Illustration by Meriwether Lewis from American Philosophical Society
Eulachon (Candle Fish)
Thaleichthys pacificus
February 24, 1806, at Fort Clatsop, Oregon.
Blue gray upper half with silvery white sides and belly; small dark spots on its back. Long and thin with a large mouth and skinny head. The average adult length is about 8 in (22 cm).
Near shore, in coastal inlets and rivers. Spawns in freshwater in early spring.
Pacific Ocean from the coast of Oregon to the coast of Alaska
By inserting a wick into the mouth of these oil-rich fish, the dried fish could be used as candles.
