FISHES, LAHONTAN SYSTEM OF NEVADA AND NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA 79 

 Salmo regalis Snyder. Royal silver trout. 



Anglers' reports of the presence of a peculiar trout in Tahoe and Pyramid Lakes, with more or less 

 accurate descriptions of one which seemed to differ from the more common Tahoe trout, led to the dis- 

 covery of this species. By the local fishermen this trout is known as the greenback or grayback. It is 

 distinguished by the absence of spots, by the blue or green dorsal surface, the silvery sides and white 

 belly, and the loose scales which, when the fish is caught, adhere to the fingers like bits of foil. 



A careful examination of many trout from Lake Tahoe and the questioning of anglers and market 

 fishermen brought no more important results than the finding (June 20, 1911) by Mr. G. E. West of a 

 io>2-inch king salmon, O. tschawytscha, apparently the first to be observed of some that had been intro- 

 duced. 



Later, specimens were secured by Messrs. Ralph Lowe and W. P. Lyon, of San Jose, and F. K. 

 Pomeroy, of Palo Alto. These were caught in deep water near Brockway, on the east side of Lake 

 Tahoe , and served as a basis for the description <>■ of the species. 



S. regalis is distinguished from S. henshawi by color and in having a shorter head, a shorter and more 

 rounded snout, a smaller maxillary, larger scales, narrower and more pointed fins, perfectly smooth basi- 

 branchials which are without teeth, and fewer gillrakers. A fresh specimen is of a beautiful deep steel 

 blue on the dorsal surface, which in some lights is seen to be shaded with olive, the blue extending down- 



Tic. i.— Salmo regalis. Type. Royal silver trout. 



ward on the sides to about the sixth row of scales above the lateral line, where it abruptly gives place 

 to the most brilliant and highly burnished silver. The silver dulls ventrally, the chin, throat, and abdo- 

 men being dead white. No dark spots appear except on the dorsal and caudal fins, where they are 

 inconspicuous. No red or yellow color is found anywhere except on the cheek, where it glows faintly 

 through the silver. After a specimen has been preserved in alcohol, small spots appear on the dorsal 

 and caudal fins and a few poorly defined ones on the dorsal part of the body. 



From the specimens examined (four in all) there seems to be from 144 to 150 lateral series of scales, 

 29 to 31 above the lateral line, 11 to 13 branchiostegals, and 19 to 21 giUrakers. No external sex differ- 

 ences were observed. 



The market fishermen and most of the anglers who visit Lake Tahoe confuse examples of this species 

 with silvery individuals of S. henshawi, and as it is next to impossible to get taintless information re- 

 garding 5. regalis, almost nothing definitely is known of its habits. It seems to be very rare, or at least 

 specimens are seldom caught. It does not appear to enter the creeks which are tributary to the lake, 

 and its time of spawning is unknown. 



An examination of the stomach contents revealed the remains of many small insects — ants, bugs, 

 beetles, etc. — which usually may be seen floating on the surface of tributary streams and are carried 

 out into the lake. This would indicate surface feeding, which may possibly occur at night. As this 

 trout may be taken with a spinner, it may be inferred that it also feeds upon minnows. 



a Bulletin, Bureau Fisheries, vol. xxxn, 1912, p. 25. 



