Evening star., 1939-02-05

The mystery of the fur-bearing
trout is solved.
Yesterday G. c. Leach, chief Of
the Division of Fish Culture OF the
United, States Bureau Of Fisheries,
took time out from his official du-
ties to render an expert explanation
of the origin of the legendary hir-
suite denizens of the Arkansas River
In Colorado.
The fish has received widespread
publicity recently and is now the
subject of a newsreel. The Cham
Der of Commerce of Salida, Colo,
has armed itself with special per-
mission from the State Fish and
Game Commission to whip the Icy
waters of the river for fur-bearing
trout, but so far no live specimen
has been taken. A mounted speci-
men, now in the hands Of the cham
Der, is their only basis for claims
that the fish exist.
A few weeks ago when stories OF
the rare fish were brought to the
attention of Fred c.. Orsinger, di-
rector of the Bureau of Fisheries
aquarium here, by Eddy Gilmore
Of the Associated Press, Mr.. Or
singer openly flouted the idea and
claimed the epidermal appendages
reported seen on trout in the Ar
kansas River were nothing more
or less than fungus.
Expected Expert Backing.
But because the Chamber Of Com
merce clung tenaciously to its belief
In the trout's existence he took the
matter up with Mr.. Leach conf
IDENTIFY expecting to be backed up in
his fungus explanation.
But, 10 and behold, this eminent
authority maintained that the fish
is a hangover from the Glacial
Epoch.
In written memorandum to Mr..
Orsinger yesterday he stated:
Il have given this matter very
careful and diligent study. feel
that I am a proper authority on
such matters since have made a
very careful study Of fish since they
were first brought to public notice
In biblical days.
with regard to the fur-bearing
trout, its life history indicates that
1t was developed when this hemis-
phere was passing through the Ice
Age. These bearing trout were
Of great value to the cavemen of
that time, since they not only fed,
but also clothed them. Coming
down through the ages the trout
degenerated from fur-bearers into
armour bearers or scaled trout. 1t
Is quite possible that the Great
Creator in looking ahead antici-
pated that fur-bearing land animals
and domestic stock would take care
OF the clothing situation. He also
anticipated the advent of steel hooks
that would be used to catch the
trout and for this reason gave the
trout a protective armor or scale
coating.
Change of Diet.
1T Is, of course, quite true that
the change from bearing to
scale-bearing was brought about by
the change of diet. During the
Glacial Epochs these trout subsisted
on the glacier worm. Under present
conditions they feed on angleworms
and grubs that are fed to them in
profusion by many lazy fishermen.
A new strain Of trout is being de-
veloped now, however. These fish
ermen are using the artificial fly,
which makes it very difficult for the
trout to obtain its prey.
I'm viewing the changes that have
taken place in the trout feel that
eventually they will develop into
nying fish In order to catch dry
flies and other artificial lures"
To back this up he produced for
Mr.. Orsinger's edification yesterday
q mounted fur-bearing bass which
he states was caught by George