REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISPI AND FISHERIES. 137 



Speaking of the hot springs^ solfataras, and geysers, he states: 



Although these spriugs exist iu almost every lake basiu, cauou, or other depres- 

 sion iu the park, we do uot think that, in their present condition at least, they 

 would stand in the way of the stocking of the streams and lakes with fishes. The 

 waters of the geysers and other calcareous and silicious springs do not appear to 

 be objectionable to fishes. In Yellowstone Lake trout are especially abundant 

 about the hot overflow from the Lake Geyser I5asin. The hot water flows for a 

 time on the surface, and trout may be taken immediately under these currents. 

 Trout have also been known to rise to a fl_y tlu'ough a scalding hot surface current. 

 They also linger in the neighborhood of hot springs in the bottom of the lakes. 

 This is jirobably owing to the abundance of food iu these warm waters, but the fact 

 is evident that geyser water does not kill trout. * " * There are, however, 

 numerous springs in the park which discharge snljihurous liquids, very offensive in 

 odor and doubtless fatal to fishes. Most of these sjjrings have but a very slight 

 discharge, and so exert no appreciable influence on the streams. The upper part of 

 Obsidian Creek, between Twin Lakes and Beaver Lake, is the only running stream 

 noticed by us as likely to prove uninhabitable by fishes. An obstacle of equal im- 

 portance in the lower course of the same creek is the series of three l)eaver dams, to 

 Avhich the existence of Beaver Lake is due. These, with their covering of brush, 

 must be wholly impassable. 



During- 1889 and 1890 tlie following plants of fishes were made in 

 the Yellowstone Park: The eastern brook trout in the Gardiner Iviver 

 and its west fork; the mountain trout in the east fork of the Gardiner 

 Kiv^er; the California or rainbow trout in Gibbon Kiver; the Loch 

 Leven trout in Firehole River and Lewis and Shoshone lakes; the Von 

 Behr trout in IsTez Perce Creek; the lake trout in Lewis and Sho.shone 

 lakes; the native whitefish iu the Twin lakes and Yellowstone River. 

 None of these waters, excei)t the Yellowstone and Gibbon rivers, and 

 possibly the East Fork of the Gardiner River, were previously inhabited 

 by fishes, and the only species known from the Gibbon River was the 

 little blob or miller's thumb. With the exception of Lewis and Sho- 

 shone lakes, in both of which two species were planted, each basin 

 was supplied with only a single species. 



The observations of Dr. Jordan i)roved conclusively that the absence 

 of fishes in certain parts of the park was not due to the unsuitable 

 condition of the waters, although within a few limited areas they may 

 be unfitted for tliem. However, it was deemed expedient to obtain 

 more i)ositive information relative to the character, abundance, and 

 distribution of the lower forms of life, on which the introduced si)ecies 

 would be dependent for their food, as a deficiency in respect to such 

 organisms might necessitate their being supplied by artificial means. 

 Arrangements were made with Prof. S. A. Forbes, director of the State 

 laboratory of natural history of Illinois, and Prof Edwin Linton, of 

 Washington and Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, to conduct this investi- 

 gation during the sununer of 1890. Prof. Linton, in addition to assist- 

 ing Prof Forbes iu the general inquiry, was charged with the si)ecial 

 studj' of the parasitic worm Avhich iidests so large a proportion of the 

 trout in certain portions of the park, penetrating into the flesh and 



