FISHES OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 19 



were Loch Leven trout. There are parallel instances of such mis- 

 taken identity in this country in respect to other species, and so-called 

 Loch Leven trout have been propagated for a long time in this 

 country. In the early years the progeny of Loch Leven eggs could 

 easily be distinguished from brown trout hatched at the same time, 

 especially when they had attained a few inches in length. Recently, 

 however, there is reason to suspect that many of the so-called Loch 

 Leven plants have been brown trout. Be that as it may, trout 

 under each name have been introduced into Yellowstone Park waters 

 and there are records of both having been subsequently taken. 



FIG. 5. Loch Leven trout. 



In describing the fishing in the Firehole River, Mary Trowbridge 

 Townsend said: 



One other fish proved a complete surprise. He was of silvery gray color, covered 

 with small black crescents. Some park fishermen called him a Norwegian trout, 

 others the Loch Leven. Any country might be proud to claim him with his har- 

 monious proportions, game fighting qualities, and endurance. 



This trout is naturally a lake fish and its peculiarities would sug- 

 gest a peculiar environment. Whether it will develop and thrive in 

 streams and retain its peculiarities is uncertain. As a game fish it 

 is not excelled by any of its introduced congeners and as a food fish, 

 in its native waters at least, it is unsurpassed in delicacy of flavor. 

 The Loch Leven is primarily an insect feeder and preeminently an 

 artificial-fly fish. 



It has been introduced into park waters as follows: 



1889, Firehole River, upper courses 995 



1890, Lewis Lake 3, 350 



1890, Shoshone Lake - 3, 35.0 



1903, Tributaries of Firehole River 9, 500 



Loch Leven trout have been reported from the following park 

 waters, in some of which they are plentiful: Firehole, both above 

 and below the cascades, Madison, Gibbon, and Gardiner Rivers, 

 Heron Creek, north end of Shoshone Lake, Lewis Lake, "canal" 

 between Shoshone and Lewis Lakes, and upper Snake River waters. 



