32 THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



On any but the Rainbow, where a rosy or purple tint is seen on 

 the sides of the trout it is a thin, transparent tint, extending over 

 more than half the side of the fish vertically. In the Rainbow 

 typically marked the stripe is vivid, dense in color, sharply de- 

 fined — not shading faintly away into the general color as it does 

 in other species — and is a narrow stripe, not more than one-sixth 

 the width of the side. 



There seems to be no good reason for naming this fish "Rain- 

 bow," but it is a splendid name. In no trait save the red side 

 does he resemble the bow of heaven more than his fellows; and 

 the stripe instead of being seven-hued is one bright, dense, bricky 

 red. A trout so marked is certain to have all the other traits of 

 the Rainbow and to be no more readily mistaken for any other 

 species than a carp for a salmon. 



But not all Rainbow are thus distinguishable. Until two 

 years old, when they first spawn, all the family are much less 

 vividly marked, and may be readily mistaken for Clark trout 

 when the latter are adult and in spawning dress, when the male 

 Clark or Cutthroat trout has the wide, faint, rosy sheen which 

 then appears. 



Old males of the Irideus or Rainbow family frequently take 

 on livid, blotchy colors and the whole fish is sometimes as red 

 as a spent dog salmon. 



From an Angler's Diary these notes will help to fix the 

 "stripe" feature. The reader will observe that one lot of fish 

 is from Blue mountain, waters and the other from Cascades. 



"May 28, 19 — , Reuben Montgomery displayed in a window 

 a lot of fine trout caught by him in the McKenzie river. One was 

 a big Dolly Varden, 28 in. long, weight 8% lbs. dressed. Eight 

 were Rainbows of one to two lbs. weight. The red bar on side 

 was very striking; as deep as if painted in Indian red. On every 

 fish this extended from opercle to base of tail." 



"Oct. 28, 1912, Mr. Finley has fine specimens of Rainbows 

 caught yesterday in Umatilla by C. K. Cranston. All typical, 

 no doubt about them. Eight to twelve .inches long. All bear 

 distinct stripe of deep red along median line and a little below. 

 In the largest this stripe is half inch wider midships. It begins 



