104 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



two of the larger species of minnows. This is particularly true of the 

 southwestern part of the State, in which occur the Mauvaises Terres 

 or Bad Lands. The only region in the western half of the State which 

 has really excellent streams is the Black Hills. 



The Black Hills constitute a mountain island, with heavy pine forests 

 and clear, cold streams, surrounded on all sides by plains with alkali 

 soil, shallow, uncertain streams, and limited vegetation. All the streams 

 of the Black Hills, unless contaminated by mining operations, are clear, 

 pure, and cold, and well suited to trout, though trout do not occur in 

 any of them naturally. 



The streams of Wyoming belong to two very different types. Those 

 of the northwestern and western parts of the State are, in many cases, 

 excellent trout streams. The eastern and southern portions are not 

 well supplied with permanent streams. Many of them dry up into 

 isolated pools during the summer, and all are more or less alkaline. 

 There are no trout in these streams, and other food-fishes are few in 

 species and individuals. The only species in eastern Wyoming that 

 are of any importance as food-fishes are three species of suckers, three 

 of catfish, a few minnows, and the wall-eyed pike, which, however, is of 

 rare occurrence. In Green Biver, in the southwestern part of the 

 State, are found the large Cyprinoicls, characteristic of the Colorado 

 Biver Basin, and which are of some commercial importance. 



The total number of fishes now known from the Missouri Biver Basin 

 is 140; of these, 42 may be regarded as food-fishes of more or less 

 importance. Some of these are game fishes, but it is the pond and 

 river species whose cultivation will result in the greatest good to the 

 Missouri Biver States. 



The investigations bearing directly upon the selection of hatchery 

 sites included the examination of more than 100 springs, at each of 

 which the temperature, character, and volume of water were deter- 

 mined and the surrounding topographic features were considered with 

 special reference to fish-cultural needs, such as the location of build- 

 ings, laying out of ponds, the supplying of water by gravity, railroad 

 facilities, etc. In his report to Congress, transmitted on January 24, 

 1894, 1 the Commissioner recommended the establishment of only one 

 station to supply the needs of Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska, the 

 same to be devoted to the rearing of those species which are indige- 

 nous to the waters of the region, with some attention paid to trout, the 

 cultivation of which should be a minor feature in the development of 

 the station. Manchester, Iowa, was subsequently selected for the site 

 as furnishing the best combination of facilities for that purpose. It 

 was furthermore suggested that the station under construction at 

 Bozeman, Mont., would be able to supply the requirements of the 

 State of Wyoming. 



Brofessor Evei mann was assisted in this investigation by Brof. U. O. 

 Cox, Mr. Cloudsley Butter, and Prof. B, G. Gillum. 



1 Senate Mis. Doc. No. 53, Fifty-third Congress, second session. 



