The Cut-throat Trout 



bbb. Scales large, usually about 145. Body profusely but finelv 



spotted, the spots numerous both anteriorly and posteriorly; 

 virginalis; jordani; batha:cetor, 182-183 

 aa. Black spots placed chiefly on posterior half of body. 



/. No black spots except on tail; declivifrous, 184 



ff. Black spots on body. 



g. Scales not very small, about 160; spots of moderate size 



(Rio Grande Basin ) ; spiliinis, 18^ 



gg. Scales very small, about 180. 



h. Spots rather large; lower fins distinctly red, rarely orange. 



/. Spots very numerous; a red lateral band (Colorado Basin); 



pleuriticus, 1 86 

 //. Spots less numerous, none anteriorly (Waha Lake); 



boiivieri, 187 

 ///. Spots few and large, chiefly on the tail (Arkansas and 



Platte rivers) ; stomias, 1 88 



hh. Spots all small; lower fins bright yellow; a yellow lateral 



shade (Twin Lakes, Colorado); macdonaldi, 188 



Cut-throat Trout 



Salmo clarkii Richardson 



The cut-throat trout, probably the parent form from which all 

 others of the series have been derived, is found in all the coastwise 

 streams and lakes from northern California to British Columbia 

 and possibly into southeastern Alaska. In the Columbia River basin 

 it is found as far up the Snake River as Shoshone Falls and into the 

 headwaters of the Pend d' Oreille. In the waters about Puget Sound 

 it is very abundant, as it is, in fact, throughout most of its range. 



It is known variously as cut-throat trout, black-spotted trout, 

 Columbia River trout, and by many other local names. 



In the earlier books this species was identified with the Mykiss 

 of Kamchatka and was called Salmo mykiss or Salmo piirpiiratiis. 

 But recent investigations have shown that it is not identical with the 

 Kamchatkan species, and that there is a wide region between 

 Kamchatka and southeast Alaska in which no trout are found. 



The cut-throat trout and all of this series spawn in the spring 

 and early summer. Those in the streams seek the shallow waters 

 of the smaller creeks while those of the lakes come to the shallow 

 waters near shore or upon the bars; in many cases they ascend 

 tributary streams. 



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