286 SCIENCE SKETCHES. 



true that in other regions these species lose their 

 distinctness. In the Upper Columbia, Steel-head 

 and Cut-throat seem hopelessly entangled, as in 

 California the Steel-head is confused with the 

 Rainbow Trout. From the standpoint of the 

 evolutionist this is delightful, while it breaks up 

 every system or scheme of the systematic natu- 

 ralist. But the angler likes it well enough ; and 

 to him, whether there be one species or three, 

 one variety or twenty, all are equally delight- 

 ful. And whatever the difficulties, one who writes 

 on the trout of California does not willingly drop 

 his pen at the end of his theme. The most charm- 

 ing of fishes, the most beautiful of lands, when 

 the two are brought together, one wishes to say of 

 them something better than has yet been said. 

 It is with regret that he lays down the pen in con- 

 fession of inability to say it. 



The habitat of each of the forms of trout is indi- 

 cated in the following list : 



CUT-THROAT TROUT : SALMO MYKISS. 



mykiss . . Alaska. 



clarki . . . Washington and Oregon, chiefly west of the 



Cascades. 



bouvieri . . Waha Lake. 



lewisi . . Snake River, above the Falls and Upper 



Missouri. 



stomias . . Upper Platte and Arkansas, 



spilurus . . Rio Grande. 



pleuriticus . Rio Colorado. 



macdonaldi Twin Lakes. 



virginalis . Lake Bonneville. 



henshawi . Lake Lahontan. 



? . Lake Idaho. 



