256 The Trouts of America 



and Washington, and is very similar to the 

 typical species (irideus). It is also the fish by 

 which Dr. Gilbert differentiated the rainbows 

 from the steelheads and the cut-throats ; the size 

 of the scales, as before stated, being the basis of 

 the Doctor's conclusions. Certainly it is less 

 slender than the cut-throat, and the snout is more 

 rounded, there is no red blotch on the lower 

 jaw, and no teeth at the base of the tongue ; 

 again, it seldom grows larger than a pound in 

 weight. Jordan and Evermann state that this 

 fish " apparently merges into the ordinary rainbow 

 southward, if indeed the two forms are dis- 

 tinguishable. We know of no diagnostic char- 

 acter, but further comparison is needed." 



This fish is the one sought after by the 

 enthusiastic anglers of Seattle and Tacoma, and 

 I am told it rises fiercely to the artificial fly, 

 without any peculiar preference for form or 

 color; but doubtless there are anglers in the 

 cities named who are ready to " swear by " a 

 combination of colors that represent no living 

 thing on earth, in the air, or in the water. 



The " McCloud River rainbow trout " (Salmo 

 irideus shasta, the subspecific from Mt. Shasta, 

 California) is of peculiar interest, as it was with 



