Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 64.djvu/56

52 1890, he established himself in a small stream called Jadgeska on the west coast of Etolin Island, tributary to McHenry Inlet, Clarence Straits. This stream led from a lake, and in it a few thousand red salmon spawned, besides multitudes of silver salmon, dog salmon and humpback salmon. Making a dam across the stream, he helped the red salmon over it, destroying all the inferior kinds which entered the stream. He also established a hatchery for the red salmon, turning loose many thousand fry each year for about twelve years. This was done in the expectation that all the salmon hatched would return to Jadgeska in about four years. By destroying all individuals of other species attempting to run, it was expected that these would become extinct so far as the stream is concerned.

The result of this experiment has been disappointment. After twelve years or more there has been no increase of red salmon in the stream, and no decrease of humpbacks and other humbler forms of salmon. Mr. Callbreath draws the conclusion that salmon run at a much greater age than has been supposed—perhaps at the age of sixteen years, instead of four. A far more probable conclusion is that the salmon set free by him have joined other bands bound for more suitable streams. It is indeed claimed that since the establishment of Callbreath's hatchery on Etolin Island, there has been a notable increase of the salmon run in various streams of Prince of Wales Island on the opposite side of Clarence Straits. But this statement, while largely current among the cannerymen, and not improbable, needs verification.

We shall await with much interest the return of the millions of young salmon hatched in 1902, and turned loose in Naha stream. We may venture the prophecy that while a large percentage will return to Loring, many others will enter Yes Bay, Karta Bay, Moira Sound and other red salmon waters along the line of their return from Dixon Entrance or the open sea.