Date. 



Sept. 



Sept. 



Sept. 



Sept. 



Sept. 



Sept. 



Sept. 



Aug. 



Aug. 



Aug. 



Sept. 



Sept. 



Sept. 



Oct. 



Oct. 



Aug. 



Sept. 



22, 



15, 



22, 



22, 



2, 



2, 



22, 



9, 



23, 



23, 



2, 



2, 



15, 



3, 



15, 



15, 



11, 



Place. 



1889 



1890 



1889 



1889 



1890 



1890 



1889 



1890 



1890 



1890 



18901 



1890 



1890| 



18991 



18991 



18901 



1890 



Gardiner River 

 Gardiner River 

 Gibbon River . 

 Firehole River 

 Lewis Lake . . . 

 Shoshone Lake 



Species. 



Brook Trout 



Brook Trout 



Rainbow Trout . . , 

 Loch Leven Trout 

 Loch Leven Trout 

 Loch Leven Trout 



Number. 



Gardiner River Mountain Trout . 



Slioshone Lake Lake Trout 



Shoshone Lake Lake Trout 



Lewis Lake Lake Trout 



Lewis Lake Lake Trout 



Shoshone Lake Lake Trout 



Nez Perces Creek Von Behr Trout 



Twin Lakes Native Whiteflsh 



Yellowstone River Native "Whiteflsh 



Yellowstone River Native Whiteflsh 



Yellowstone River Native Whiteflsh 



4.975 

 7,875 



990 



995 

 3,350 

 3,350 



968 

 18.000 

 7,262 

 7,263 

 4.750 

 4,750 

 9,300 

 2,000 



980 

 5,000 

 5,000 



Excepting the Yellowstone and Gibbon Rivers, and possibly the east 

 fork of the Gardiner, there were previously no fish whatever in any of 

 these streams or lakes. 



As one result of these plantings there have been taken in the Madison 

 and Yellowstone rivers or tributaries in Montana the eastern brook trout, 

 the rainbow trout and the Von Behr or brown trout. 



Owing to the great size of the state of Montana, with its climatic 

 peculiarities and the consequent differences in the temperature and con- 

 dition of the waters of the east, west and northern portions, it is re- 

 markable that so few species of native fishes have as yet been discovered. 

 It is but fair to state, however, that its waters have not been fully ex- 

 plored, and additions to its fish fauna will no doubt result from more 

 thorough investigations of its streams and lakes. 



It will be noticed that but few food-fishes, good, bad or indifferent, 

 are included in the foregoing list of native fishes. Those of the Mis- 

 souri below the falls being the channel catfish, the several suckers, the 

 northern pike-perch and the fresh-water drumfish. By far the best 

 game- and food-fishes are those of the mountain streams, as the red- 

 throat trout, grayling and Rocky Mountain whiteflsh of the eastern slope 

 of the Rockies, and the Dolly Varden or bull trout of the west slope. 

 They are the most important for the angler or for the table, and thrive 

 in the cold streams of both sides of the Continental Divide. If proper 

 legislation was enacted to prevent their destruction by irrigating ditches 

 they would soon become abundant in all suitable waters. 



The law prohibiting the sale of trout and grayling is the most im- 

 portant, and in fact the only one, for fish protection in the statutes of 

 Montana, and were it repealed the fishes of the mountain streams would 

 soon be few and far between. 



In view of their importance perhaps it may be well to refer more 

 particularly to the fishes of the salmon family, both native and intro- 

 duced, in order that their merits may be more fully recognized and better 

 laws adopted for their preservation. 



