Aiiiericaii Fisheries Society. 209 



to a flashing silver, which in turn deepens below into a rich 

 cream. But as the October pairing time approaches, the fish i>J 

 metamorphosed into a creature of indescribable brillianc}'. The 

 nuptial coloration is gorgeous beyond example among our indi- 

 genous salmonidae, the deep purplish hue of the back and 

 shoulders now seem to dissolve into a dreamy sheen of amethyst 

 through which the inconspicuous pale lemon spots of midsum- 

 mer flame out in points of lemon or vermillion fire, while below 

 the lateral line, all is dazzling orange. The fins catch the hue of 

 the adjacent parts and pectoral, ventral, anal and lower lobe o: 

 the cardal are ribboned with a broad white margin. Those who 

 have seen the flashing hordes on the spawning l^eds, in all thei)- 

 glory of color and majesty of action, pronounce it a spectacle 

 never to be forgotten." 



Possibly a comparison with such a universally known fish as 

 the brook trout will give many a clearer idea of its appearance. 

 Head and mouth smaller, form more slender and tapering, back 

 unmottled, in the adults, and spots without the blue aureola, tad 

 more forked. The noticeably larger fins which lack the black 

 stripe just inside the white border, are a delicate creamy yellow 

 in color, though they appear a fleecy semi-transparent whits 

 edged with a clear shining ivory border. As they move quietly 

 through the water with extended fins the general effect is airy 

 and gTaceful in the extreme, reminding one of a beautiful yacht 

 under full sail, and bearing the same relation, in appearance, to 

 the ordinary trout as a cup defender does to a common cruiser. 



There has ])een no systematic study made of the life history 

 of this interesting variety. What little knowledge we have re- 

 garding it is not so much the result of direct investigation as a 

 mere incident of the fish cultural work that has been carried on 

 for some years past by the various commissions, the New Hamp- 

 shire Commission being perhaps the pioneer in this direction, 

 having operated at Simapee Lake as far back as 1 S90. For much 

 of my information along this line I am indebted to the courtesy 

 of its preseident, Mr. Xathaniel Wentworth, who has had super- 

 vision of this special work for a num])er of years; also to his son, 

 Mr. Edward Wentwortli, who operated at Sunapec t'oi- the state 

 for several years, and who lias in connection witli Mr. Dennis 

 Winn carried on the field work witli this variety for the past two 



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