbing organization or club
of Portland, and I shall accompany them
TO the lake next week.
This lake Is most remarkable. II is
upon the top OF the Cascade range. about
ha.f way between Mount Shasta In Cali
fornia and Mount Hood in Oregon. TX is
said 10 be the deepest fresh water lake
in the world, having depth Of 2.oo0 feet.
and Is enclosed by a rim OF perpendicu-
lar walls about 1900 feet high.
Another party OF two. DR.. s. E. Meek
and A. @. Maddren. Is now encamped at
the headwaters OF Salmon river. in the
Sa1tooth mountains of Idaho. In those
waters are important spawning grounds
OF the reddish. or blueback salmon. and
these two gentlemen are studying their
spawning habits. They are noting the
condition of the FISH on their arrival from
the sea. their abundance. habits and
whether they do after spawning. When /
left there. short time ago. The work had
progressed far enough TO show that on
their arrival the salmon are without sores
or bruises. being. in fact. perfect fish.
while after spawning the fms are found 10
be ffayed out and the bodies covered With
abraded areas. all injuries being undoubt-
edly received on the spawning beds. and
not on the way up from the sea. IL Is
also quite certain that al die after spawn
ing. Gill nets were stretched across tho
stream after each time the salmon passed
up. but we caught none returning. though
occasionally a dead fish drlfted into tho
net.
The salmon always pair of TO spawn,
the same male and female continuing to-
gether. The female selects shallow spot
with a fine gravel bottom and swims slow
Is along. her belly Just pushing against
the gravel. She moves with an undulat-
ing motion. which aids in the contraction
of the abdominal cavity. and forces out
the eggs The male follows close after.
depostiing the miit. IL is a slow process.
requirir~ several days. and tho female
generally describes a circle. coming down
stream into deep water and starting up
again.
w A. Wilcox. connected with the stu
tlstlcal division OF the United States fish
commission. IS collecting Information IN
regard 10 the Increase and present condi-
ton OF the fish on the Pacific coast. This
Is done every year. the territory examined
extending from Cape FTattery 70 san
Diego. iie is also az the Butler hotel. and
Leaves this morning for San Juan county
ard Neah bay. He had been working on
the Columbia river for week or so be-
fore coming here three days ago.
THE fish business has grown wonder
fully in the West" said Mr.. Wilcox last
night. and I find quite a difference since
my last visit here. Hard times have a
great deal 10 DO with this. for when wages
are low and other Industries fail 10 pay.
the fishing business Is generally prosper
Gus. Fish affetd a cheap and nutritious
food 1 know a steamboat engineer who
lost his position. Being practical work
man ..e constructed n little boat. put an
engine In IT, and now makes good living
ararring for shr5rnpS"