pecies being Discovered.

The Rainbow trout (_Salmo irideus_) is a true trout of the same genus
as, and closely allied to, the common trout (_S. fario_) of the British
Isles, where it is also now acclimatised. It holds the same position in
every stream, lake, and river of the northern part of the Pacific Coast
of North America as the brown trout does in the United Kingdom. Unless
the water, for some local reason, is unsuitable, it is met with
everywhere, until further south it overlaps with the cut-throat trout,
which ultimately seems to take its place.

In the small mountain streams it is very plentiful, and is generally
called the brook, mountain, or speckled trout, and when of larger size
is known locally as the "red side"--a name which often very aptly
describes it. The name "rainbow" is not much heard or used locally.

In the different lakes and rivers the fish varies a good deal in size,
numbers, colour, and appearance--so much so that when these waters are
better known the naturalist may be inclined to name and describe several
varieties of rainbows, perhaps even may discover new species.

This fish is confined to the west side of the Rocky Mountains, save in
the head waters of the streams which take their source from these
mountains and then flow east. Often two streams flow from a lake, one
east and one west, and the rainbow is found in both; a good instance of
this is found in the Kicking Horse and the Bow rivers. The latter flows
east from the divide, and the rainbow follows it for some distance into
the prairie; but as this river ceases to be a mountain stream and
becomes sluggish and discoloured traces of the fish cease. But in the
clear streams of Eastern Canada, near the great lakes, its place is
taken by the spotted trout (_Salvelinus fontinalis_), a beautiful and
game fish, member of the char family, unknown west of the Rockies.

In appearance the rainbow is well worthy of its name, and may justly
claim to be the equal in beauty, if not the superior, of any of the
Salmonidae. It is clean-cut in shape, perhaps rather lither than the
brown trout, and when large it is not so deep. The colour on the back
is an olive green, with the usual characteristic black spots, and at the
side a few red ones; laterally the green shades off into silver and
sometimes gold, while along its side from gill to tail flashes the
beautiful rainbow stripe, varying from pale sunset pink to the most
vivid scarlet or crimson;