60 
THE CALIFORNIAN SALMON. 
“ Not long since, all tlie tributaries of the Sacramento 
were visited every year, by prodigious numbers of salmon, 
which came there to spawn. The Pitt or Upper Sacramento, 
the American, the Feather, and the Little Sacramento had 
magnificent spawning beds; but since the extension of 
mining, the washing of minerals has nearly destroyed the 
spawning grounds of the American, and Feather Fivers. 
“ The Pitt and the Little Sacramento with their tribu- 
taries, have alone escaped this injurious effect of the 
gold-workings, and keep all their primitive wealth of fish- 
life. The spawning grounds of the McLeod Biver, an 
affluent of the Pitt, which has its source at Mount Shasta, 
are of considerable extent. It is to the banks of this river 
in the midst of Indian tribes ‘ of a doubtful sympathy for 
the pale faces,’ that Dr. Livingston Stone goes every year 
during the month of August, to collect the eggs of the 
Salmo quinnat for the purpose of stocking other streams, 
and acclimatising this fish in other waters ; the work being 
under the care of the Fish Commission of the United States. 
The distance from civilisation, and above all the presence 
of the Indians, have protected for so far, this region from 
the invasion of prospectors for gold. 
“ The waters of the rivers constantly fed by the melting 
snows are not troubled by the washing of minerals, and 
suit admirably for the salmon which literally crowd there 
in the spawning time. According to Livingston Stone it is 
not by thousands but by millions that he can collect the 
eggs, and although so many are taken to stock other waters, 
it has no appreciable effect on the number of the fish in the 
river. 
“ The ascent of salmon in the McLeod Biver commences 
in March, and lasts till October, some few arriving even in 
November ; but when the rains of Winter commence, the 
salmon all disappear till the following Spring. 
