244 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



so far I have not been able to consider as anything else but a genuine 

 trout) may be termed a u recent discovery." Its home is in California. 

 Since it has been more closely observed, it has been found to possess a 

 rapid growth, a degree of vitality, and fecundity without a parallel 

 among the salnionidae, and people vied with each other in spreading it 

 as far as possible throughout the Union. Doubts have been expressed, 

 however, whether it has always been the same fish which has thus been 

 spread, or whether different kinds of fish have not been spread under 

 this name. Tears ago Professor Baird had promised me eggs of this 

 fish, but various hinderances and accidents prevented him from fulfilling 

 his promise. It was not till the spring of this year that we received a 

 small quantity. Of the 2,000 eggs a great many were spoiled, so that 

 at the present time we have hardly 400 young fish of this kind in Frei- 

 burg, Huningen, and Starnberg. 



These eggs are difficult to obtain even in America, and their trans- 

 portation is endangered by the circumstance that it must occur in April 

 and May, instead of in the cold months, as is the case with the other 

 salmonidse. 



Mr. Haack writes me, under date of September 7 last, relative to these 

 trout : " The young fish obtained from the few eggs of Salmo iridea 

 which I received have proved wonderfully successful. I have not lost 

 a single little fish ; and even now they are at least twice as large as the 

 European trout which are five months older, and much larger than the 

 California salmon which are six to seven months older. I have never 

 seen anything like it." Thus writes this experienced pisciculturist. 



Also in America there seems to be but one opinion as to the enor- 

 mously rapid growth of Salmo iridea. Of late years, however, some 

 fault has been found with the quality of the fish. It is alleged that its 

 meat is not as delicate as that of Salmo fontinalis, and that it soon 

 grows soft. It is even said that — in spite of the rainbow colored stripe 

 on the sides — the appearance of the fish is not beautiful, because the 

 spots on the sides of the fish are not red or of any other bright color, 

 but black. 



As I have mentioned above, experiments as to the value of this new 

 fish are being made in three prominent German piscicultural establish- 

 ments. If Professor Baird, as I sincerely hope, again makes an at- 

 tempt to send me some eggs of this fish next spring, they, too, will be 

 tested in these same excellent piscicultural establishments as to the value 

 of this fish for Germany. Caution will have to be exercised where to 

 place this new kind of trout. It will be wiser, for the present at least, 

 not to allow them to share our most highly-favored brooks with our fine 

 trout — just as little as we would place perch or pike there. If, however, 

 as has been stated, the Salmo iridea is content with any kind of water, 

 and develops successfully in places where Salmo fontinalis could not 

 ilourish, it would be proper to make the experiments in such places, 

 therefore in lakes and in the lower course of rivers. In the rivers of 



