NOTES ON THE MONTANA GRAYLING 



By W. M. Bickford, 

 Montana State Fish Commissioyi, Missoula, Mont. 



It is possible that a word concerning the Montana 

 GrayHng may be of interest, especially when considered 

 in connection with its introduction by artificial propa- 

 gation into waters tributary to the Pacific Ocean. The 

 Grayling which for gameness is not surpassed by the 

 trout, and so far as flavor on the table or beauty in the 

 stream is concerned, is hardly equalled by any fresh 

 water fish, is native to the waters of northern Michigan, 

 Montana (in the upper branches of the Missouri river) 

 and Alaska in the streams tributary to the Yukon. 



There is such a close resemblance between the species 

 found in Michigan, Alaska and Montana, that it is hardly 

 necessary to enter upon a discussion of the slight differ- 

 ences in structure, although they are recognizable, and 

 the Montana Grayling is given a rank of its own. The 

 fish was first noticed in Montana and described by Lewis 

 and Clark in the report of their trip of exploration to 

 the Pacific in 1803, and later was classified by James 

 W. Millner of the United Fish Commission. 



Until Dr. James A. Henshall, at that time Superin- 

 tendent of the United States Fisheries Station at Boze- 

 man, Montana, undertook to raise the grayling, no effort 

 had been made to stock streams with this very desirable 

 game fish.* 



The efforts toward artificial propagation were not at 

 first successful, but with the patience and skill of a vet- 

 ern. Dr. Henshall, after two or three efforts, succeeded, 

 and between the years 1898 and 1907, distributed 

 17,343,026 fry and fingerlings from the Bozeman station. 



So far as is known none of these fish were planted in 

 streams flowing into the Pacific. It was not until the 

 State of Montana established its hatchery at Anaconda, 



*Seth Green hatched and reared Michigan Grayling at Caledonia, 

 N. Y., in 1874. 



