THE SALMON TR O UTS. 45 7 



the finest food-fish in New Mexico and A\'estern Colorado. It has also 

 been taken in Bear River, and probably is found in most of the mountain 

 streams of Utah, being in general rather southern in its distribution. It 

 probably inhabits all streams within the circle of its tlistribution, without 

 regard to the direction in which they may flow. Little distinctive is 

 known of its habits. It is probably a comparatively recent off-shoot from 

 S. piu-puratus. As in other species, considerable variation is shown in 

 specimens from different localities. Its usual size is larger than that of 

 S. purpuratus. 





^'^"'''"lilrniTi'di 



THE BLACK SPOTTED TROUT. 



The Black Spotted Trout, the Salmo purpuratus of Pallas, is univer- 

 sally distributed through the Rocky Mountain region, chiefly east of the 

 Sierra southward, but reaching the sea from Mount Shasta, northward. It 

 occurs in every lake of New INIexico, Utah, Western Colorado, Wyoming, 

 Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. All the streams in this 

 region are filled with them, and in Puget Sound the young of every size 

 occur in abundance in the salt water. Individuals are occasionally taken 

 along the California coast. 



This fish is known as the "Trout," "Mountain Trout," "Spotted 

 Trout," "Black Trout," and " Silver Trout," in the mountains, but 

 when in the ocean, full grown, as "Salmon Trout" or "Steel-head." 

 Hallock and other recent writers have applied to it the horrible name "' Cut 

 Throat Trout," which it is hoped will never be sanctioned in literature. 

 The Indian name " Preestl " is also ascribed to it on the Upper 

 Columbia. It reaches a weight of thirty pounds under the most favorable 

 circumstances, but niay be found in any stream or lake of its habitat, of 

 lengths varying from two inches to two or three feet. 



