Notes and Correspondence. 



255 



State to Plant Trout in Higher Altitudes of the Sierra. 



District State Deputy Game Warden A. D. Ferguson has a fish 

 story to tell that will interest every trout angler in Fresno and 

 adjoining counties. It is that the State Game and Fish Commis- 

 sion has made the money allowance for the work, has authorized 

 him to proceed and that he has perfected arrangements for a 

 summer's activities in the planting of fish in the mountain origin- 

 ating streams of Fresno and nearby counties. In the prosecution 

 of this work, he will have four mule pack trains ascending to 

 headwaters of streams and also the land-locked lakes in the high 

 Sierra. 



On the loth of next month, reports Ferguson, he v/ill receive 

 by the State's fish car from the hatchery at Sisson a first con- 

 signment of 100,000 Loch Leven trout for distribution in the high 

 Sierra. 



The Loch Leven is a gamey trout which was originally trans- 

 planted from Scotland, and the reason of its choice for distribu- 

 tion here by the commission is that it has been proven by experi- 

 ment to be the only trout that will spawn in a lake that is with- 

 out a water inlet. There are many such sheets of water in the 

 higher altitudes fed only by the melting snows of the Sierra. 



These Loch Levens will be transported to Markwood Meadows 

 by pack train to be distributed in the lakes that feed the branches 

 of the south fork of the San Joaquin River, Dinkey Creek, the 

 north fork of the Kings, the Dinkey Lakes, Coyote Creek, and 

 numerous other, smaller and nameless lakes yet considerably 

 sized sheets of water fed by the eternal snows. 



About three weeks later will be received a consignment of as 

 many young Loch Leven trout to be taken off the car at Lemon 

 Cove and to be likewise transported to the ridge above Hume 

 in stages by pack train and liberated for self-propagation in the 

 lakes that feed the south fork of the Kings River and the Kaweah 

 River in Tulare County. 



Simultaneously also will be continued the work with the native 

 fish in taking them out of streams where they abound, removing 

 them by pack train and placing them in streams which at present 

 are barren of fish. The usual custom followed in this process 

 is to turn a small branch of the stream carrying trout into pot 

 holes, netting the fish out of these and transporting them in trans- 

 planting cans. All this laborious mountain transportation must 

 necessarily be done by mule pack train because faint trails and 

 mountain ascents must be followed and overcome where none but 

 the plodding cautiousness of the mule or burro can be absolutely 

 depended upon. 



For this transportation of little fish a special design of cans is 

 employed, oblong in shape and each holding about ten gallons 



