Fish Citlture in Inland Waters 301 



Or it should be said that a McCloud trout which entered into the 

 United States fish cultural operations was a different species from 

 the mountain trout of coastwise streams. More than one kind of 

 trout has been stated to have occurred in the McCloud River ; 

 Jordan described and named two species. There is evidence that 

 one of the two was possibly the same as the fish now known as 

 steelhead. So even in the stock derived from the McCloud River 

 there may have been a mixture from the start. 



Whatever the composition of brood stocks may have been it is 

 known that in many instances the so-called rainbow trout have 

 been mixed and interbred with steelhead trout. Also that some 

 steelheads have been distributed as rainbow trout. So it is quite 

 clear that there are positively two, and more than likely, three species 

 comprised in the propagation and distribution of rainbow trout in 

 the East. It is more than merely possible that the observed dif- 

 ferences in habits of the rainbows and the differences in results 

 in stocking waters with them may be attributable to this fact. 



In stocking waters with rainbow trout, then, it is highly essential 

 to know what form is being planted, but even a trained ichthyologist 

 might be " stumped " in trying to identify the young. In localities 

 where successful acclimatization has been effected the matter is 

 simplified if an adequate &gg supply is obtainable from the " rain- 

 bows " of the locality. As long as the fish is satisfactory to the 

 angler in every way, it won't matter much to him whether it is one 

 species or another and he can continue to call it a rainbow with no 

 harm done. In propagating and distributing that form, the essential 

 thing is to determine fully the habits of the fish, and the exact con- 

 ditions of the water in which it has proved a success and compare 

 the data with the obtaining conditions in the body of water which 

 it is desired to stock. 



As concerns hatchery brood stocks it would appear desirable to 

 ascertain their actual composition, if possible, and select the form, 

 if there are more than one represented, which appears to be the 

 successful one in the waters already satisfactorily stocked. 



Where a brood stock is an unadulterated one like that mentioned 

 by Nevin ('20), the problem would appear simpler. He said: 

 "As to rainbow trout, I think we keep a larger stock of breeders 

 and take more eggs than any of the middle or eastern states. We 

 do not have the trouble in raising them that we do with the brook 

 trout in the same waters where we hatch and distribute millions 

 of fry. These fish have been bred from the same stock for the 

 past forty years, and the eggs and fry from our stock of breeders 

 last season were as strong and vigorous as any we had ever taken." 



From the foregoing it becomes quite evident that definite instruc- 

 tions concerning stocking with rainbow trout cannot at this time be 

 prescribed. However, Bean ('16) says that since the rainbow 

 spawns somewhat later than the brook trout, the fry are not ready 

 for shipment until May or June, and the fingerHngs from July to 

 September. 



