ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF TROUT. 65 



In a letter written January 7, 1921, John W. Titcomb, at that time 

 fish-ciiltnrist of the New York Conservation Commission, stated : 



I personally feel a pang of regret every time I see a German trout intro- 

 duced into a new field to compete with the fontinalis. 



DESCRIPTION. 



The following description of the brown trout is taken from " Food 

 and Game Fishes of New York," by Tarleton H. Bean, in the seventh 

 report of the Forest, Fish, and Game Commission of the State 

 of New York, 1901 : 



The body of this trout is comparatively short and stout, its greatest depth 

 being contained about four times in the length without the caudal. The 

 caudal peduncle is short and deep, its depth equal to two-fifths of the length 

 of the head. The length of the head in adults is one-fourth of the total length 

 without caudal or slightly less. The diameter of the eye is about one-fifth the 

 length of the head, and less than length of snout. The dorsal fin is placed 

 nearer to the tip of the snout than to the root of the tail ; the longest ray of 

 this fin equals the distance from eye to the end of the opercle. The ventral 

 Is under the posterior part of the dorsal ; its length is about one-half that of the 

 head. The adipose is placed over the end of the anal base; it is long and ex- 

 panded at the end. The caudal is emarginate in young examples, but nearly 

 truncate in specimens 10 inches long. The pectoral is nearly one-sixth of the 

 length without the caudal. In the male the jaws are produced, and very old 

 ones have a hook. The maxilla extends to the hind margin of the e.ve. The 

 triangular head of the vomer has a transverse series of teeth, and the shaft 

 of the bone bears two opi^site or alternating series of strong persistent teeth. 

 * * *_ 



On the head, body, and dorsal fin usually numerous red and black spots, the 

 latter circular or X-shaped and some of them with a pale border ; yellowish 

 margin u.sually present on the front of the dorsal and anal and the outer part 

 of the ventral. The dark spots are few in number below the lateral line. 

 The ground color of the body is brownish or brownish-black, varying with food 

 and locality. 



Kam€'<. — In European countries in which this species is native it bears the 

 name of trout or brook trout or the equivalents of these terms. In Germany it 

 is hachforelle; in Italy, trota ; in France, truite. In the United States it is 

 known as the brown trout and von Behr trout, the latter in honor of Herr von 

 Behr. president of the Deutscher Fischerie Verein, who has been very active in 

 the acclimation of the fish in America. 



Distribution. — The brown trout is widely distributed in continental Europe 

 and inhabits lakes as well as streams, especially in Norway and Sweden. Trib- 

 utaries of the White Sea, the Baltic, the Black Sea, and the Caspian contain this 

 species. In Great Britain it lives in lakes and streams and has reached a high 

 state of perfection ; in Germany and Austria, however, the trout is a character- 

 istic fish, and our supply has been drawn principally from the former country. 

 Moreau found it at an elevation of 7,000 feet in the Pyrenees, and a color va- 

 riety is native to northern Algeria in about 37° north latitude. In the United 

 States the brown trout has been successfully reared in Colorado at an elevation 

 of nearly 2 miles above sea level ; it is now well established in New York, 

 Pennsylvania, Maryland, Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Colorado, 

 and several other States. This trout has proved to be well adapted to the 

 region east of the Rocky Mountains, which has no native black-spotted species, 

 thougli the western streams and lakes contain many forms in a high state of 

 development. 



.S'(:e. — Under favorable conditions the brown trout has been credited with a 

 weight of 22 pounds and a length of 35 inches. In New Zealand rivers, where 

 it Avas introduced with unusual success, it now approximates equal size; but in 

 most localities 10 pounds is about the limit of weight and 5 or 6 pounds is 

 a good average, while in some regions the length seldom exceeds 1 foot, and 

 the weight ranges from i pound to 1 pound. In the United States a wild speci- 

 men 7 years old weighed about 11 pounds. In a well in Scotland an individual 

 aged 15 years measured only about 1 foot in length. These illustrations will 



