ery
beautiful specimen and a most typical example of the silver trout.

Professor Jordan described this fish as a new species, under the name of
_Salmo kamloopsii_, and he so describes it in a monograph on the salmon
and trout of the Pacific Coast, published by the State Board of
Fisheries for the State of California. In this account he gives expert
reasons, founded on the number of rays in the anal fin and tail, the
position of the opercula, and the size of the body scales, suggesting,
moreover, that the fish might turn out to be a connecting link between
the true salmonidae and the genus oncorhynchus or Pacific Coast salmon.
He suggested that a further specimen should be sent, in order that the
intestinal tract might be examined; but this suggestion was
unfortunately not complied with. I am not prepared to say whether
Professor Jordan still adheres to this opinion, or whether the silver
trout has been fully recognised among ichthyologists as a distinct
species. In a recent letter to me, however, he states that he considers
the Kamloops trout to be "only a slight variation of the steel-head,"
which statement shows that its exact identity is not established, for
the steel-head is absolutely unknown in these upper waters, and the
silver trout never goes down to the sea. To the best of my belief it is
a fact that no further specimens have been examined by any naturalist of
note, and the question is therefore still _in statu quo_. It is a
matter, I would humbly suggest, that is well worthy of solution. So far
as I am aware, Professor Jordan is the only expert who has examined this
fish. The only other evidence as to its existence as a distinct species
is the widespread local opinion, which is also held by the half-breeds
and Indians, who undoubtedly believe that there are two kinds of trout
in the Thompson River. Such evidence or belief is not scientific proof,
but is certainly of considerable weight, until it is proved to be
mistaken.

I have always been firmly convinced that the two fish are perfectly
distinct, and this opinion is fully shared by all the local anglers. If
two well-marked specimens are seen side by side the difference in
appearance is most remarkable. The silver trout is less heavily built,
the head is smaller and sharper, the scales are smaller in size, and
the stripe on the side is violet instead of pink. There is only one
alternative opinion, namely, that for an unknown reason some rainbows
acquire t