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such absorption their length would average less than 1.15 inches. Thus, 

 in fifty days their actual gain in length was 1.45 inches, or considerably 

 over three-fourths of an inch per month. This is even a more remark- 

 able growth than that found in the young Quinnat salmon. 



To get at some idea of their abundance I will copy from my notes of 

 June 16, 1897, on seining with a thirty-foot net in upper Olema Creek: 

 "The first haul was through a hole thirty feet wide, fifty feet long, and 

 three feet deep in the deepest place; caught 61 young steelheads, 27 

 large stickle-backs, and 3 blobs. The second haul was over a riffle 

 with pebbly bottom; hauling about thirty feet we caught 25 steelheads 

 and 10 stickle-backs. The third haul was made through a small hole 

 ten feet across and two feet deep, with roots of an old stump at the 

 edge, under which they could hide. Here we caught 165 steelheads, 

 7 stickle-backs, and 10 blobs. The fourth haul was through a hole ten 

 feet wide, fifty feet long, and three feet deep in deepest place; caught 

 152 steelheads. The fifth haul caught 100 steelheads; the sixth, 75; 

 the seventh, 28; the eighth, 58; and the ninth, 127 steelheads. In one- 

 fourth mile seined we caugho 578 steelheads, all under three inches in 

 length. I have estimated that we took two thirds of the steelheads in 

 that distance. There are twelve miles of the stream in which they are 

 just as plentiful, which would make about 37,000 young steelheads for 

 the stream. The number in Paper Mill Creek would be from five to 

 seven times this amount, and the number in Nicasio and Hatchery 

 creeks would, for each, be about one fourth the number in the Olema." 



" Very few, if any, of the young steelheads have moved down stream, 

 and nearly every one to be found in Olema Creek now has been hatched 

 this year." 



A thorough seining of the streams at that time showed that there was 

 scarcely a steelhead over three inches in length, During the summer, 

 when the water is low and warm, the steelheads, except those hatched 

 the same spring, nearly all run into salt water. During June, while 

 seining for young salmon in brackish water near the mouth of Paper 

 Mill Creek, young steelheads were caught in considerable numbers, 

 ranging from 5^ to 6^ inches in length. In all the red colors were not 

 lost and the dark bars on the sides were bright and distinct, showing 

 that they had just come from the upper stream for the bars on the 

 sides, and especially the red markings, are quickly lost in brackish or 

 salt water. 



After the first good rain in the fall, when the streams begin to rise, 

 the young steelheads from 6 to 10 inches long appear in large numbers 

 in tide water, with their sides bright and silvery and the dark bar 

 marks almost lost. They gradually work up the streams and soon their 

 color gets darker and 'the dark markings more distinct. After each 

 heavy rain there is a fresh run of these steelheads, and as the water 

 subsides again they drop back into salt water. 



