Land. — Black-spotted Mountain Trout 189 



1891 and 1892, the State Commissioner of Colorado 

 placed many of the native tront in the headwaters of 

 the North Platte in North Park, Colo., as well as the 

 headwaters of the Big Laramie, in Laramie County, 

 Colo. 



In the headwaters of most all these mountain streams 

 the cutthroat at the higher elevations has the habit of 

 locating and is non-migratory, but remain there in those 

 small mountain spring brooks all winter, when covered 

 with snow from 5 to 10 feet. It does its feeding in the 

 five summer months and practically hibernates in the 

 cold water in winter. The individuals seldom grow to 

 exceed 12 inches in length, and they invariably have a 

 few medium large spots on the body back of the dorsal 

 fin and above the lateral line, while the individuals of 

 the same species which inhabit the rivers and large 

 creeks of this region invariably have many more and 

 much finer spots — the latter fish being much more mi- 

 gratory, going up in the spring high water to spawn, 

 and down in the fall and winter when the water begins 

 to recede. They vary with their surroundings, and, 

 like their brothers in the upper waters, they can change 

 their color to match the color of the bottom over which 

 they live. As to the texture of their flesh, it is the finest 

 of all, in hardness, flavor and quality. They are exquisite 

 fishes. Their size depends on their food. When large, 

 or of fair size, they are extremely gamey, especially in 

 the swift waters of our Rocky Mountain streams. 

 Therefore, to the disciples of Isaac Walton, the lovers 

 of sports afield, and to all others, they are the trouts 

 par-excellence of the Rocky Mountains. 



[Mr. Land evidently confuses several different species under the 

 one name, Black-spotted Mountain Trout. A part of what he says 

 applies to one, a part to another and still other parts to other species. — 

 Editor.] 



