278 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Mr. B. S. Brown, of Bliss, Idaho, says : 
I was at Alt uras Lake about August 15, 1893, aud saw 400 or 500 small redfisb, but no large ones. 
They were in tlie inlet about 2 miles above the lake and were spawning. Have seen these little 
redfisb tight just like dogfish (chinook salmon). The little redfish I have never seen in any of the lakes 
up there except Alturas Lake. Have seen the large ones in Big Bedfish Lake, Stanley Lake, and 
Pettit Lake. Saw them spawning in Big Redfish Lake about August 18, 1893, and about August 15, 
in 1887, 1888, and 1889. I was there in each of those years and salted quite a lot of them. Have seen 
them in Salmon River about 3 miles below Stenton’s ranch, and never saw any in Salmon River above 
the mouth of Alturas Cree’k. I am sure they come up Salmon River and I believe they all die after 
spawning. The large ones will average 3 to 4 pounds. There appear to be more males than females. 
On September 12 we visited Alturas Lake and examined tlie inlet for about 3 
miles in the lower part of its course. We started at the lake aud followed all the 
winding’s of the stream, and then returned to the lake, keeping in sight of the creek 
all the way. By thus examining every foot of the stream we probably saw every red- 
fish in that part of its course. In this distance I counted 114 small redfish and 14 
large ones. Twelve of the large ones were on a shallow gravel bar near the mouth of 
the stream, aud the other 2 were about a mile farther up, and on the same riffle with 
29 small ones. Other bunches of small ones of 23, 13, 9, 6, and fewer, were seen. 
These. were all on the riffles in shallow water and engaged in spawning. They were 
invariably in the current with head up stream. We noticed that they scooped up the 
gravel into piles or ridges, using the nose, pectoral fins, tail, and sometimes the back. 
These piles of gravel were not large, however, aud could not be noticed at a very 
great distance. Frequently we noticed the fish in pairs, a male and a female, the 
female being usually a little in advance of the male. W e supposed that they were 
spawning when in such position. 
Sometimes there was considerable fighting among the males. They would catch 
each other by the pectoral fin or by the nose, and hang on quite tenaciously, mean- 
time slowly floating down stream. Then they would release their hold and return to 
the shallow water, perhaps to renew the fight in a few moments. Immediately below 
each riffle, sometimes above, was a deep hole into which the fish would go when dis- 
turbed. By retiring into the bushes where they could not see us, we usually had to 
wait only a few minutes when they would again return to the riffle. After having- 
been disturbed ouce, however, they became more timid and more easily frightened. 
I have spoken of “small redfish” and “large redfish.” The small redfish is what 
has been known as Kennerly’s salmon ( Oncorliynchus kennerlyi), and it has by some 
been regarded as a species distinct from the large redfish ( Oncorliynchus nerka ), while 
others have regarded it as a landlocked variety of the large redfish. The structural 
differences upon which the separation has been made do not appear upon an examina- 
tion of a large number of specimens of each size. At present I am inclined to regard 
them as being specifically identical, though a fuller knowledge of the migrations of 
each may justify their specific separation. 
In the water, both m ales and females of the large fish were quite red, the males 
but little more intense than the females. The small males are of a dirty red on the 
back, and much brighter red on middle of side; on the back are about thirty small, 
round black spots, not greatly unlike those on the cut-throat trout. The under parts 
were a dirty white; dorsal and anal fins, pale or dirty red; other fins smoky. The 
females were darker and less red; the spots were plainer, and the general resemblance 
to the cut-throat or black -speckled trout was more marked. By the use of a small 
seine we caught 29 small ones and G large ones. 
