CXJy REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OP FISH AND FISHERIES. 



species were placed in each basin. An examination of these waters by 

 Prof. Everniann showed conclusively that at least five of the introduced 

 forms were doing- well, two, if not more, having spawned; the white- 

 fish {Coref/onns irilliamsoni), however, had not survived the change, 

 but as to the seventh species there was no reason to doubt that it was 

 still living in its new home, although no specimens were observed. 

 There are several falls in the ])ark which are of such a nature that they 

 could readily be provided with fish ways; and Prof. Evermann suggests 

 that this matter will merit consideration when the species planted by 

 the Fish Commission liave had sufficient time to become thoroughly 

 established. By this means several native species which occur abun- 

 dantly in some of the lower courses Avould be given the opportunity to 

 disseminate themselves throughout the upper waters. 



Great care was exercised in making the examinations relative to the 

 selection of a suitable site for a^hatching station, in order to be advised 

 in case Congress should direct its establishment. Three places were 

 found to present better advantages for this purpose than any others, 

 and they are fully described in Prof. Evermann's report. They are 

 Horsethief Springs, in Gallatin County; Botteler Springs, 3 miles south 

 Fridley; and Davies Springs, 4 miles from Bozeman, all in Montana. 

 In transmitting this information to Congress the Commissioner recom- 

 mended the establishment of a trout-breeding station at one of the 

 above-named localities, and the same has received favorable considera- 

 tion. Davies Spring was subsequently selected for the purpose, as 

 offering, in all respects, the best facilities. 



The inquiries by Prof. Forbes, previously referred to, were begun on 

 August 10 and were completed on September 13, 1801. They related to 

 the lower classes of organisms which constitute the food of many fishes 

 at diflerent periods in their life-history, and to the physical character- 

 istics of the waters examined. Owing to the difficulty in the way of 

 making comprehensive collections of these smaller and more widely 

 disseminated forms and of observing the conditions of their surround- 

 ings rendering progress much slower than with the fishes, the investi- 

 gations were necessarily confined to fewer localities than had been 

 visited by Prof. Evermann, but the region of the Yellowstone National 

 Park had already been covered by Prof. Forbes's expedition of the pre- 

 vious summer, described in the last annual report. 



The work of 1891 was mostly limited to the Flathead region of west- 

 ern Montana, Mith visits to Davies Springs, on Bridger Creek near 

 Bozeman, and to Botteler Springs near Fridley, two sites suggested 

 for the proposed new hatching station. The waters examined in the 

 Flathead system were Flathead and Swan lakes, Flathead, Swan, and 

 Ccbur d'Alene rivers, and the Jocko River at Ravalli. A preliminary 

 paper by Prof. Forbes* gives the general results accomplished during 



*A preliminary report on the aquatic invertebrate fauna of the Yellowstone 

 National Park, Wyoniintr, and of the Flathead region of Montana. By S. A. Forbes, 

 Bull. U. S. Fish Coniui., vol. xi, for 1891, pp. 207-258, plates 37-42. 



