THE SALMON TROUTS . 
45 7 
the finest food-fish in New Mexico and Western Colorado. It has also 
been taken in Bear River, and probably is found in most of the mountain 
streams of Utah, being in general rather southern in its distribution. It 
probably inhabits all streams within the circle of its distribution., without 
regard to the direction in which they may flow. Little distinctive is 
known of its habits. It is probably a comparatively recent off-shoot from 
S. purpuratus . As in other species, considerable variation is shown in 
specimens from different localities. Its usual size is larger than that of 
S. purpuratus . 
The Black Spotted Trout, the Salmo purpuratus of Pallas, is univer¬ 
sally distributed through the Rocky Mountain region, chiefly east of the 
Sierra southward, but reaching the sea from Mount Shasta, northward. It 
occurs in every lake of New Mexico, Utah, Western Colorado, Wyoming, 
Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. All the streams in this 
region are filled with them, and in Puget Sound the young of every size 
occur in abundance in the salt water. Individuals are occasionally taken 
along the California coast. 
This fish is known as the “ Trout,” “ Mountain Trout,” “Spotted 
Trout,” “Black Trout,” and “Silver Trout,” in the mountains, but 
when in the ocean, full grown, as “Salmon Trout” or “Steel-head.” 
Hallock and other recent writers have applied to it the horrible name “ Cut 
Throat Trout,” which it is hoped will never be sanctioned in literature. 
The Indian name “ Preestl ” is also ascribed to it on the Upper 
Columbia. It reaches a weight of thirty pounds under the most favorable 
circumstances, but may be found in any stream or lake of its habitat, of 
lengths varying from two inches to two or three feet. 
