174 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
SNAKE KIVER IN SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO. 
If the station does not necessarily have to be in Washington, a very good site can 
be fonud on Snake River in Idaho near Salmon Falls. Salmon seem still to ascend to 
that point in considerable numbers. For detailed description of this place see below. 
SUMMARY. 
In summing up the facts brought out by these investigations it may be said, 
first, that the absence of salmon from the Pend d’Oreille River is not necessarily due 
to the presence of falls in that stream, but to other causes, chief among which is the 
excessive catching of salmon in the Lower Columbia; second, that while it is true 
that the salmon are shut out by falls and dams from a large area, especially in the 
Upper Snake River basin, and that these limitations are increasing as the streams 
become useful for irrigation and mining purposes, it is nevertheless certain that the 
decrease in the salmon has been even greater and that the accessible waters suitable 
for spawning purposes are still more than ample to meet present needs; and, third, 
that the desirabdity of establishing another salmon hatchery at some point in the 
Columbia basiu will depend largely upon the nature of the fishery legislation in the 
States of Washington, Oregon, and- Idaho. 
It must be understood, however, that our knowledge regarding the present abun- 
dance of salmon, their relative abundance as compared with former years, and the 
location and extent of their spawning-grounds, is of the most general kind. While 
valuable so far as it goes, the information which we now possess upon these important 
questions is chiefiy useful in indicating the nature of the investigations which must 
be carried ou for several seasons before a thorough understanding of the salmon ques- 
tion can be reached. 
DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE VARIOUS WATERS EXAMINED. 
SXAKE RIVER. 
This river has been visited by us at the following points: President Camp, near the southern 
boundary of the Yellowstone Park; Idaho Falls; American Falls; Shoshone Falls ; Twin Falls; Auger 
Falls ; Blue Lakes ; Upper aud Lower Sahnou Falls ; at mouth of Boise River; at Caldwell, Payette, 
and Lewiston. The observations made at these various places are here given in order, beginning 
with the point farthest upstream which was visited. 
President Camp. — Snake River here flows through a wide meadow, grassy and open on the right side, 
but covered with a heavy growth of chapparal ou the otlier. It is here a beautiful river with clear, 
cold water and gi'avelly bottom. The banks in the immediate vicinity of the camp are low, not 
exceeding 3 or 4 feet. In the main stream the current was pretty strong, but there are quiet nooks 
aud coves where there was considerable water vegetation. The temperature of the water at 9 a. m., 
Augu.st 14, was 62.5°. Fishes were found to be abundant here, the red-horse sucker (Catostomiis 
ardens), dace {Khinichthys cataractce dulcis), chubs (Leiicisciis liydroplilox and Leuciscus Uneatus), white- 
fish {Coregonus william soni), cut-throat trout {Salmo myMss), and the blob (Coitus bairdi punctulatus) 
being the species thus far known from the Snake River at that point.* 
Idaho Falls, Idaho, August 4 and 5, lS93.—Xt this point the river has cut its channel through the 
immense lava bed of that region. The banks of the stream are abrupt or vertical but broken and 
jagged walls of lava, reaching in some places as many as 15 to 20 feet or more above thesurface of the 
water. L.arge, detached masses of lava are frequent in the stream, and in the banks or bounding walls 
are many immense potholes, by far the largest aud finest we have ever seen. The river is here con- 
fined to a relatively narrow channel, through which it rushes in a series of foaming rapids. There 
* See Evermann : Explorations in Montana aud Wyoming, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm, for 1891, 22. 
