Note on curves in a Jacobian

For a curve C, viewed as a cycle in its Jacobian, we study its image n_*C under multiplication by n on JC. We prove that the subgroup generated by these cycles, in the Chow group modulo algebraic equivalence, has rank at most d-1, where d is the gonality of C. We also discuss some general facts on the action of n_* on the Chow groups.