818 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



distinction which he makes between the coast salmon of California and 

 the San Joaquin salmon. He says that the coast variety is better than 

 the San Joaquin fish for introducing into the Atlantic rivers of the 

 South, because they spawn in December and January, which would be 

 more favorable months for the salmon to ascend the rivers in. 



Kow, I am inclined to think that the coast fish are the same variety 

 as the San Joaquin fish, and that salmon do not spawn at set times, re- 

 gardless of change of location, as Mr. Dunn asserts. 



On the contrary, I think that the spawning season is a mere accident of 

 place, and that if the California coast salmon should be introduced into 

 the Atlantic rivers they would adopt a time for spawning suited to their 

 new location which would be entirely independent of the season at which 

 their progenitors spawned on the Pacific coast, and consequently it would 

 make no difference as far as the favorableness of their spawning season 

 was concerned whether it was the coast salmon or the San Joaquin salmon 

 that were introduced. 



The suggestions in regard to the introduction of the California sal- 

 mon-trout into Eastern waters, with which Mr. Dunn closes his letter, 

 is, I think, a very valuable one. This fish, the local name of which is 

 salmon-trout, is a large and excellent variety, and is certainly fast dis- 

 appearing. If it is not i)racticable at present to transport any of them 

 to the Atlantic States, some effort ought to be made at once to, at least, 

 l^rotect and increase them where they are. 



In conclusion I take the liberty to say that Mr. Dunn's contributions 

 on fish-culture to the newsi)apeTs have been of a high order of merit, 

 and rank among the best specimens of newspaper literature on the 



subject. 



LIYINGSTON STONE. 



