A Sportsman 295 



be dentical with the steel-heads, and it is claimed that 

 when given access to the sea, its colors are changed 

 more or less in conformity with the former, and a ques- 

 tion exists which ma}' have been the original parent of 

 the other. In fact no fishes exhibit the characteristics 

 of rapid change of colors, as affected by surroimdings, 

 like the trout. 



The golden trout, lately brought to notice, taken 

 from a central California stream, is conspicuous for its 

 bright golden color, and by some is claimed to be of a 

 distinctive genus. I have not seen it, and its classi- 

 fication will of course depend upon its structural form- 

 ation, and not likely to be a new one, and will likely 

 be classified with other known trout in the State, and 

 possibly with the charr, Dolly Varden, which ap- 

 proaches more than any other on the Pacific in its 

 gamy qualities to the eastern trout. 



A charr (Salvdinus Malma) is also found on the 

 Pacific Coast, a red-spotted, gamy fish, and a ready fly 

 taker, known as the Dolly Varden. It is of gaudy 

 color and a favorite, and although a charr, has been 

 officially classified from the Smithsonian Institution of 

 Washington in this instance as the Dolly Varden trout, 

 and will so remain, charr as it is. 



This impulse of nature with the Salmo family to seek 

 fresh water for spawning is pursued to a most ex- 

 traordinary extent, and is fatal to millions of salmon 

 annually on the Pacific Coast, while trout of less bulk, 

 and adaptive agility, have slight loss in this particular. 



The salmon, however, not satisfied with reaching 

 water sparkling with vitalizing life, pushes on as if 

 impelled with necessitated urgency, as far as the 

 stream extends, or until its strength is exhausted, for- 



