trolling hooks baited with small fish, and, although the fish abstains
from food after entering the fresh waters, it may often be lured with
artificial or other baits. The chinook salmon begins to enter the
California rivers in February, the Columbia in March, and the Alaskan
rivers in May and June. The spawning season covers six months,
extending from June to December, although the spawning period in any
given basin is more limited, seldom exceeding one or two months. The
highest accessible positions in the streams are sought by the spawning
fish, which make rounded excavations in gravelly bottoms, in which the
eggs are deposited. The vitality of the fish rapidly decreases after
spawning, their bodies become mutilated and diseased, and in a short
time they die.

The steelhead (_Salmo gairdneri_) also known by the names of salmon
trout, winter salmon, and Gairdner's trout, closely resembles the
Atlantic salmon in size, form, and habits. It is found from southern
California to Alaska, and enters the coast rivers in large numbers.
Its flesh is light-colored, but is of excellent flavor, being not
inferior to the eastern salmon. It is caught in large quantities with
gill nets and traps, for canning and use in a fresh condition. As
a game fish the steelhead enjoys a high reputation in the Pacific
States. Its principal run in the rivers is during the fall and winter
months, when it ascends the streams long distances, spawning in late
winter or early spring.

In order that anglers, fishermen, fish-dealers, and others may be
able to distinguish from the Atlantic salmon and from each other
any specimens of quinnat salmon and steelhead that come to their
notice, the following key [4] has been prepared to cover the principal
differential characters, and illustrations of the three species are