TROUT (AS. trout, from OF. truite, from Lat. tructa, trvcfus, from Gk. rOrrlic, trait's, sort of sea-fish, from rpe'dyetv, trogein. to gnaw). Any of many fishes of the family Salmonithe. (See SAL lox.) Some are partly anadromous, hut most of the species live exclusively in fresh waters, and occur in most of the lakes and streams of northern regions. They arc all vora cious and more or less gamy. Their food con sists of alniost any sort of fresh animal matter— smaller fishes, crustaceans., insect Is rvle, and the like. The trout, like the salmon, spawn during the colder months of the year, varying with the latitude and the species.
Trout may be classed into two main groups. The one group, belonging to the genus Sahno, has a flat vomer, supplied with teeth, the body with larger scales than the other group, which has a boat-shaped women, the shaft destitute of teeth. The latter group is more perfectly re stricted to fresh waters than the former. The former group includes the salmon-trout, and the latter the chars, such as the brook trout. The salmon-trout of European waters (Salm° India) resides in salt water, and enters the rivers to spawn. Its fresh-water variety, the brown trout (Salm° fm-lo), occurs in the lakes of Europe, and has been extensively domesticated in English and North American waters. Another Scott ish Variety, the Lochleven trout, differs from the brown trout in the greater growth of the pec toral and caudal fins, in the greater number of meal appendages, and in other minor characters.
The American salmon-trout (,Calm() Gairdncri) is a large trout, abundant in the Columbia and other rivers flowing to the Pacific coast. (See STEELHEAD.) A variety of it, the Kamloops trout, or `stit-tse,' occupies the lakes of British Columbia and northern Washington.
The rainbow or Coast Range trout. (Salm() irideus) is smaller than the preceding, has larger scales and brighter colors. It is native in the mountain streams of the Pacific Coast. and prob ably enters the sea. Tt is very variable, presents many geographical varieties, such as the brook trout of western Nevada, the trout of Mt. Shasta, golden trout of Mt. Whitney. the McCloud River trout, and others. It has been transplanted suc cessfully into the mountain streams of the East ern United States, and has been domesticated to some degree. The 'cut-throat' or Rocky Moun tain trout. (Saboo mykiss) is a common trout of very wide distribution in all the clear streams of the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada, from Kamtchatka and Alaska to .Northern Mexico. Its scales are smaller than in the nearly related species, hyoid teeth are usually present, and it is very closely related to Salmo Gairdneri. This species often enters the sea, and is very variable, many geographical races being recognized, one of which, 'Clarke's trout' of the Columbia River, is illustrated on the Plate of SALMON.
The Great Lakes trout, 'lunge,' togue.' or
`namayeush,' differs from Salmon in the absence of teeth on the shaft of the vomer, and from the brook trout in its larger size and well-developed teeth on the hyoid bone. Tt inhabits all the larger lakes of Eastern North America, and is one of the more important food-fishes of the Great Lakes region. The variety `siscowet,' found only in the deep waters of Lake Superior, has excessively fat flesh, and is not prized as food. See NAMAYCUSH.
The principal chars of American waters are the common brook or speckled trout, the holly Varden, the oquassa, and the European brook trout. The brook trout (Satrelbws fontinalis) is the best known, abundant in all clear, cold streams of Eastern North America south to the headwaters of the Savannah. It differs from the other species of the genus in its back being strongly marbled with olive and black. It has been introduced into the Western streams; and many hybrids between this and the rainbow trout and other species exist. Its extreme length may be 18 inches, but it is usually much smaller. It is a favorite for its gamy qualities and for its flavor. Sce Colored Plate of GAME FISHES.
The Dolly Carden trout (q.v.), or malma, is a native of Northwestern America, and has red spots on both back and sides. The oquassa trout (Salvelimas °trauma), `quasky' or •blueback,' is a small trout of the Rangeley group of lakes in western Maine, dark blue, with small red spots, usually confined to the sides. Similar and still smaller varieties of this most beautiful of the trout exist in the lakes of Quebec and in those of subarctic America.
The European brook trout (Sat retinas alpinus) has the red spots only on the sides, and the mouth is rather smaller than in the preceding. It oc curs in the cold lakes and mountain streams of Northern Europe and Asia, and in Northeastern North America. It is variable and is repre sented by several varieties—such as the Green land char, the long-finned char, and the stmapee or golden trout. The last named is very local in its distribution, having been taken in Sima pee Lake and a few other lakes in New Hamp shire and Maine. It is highly prized because of its brilliant colors and graceful form. Much un certainty remains as to its origin and relation ship. It has strong affinities with the European form and by some is considered to have been in troduced from there. Much pains is being taken to increase this species by artificial propagation and transplantation. See FISH CULTURE.
There are other species of trout of minor im portance both in America and Europe and 'Asia; and many fishes not truly trout are locally so called. Compare SALMON; GRAYLING. Consult authorities cited under ANGLING; FISH; SALMON; and Jordan and Everman». American Food and Game Fishes (New York. 1902).
See Plates of AMERICAN GAME FISHES; SAL MON; TROUT AND GRAYLING.