TIIlv i;.\IM!()\V AND BLACK SPOTTKD TUOUTS. 475 



anil so far as appearances go it is a permanent inhabitant of river mouths. It probably spawns 

 late in the fall or in the winter. a> main of those taken at the firm run of the Salmon are spent 

 lisli. with the llesh white and worthless. 



The history of this species is still obscure. According to Pallas, it migrates singly, from 

 June to September; s.mie remaining all tlie\ear in the rivers, returning to the sea in May. It 

 feeds iii the fresh waters on any living thing. Hence, unlike the other Trout, which during the 

 a>c'-ni of the rivers -row lean with fasting, breeding, and exertion, this species is plump and well 

 fed. and. with .s'. ulrrliiiux miiiiini only, does not perish in the winter. Elsewhere than in the 

 Columbia this speeies is highly valued as a food-tish. When taken in the Columbia in spring little 

 or no use is made of it. Its llesh is pale, and its bones too tirni for it to be used in canning, and 

 at that season the old individuals taken are usually spent and worthless. In the Sacramento it is 

 not very common. 



THE UAINBOW TROUT SALMO IRIDEUS. 



This species is generally known as the "Brook Trout," "Mountain Trout," "Speckled Trout," 

 (loldeii Trout." and other evanescent names arc also sometimes applied to it. It does not reach 

 a weight of more than live or six pounds, so far as we know, and most of them as taken are H tiger- 

 lings ranging from four inches to a foot in length. It is found throughout California in all streams 

 of the mountains. It is said to occur in the northern part of Lower California. The southernmost 

 .-ecu by us were from San Luis Key Kiver. We have seen but few sjH'ci metis of this species from 

 salt water. These weighed from three to five pounds each. It may probably run into the sea 

 from streams in which the lower waters are clear. Specimens referred to this species from the 

 iiorth of Mount Shasta are perhaps the young of Gairdneri. It feeds on worms, larva-, and the 

 like. For a Tront, it is a fish of little, "gaminess" or activity. It is not often brought into the 

 markets of San Francisco, and at present has little economic importance, although of course a 

 good table-fish. It has been rather extensively introduced into the waters of the Eastern United 

 States. 



THE BLACK SPOTTED TROUT SALMO PUBPURATUS. 



This fish is known as the "Trout," "Mountain Trout," "Spotted Trout," " Black Trout," 

 "Silver Trout," etc., in the mountains, but when in the ocean, full grown, as "Salmon Trout" or 

 "Steel-head." The Indian name "Freest!" is also ascribed to it on the Upper Columbia. It 

 reaches a weight of thirty pounds under the most favorable circumstances, but may be found in 

 any stream or lake of any length from, two inches up to two or three feet. Unlike if. Oairdneri, the 

 young are very common, and it probably begins breeding in mountain streams at a length of less 

 than a foot. It is universally distributed through the Itocky Mountain region, chiefly east of the 

 Sierra southward, but reaching the sea from Mount Shasta northward. It occurs iu every lake of 

 New .Mexico, Utah, Western Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. 

 Every stream throughout the most of this region abounds in them, and in 1'uget Sound the young 

 of every si/.e occur in the salt water iu abundance. Individuals are occasionally taken along the 

 California coast. Local variations occur in abundance Specimens fiom Seattle have the scales 

 notably larger than those Irotn Victoria and Astoria, which agree with Utah Lake specimens in 

 this respect. Those that live in the depti.s of shady lakes are almost black, while others are pale. 

 Those iu the sea are .silvery and only faintly spotted. Only iu Lake Tahoe do the variations 

 assume any marked importance (var. Heiuhawi). Individuals intermediate between this species 

 and Oairdneri ate not rare, and there is no doubt that the latter is simply an offshoot from this 

 general stock, as are & irideus and S. gtomias. It feeds on any living ihing it finds near it. In the 



