SALMON INVESTIGATIONS IN IDAHO IN 1895. 
171 
DETAILED REPORT UPON THE SALMON AND OTHER FISHES OBSERVED. 
Ill the following pages is given a list of all the lislies observed in those portions 
of Idaho covered by this report, together with detailed naturahhistory and technical 
notes upon each. Tlie notes on the quiniiat salmon and redlish are made particularly 
complete, in the thought that any fact contributing to an understanding of the life- 
histories of these important food-fishes will prove of interest and value. 
1. Entospheims tridentatus (Gairdiier). Three-tooilied Lamprey. 
This lamprey was found in ai)undance August 8, 1893, by Dr. GiH)ert at Lower Salmon Falls. 
More than 40 examples were seen, all of them deail. While at these falls in September and October, 
1894, I was told that it is very common there during late summer and early fall. I saw none during 
my staj', although special search was made October 7 along the foot of Lower Salmon Falls. It was 
also reported as common at Glenn Ferry and at Weiser. At these places I heard it spoken of as being 
good sturgeon bait. On September 26, 1894, while examining the inlet of Payette Lake, I found one 
dead individual about 3 nules above the lake. Among the specimens sent in by Mr. Williams is one 
of this species obtained August 11 in Payette River a mile below the lake. It was found dead, and 
measures 2 feet in length. The distance between the dorsal tins is about one-third the length of the 
first dorsal. The length of the head is contained 11 times in total length. 
2. Acipen.ser transmontanus (Gairduer). Columbia River Sturgeon. 
This immense sturgeon is not uncommon in Snake River as far up as Lower Salmon Falls, and is 
occasionally taken at Millet Island just below Upper Salmon Falls. At the Lower Falls it is said to 
have been more common in 1893 than in 1894. Mr. Charles Harvey, who lives near the Lower Falls, 
says he caught 3, each of about 15 pounds weight, in jMarch, 1894. In September and October several 
others were taken at the same place, some of them weighing 100 pounds or more each. Mr. Harvey 
says he has seen tliem 8 or 9 feet in length, and Mr. Bliss reports one 11 feet 5 inches long. Another 
weighing 700 pounds is reported to have been caught at these falls. On September 1 Mr. Baruum 
.saw one at these falls which was about 4 feet long. 
Mr. Liberty Millet has caiight sturgeon at Millet Island, and says that the best tishing begins 
just after high water and continues until the salmon arrive. They are usually taken on set lines about 
300 feet long, having 8 to 10 hooks. The largest sturgeon ho ever saw was 11 feet 2 inches long, 
prob.ably the same one seen by IMr. Bliss. It measured 2 feet across the head. One 35 inches long and 
weighing 74 pounds was seined by Mr. Millet, October 5. He has seen them only l^J feet long. He 
also says he has caught them when their spawnr was ripe and believes they spawn at any time. 
Glenn Ferry, on Snake River, is said to be a good place for sturgeon. We saw 2 small ones, 
one a foot long and the other weighing 4 pounds dressed, when there in September, 1894. One taken 
a few days earlier weighed 60 pounds, and some weighing 800 to 1,000 pounds, are reported. 
Mr. William O’Brien, who has a fishery on Snake River about 4 miles below Weiser, does some stur- 
geon fishing; says he has caught them weighing 600 to 650 pounds; the largest one he ever saw was 
13 feet long; once he caught 2 in his seine, each measuring 11 feet in length; never noticed any with 
rijie spawn; has seen suckers at least a foot long in their stomachs; has also found salmon heads, 
viscera, etc., in their stomachs. Lampreys make excellent sturgeon bait. Sturgeon are most plenti- 
ful in the spring and wlien the water is muddy. Wliile we were at Mr. O'Brien’s fishery September 
22 and 23, 1894, a few small sturgeon were taken in the salmon seine. One example, a male 25 inches 
long, had 11 minnows in its stomach, all of which appeared to be Myloebeilus caurinus. Another 
inale, 31 inches long, had the stomach nearly empty, tliere being nothing that could bo identiiied. 
The smallest examples of this sturgeon that I have seen are 6 and 7 inches long respectively, and 
were taken by Mr. O’Brien September 28, 1894. The number of plates on each of these and on 2 
others from the same place is shown in the following table: 
Leiijjth of 
specimuu. 
Number of 
dorsal ]dates. 
Number of lat- 
eral plates. 
Number of 
veutral plates. 
Inch PS. 
6 
10 
41 anil 41 
fl anil 0 
7 
14 
40 aud 41 
10 anil 10 
25 
12 
45 aud 47 
10 and 12 
35 
13 
47 aud 50 
