14 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
last 2 miles. The city of Missoula gets its water supply from this stream, taking it 
out less than 2 miles above the mouth. 
There seems to be an abundance of suitable fish food, many species of insect larva;, 
etc., being seen at all places examined. The species of fishes found were the common 
trout, salmon trout, and blob. All of these were quite common, the salmon trout 
being, perhaps, the most abundant. 
Big Blackfoot River. — This is one of the largest tributaries of the Hell Gate River, 
into which it flows at a point about 7 miles above Missoula. We examined it for the 
last 6 miles of its course. It is at least 100 yards wide and is very deep, so deep that 
the water, which is clear, appears very blue. Temperature at noon, July 29, 03°. 
At Bonner, a mile or so above the mouth, is a very large sawmill, and the river 
for 3 or 4 miles above the mill is literally filled with logs which have been cut from 
the heavily timbered country through which the river flows and which were being 
floated down to the mill. Above this jam of logs the stream is open, but so deep 
and swift as to render seining wholly impossible except in occasional nooks and 
shallow places. This stream flows through a rocky gorge most of the way, there being 
but little bottom land. The mountains on either side are of highly metamorphic 
sandstone, and in most places densely timbered, but at the present rate of destruction 
it will not be many years until these magnificent forests are wholly destroyed, the 
mountains made barren, and the volume and beauty of the streams greatly diminished. 
An abundance of insect larvae was found in several places, and the river is said to be 
a most excellent trout stream. We obtained specimens of the common trout, whitefish, 
blob, and one species of minnow ( Rhinichthys dulcis). Frogs were not rare along the 
shore in suitable places. 
Little Blackfoot River. — Examined on July 21, just above the town of Elliston. 
Temperature at 4 p. in., 55°; air, 71°. Width, 25 feet; depth, 2.1 feet; current, 3 feet; 
volume, 84,375 gallons per minute. This is a good-sized stream, rising on the “ divide” 
west of Helena and flowing westward to Garrison, where it joins the Beer Lodge to 
form Hell Gate River. The current is very swift, the bottom strewn with rocks of 
various sizes, and the banks are lined with willows, cottonwoods, and other small 
bushes. Below Elliston the water is muddied by mining operations, but above that 
place it is pure and clear. 
Rear the railroad bridge above town a small creek, averaging, near its mouth, 
10 feet wide and 1 foot deep, flows into the Little Blackfoot. Its water is not so clear 
and is warmer (59°). In this we found an abundance of a small mollusk (Limncea 
palustris ) as well as various larval insects. In the river we found blobs and young 
whitefish abundant, and also took a few trout ; while in the small creek we found 
trout of good size quite plentiful, a few whitefish, and an abundance of blobs, suckers 
iCatostomus catostomus), and minnows (Rhinichthys dulcis). Though we obtained no 
specimens, there is no doubt that the salmon trout also occurs in this river. Persons 
who have fished it frequently described to us two species of trout which they had 
taken here, one of which was quite certainly the salmon trout ( Salvelinus mahna). 
Frogs were not uncommon about the creek. 
Cottonwood Creek. — Examined July 22 for the last 34 miles of its course. Width, 20 
feet; depth, B feet; current, 3 feet; volume, 40,394 gallons per minute. Temperature 
at 3 p. in., 54°; air, 77°. This is a clear stream of considerable size rising in the 
