FISHES OF THE SOUTHWEST 



SALMONID^. 

 Rio Grande Trout. — Salmo spilurus. Cope. 



Specific characters. Head small, entering length of body 

 four times ; muzzle acute ; diameter of eye enters length of side of 

 head five times ; scales large, cranium not keeled above ; dorsal fin 

 nearer muzzle than end of caudal scales ; caudal scarcely emar- 

 ginate. Br. ix, ix. Color, lighter than S. pleuriticus which it re- 

 sembles ; yellowish-brown above, with small spots composed of 

 decussating lines. A red band on each side of the chin. 



Habitat, Head-waters of Rio Grande, New Mexico ; Sangre 

 de Christo Pass, Colorado ; and Brazos and Chama Rivers, New 

 Mexico. This species may eventually prove on further examina- 

 tion to be a well-marked variety of S. pleuriticus, this latter being 

 found in the same streams with it. 



As a game and food fish it cannot be surpassed ; biting readily 

 at either fly, grasshopper, grub, minnow or worm, it affords ex- 

 cellent sport. The Indians of New Mexico capture them in bas- 

 kets of wicker-work, nets, and by a running noose of horse hair at 

 the end of a stick. The noose opened wide is gently passed be- 

 neath the belly of the fish and gradually tightened ; a sudden jerk 

 captures the fish. By this method fish no longer than one's finger 

 are taken by Indian boys. 



CYPRINID^E. 

 Robust Chub. — Gita robusta, Baird and Girard. 



Specific characters. — Body sub-fusiform, anteriorly stout, pos- 

 teriorly tapering. Head one-fourth total length. Eye small 

 entering length of side of head eight times. Anterior margin of 

 dorsal fin nearer extremity of caudal than end of snout. On the 

 end of the snout is a small knot or tubercle. Color, greyish brown 

 above ; yellowish beneath. Habitat, Rivers of Arizona and New 

 Mexico. 



