266 The Trout s of America 



throat and the rainbow trouts. These fishes are 

 connecting links halfway between, going to show 

 that the different species of American trouts, 

 apparently distinct and widely separated and iso- 

 lated geographically, are but nature's variations 

 of a common stock, with links connecting them 

 all." 



These conclusions of the ichthyologists simply 

 confirm those of the angler-naturalists who have 

 grown gray in observing closely the habits and 

 markings of fish when angling for them in their 

 native waters ; and it may be added that coloration, 

 hitherto ignored as a factor in classification by 

 the scientists, seems to have much to do in the 

 identification, as distinct forms, of the salmon- 

 trouts of the Pacific slope. 



The fifth and final subspecies of our native 

 rainbow trout series is " the golden trout of Mt. 

 Whitney," California. (Salmo irideus agua bonita^ 

 the subspecific name, translated literally, is "beau- 

 tiful water," the name, of a cascade on Volcano 

 Creek, near which this trout abounds.) This fish 

 has the most beautiful coloration of any of the 

 salmon-trouts, and it is appropriately called the 

 " golden trout," for a golden or orange tinge of 

 different depths of color may be seen on all parts 



