BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 45 



has a small month and a com])aratively small head. The flesh is A^ery 

 solid, bnt rather fnll of bones ; yet the fish is considered excellent for 

 the table. The "rifle pike" is found in the river through the last four 

 miles of its course. It becomes very fat, and weighs from 2 to 5 pounds. 



The second is called " whiteflsh." This splendid fish is so-called because 

 of its white flesh. It prefers sluggish water, although I have seen it in 

 rapid water about twelve miles above the mouth of the river. The 

 " whitefish '' has a large month and a very large head. The examples that 

 I have seen varied from 4 to 28 pounds in weight, but larger ones have 

 been caught. 



The third is the "dolly varden" or " wye-dardeek-it," a beautiful 

 trout with golden spots on the back and sides, and with scales so small 

 as to be hardly perceptible to the naked eye. The mouth is big and the 

 head is large and not beautiful. The flesh is invariably red — a cherry 

 red. It weighs from 2 to 15 pounds. It frequents the river from the 

 junction to the spring, there being none above the spring and few near 

 the river mouth. If one takes hold of the " dolly varden " it slips away 

 nearly like an eel. 



The fourth is the sucker, which inhabits the lower twelve or four- 

 teen miles of the river. It reaches as much as 3 to 5 pounds in weight, 

 averaging about 1 pound. 



The fifth is the red-sided trout,, or, as it is called in New York, the rain- 

 bow trout. I will mention only its habits, as you have undoubtedly seen 

 many of them. It feeds almost entirely on the bottom of the river, but 

 will take a fly through March, April, and part of May, as the river is then 

 literally alive with insects. It also feeds on salmon eggs when the latter 

 begin to spawn, and on old dead salmon, at which time it becomes 

 very fat, and will rarely take a hook. It feeds very little during the 

 spawning season, which is in the winter, from January 10 to Ajiril, and 

 sometimes until May 1. Eainbow trout run ux> the small streams to 

 spawn, sometimes ; but the majority of them spawn in the main river. 

 They spawn invariably on gravel beds, digging a small round hole in the 

 gravel to correspond with their own lengths. The male accompanies 

 the female, and lies close to her side, and when the female deposits her 

 ova the male ejects his milt. They commence feeding immediately after 

 spawning. I have caught them weighing two and one-half pounds. I 

 could give you full details of their spawning, but I have not space. 



The sixth is a bull-head, from 1 to 3 inches in length. It is very 

 destructive to salmon spawn and the little salmon while they retain the 

 umbilical sac. 



Any time you should desire further i^articulars, send me a letter and 

 I will answer it with pleasure. I have been writing to Seth Green for 

 over two years, and have given him full i)articnlars concerning the fish 

 of this region and their habits. 



If you want to know how the McCloud trout thrive in New York you 



