THE RAINBOW TROUT 221 



which it is hoped will never be sanctioned in literature." And 

 why "Cut-Throat," any more than Ripper Trout, or Wife- 

 Beater Trout? 



Surely this fine fish, which Dr. Jordan considers probably 

 the parent from which all others of this group have been 

 derived, is worthy of a dignified and respectable name. It 

 is a fish of large size, attaining a length of 3 feet, and a weight 

 of 30 pounds. It is the fish of the Rocky Mountain region, 

 and occurs in nearly every lake and important stream of 

 Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, 

 Oregon, Washington and northern California. It reaches 

 the sea from Mount Shasta northward to Puget Sound and 

 beyondi "Those that live in the depths of shady lakes are 

 almost black, while others are pale. Those in the sea are sil- 

 very, or only faintly spotted." (G. Brown Goode.) 



In the most representative specimens of this species, the 

 upper half of the body is abundantly spotted with small, 

 round and rather regular black spots. 



The Rainbow Trout^ is a fish of real beauty, comfort- 

 able size, fine flavor, and easy to propagate artificially. On 

 this side of the Rocky Mountains, however, it is not politic 

 to assert that it is more beautiful than the brook trout; but 

 Dr. Jordan says that "by many anglers it is regarded as the 

 greatest of all game fishes." It "reaches a weight of half a 

 pound to 5 or 6 pounds, though in most of the streams in 

 which it is found it rarely exceeds 2 or 3 pounds." It bites 

 readily, but when hooked makes a gallant fight to escape, rush- 

 ing, leaping and shaking its head vigorously to expel the barb. 



' Sal'mo ir-id'e-us. 



