The Blueback Trout 327 



The name " blueback " is taken from its color on 

 the back, which is bluish black; the spots are 

 red and round, and usually confined in location 

 to the sides of the body ; the head is quite small, 

 more so than any other of the native trouts, and 

 the scales are also very small, although close 

 observation will show that they are larger along 

 the lateral line. Mr. H. O. Stanley, Fish Com- 

 missioner of the state of Maine, states that the 

 blueback is much hardier than the brook trout ; 

 that the spots are yellow, red, and black, and 

 more brilliant ; that he has " known them to lie 

 on the ground all night and be alive next morn- 

 ing." They visit the streams in large schools, 

 the same as the herrings and smelt, and spawn on 

 the same ground as the brook trout. Their 

 habitat during the balance of the year, from 

 about November i to October 10, is in the deep 

 waters of the Rangely Lakes, Maine, from which 

 they are said to pass as the spawning season 

 approaches from Lake Oquassa to the Kenne- 

 bago River in large numbers, in obedience to the 

 reproduction instinct. A short distance above 

 its mouth the Kennebago receives the outlet of 

 Lake Oquassa. The blueback leaves the Ken- 

 nebago to the left and runs toward Oquassa 



