YOSEMITENATURE NOTESVOLUME XXXII • NUMBER 7

JULY 1953

62 YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

..~ Courtesy California Deparhuent of Fish and Game

California Department of Fish and Game airplane shown at moment of release of trout finger-lings being planted in one of Mammoth Lakes, northern Mono County, east of Yosemite.

Cover: Governor ' s Group, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, by Ralph Anderson .

Yosemite Nature NotesTHE MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF

THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DIVISION AND

THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION, INC.

John C . Preston, Superintendent

D . E. McHenry, Park Naturalist

D . H . Hubbard, Assoc. Park Naturalist

N . B . Herkenham, Asst. Park Naturalist

W . W . Bryant, Junior Park Naturalist

VOL. XXXII

JULY 1953

NO. 7

YOSEMITE LAKES SPRINKLED WITH AIRBORNE TROUT

By Orthello L. Wallis and Glenn D . Gallison, Park Rangers

Rainbow trout fingerlings literallysprinkled from the skies over Yo-semite on August 13, 1952, when107,800 of them were planted froman airplane into 16 remote back-country lakes . This was the initial in-tensive stocking of trout by plane inYosemite National Park . By mid-July1953, these fish had grown to lengthsof 7 1/2 to 12 1/2 inches.

Only Dorothy Lake, isolated in theextreme northern portion of the park,had been previously planted byplane. In August 1951, 10,000 rain-bow trout from the Hot Creek FishHatchery were released there.

Preliminary lake surveys, madeby the authors to determine the needand the general suitability of thewaters for restocking, preceded theactual 1952 plane-planting opera-tions . On one 10-day survey trip intothe northern section of the park theauthors traveled over 100 miles, mostof the distance being covered bycross-country hiking. On this expedi-tion observations were made in 43lakes.

Ten of these lakes and six otherspreviously investigated were se-lected to be planted by plane . Thetrout populations, originating from

earlier plants, were greatly dimin-ished or totally absent in each ofthese waters . The surveys were con-ducted as a project of the YosemiteTrout Investigations, made possibleby the interest and generous dona-tion of Mrs. Mary Curry Tresidder .*

The Yosemite airplane-plantingoperations began at 2:45 on themorning of August 13, 1952, whentwo pickup trucks of the CaliforniaDepartment of Fish and Game andone truck of the National Park Serv-ice were loaded with the trout at theYosemite Fish Hatchery . The trucksthen left for the Merced Airport, 85miles away . There the first one-thirdof the fish were transferred from thecarrying cans on the trucks to muchlighter 10-gallon aluminum cans,which were placed aboard the plane.At 6 :27 a .m. the plane took off on theinitial flight and headed eastwardtoward the Yosemite Sierra.

Not long afterward, at Emeric Lakein the eastern part of the park, theplane swept down low over thewater and in a puff of mist releasedthe first trout to the amazement oftwo early-rising campers who werepreparing their breakfast . A few minautes later the plane glided across

'See "For Better Fishing" by Orthello 1. . Wallis, Yosemite Nature Notes 32(51 :43-47, May 1953 .

64 YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

Vogelsang Pass and discharged asecond batch of fingerlings intoVogelsang Lake . This operation wasobserved by Lloyd Lucas, managerof the nearby High Sierra Camp, andby the senior author.

The third plant of this flight wasmade in Lower Ottoway Lake situ-ated a few air miles to the southwest.Here Park Rangers Rod Broyles andJohn Townsley witnessed the stock-ing activity. On this primary flight,one other lake was also seeded withfish.

The remaining lakes located in thenorthwest portion of the park werestocked on the following two flights.The entire planting schedule inwhich 107,800 fingerlings werestocked in 16 lakes was completedby 10 :40 a .m. that day. Each flightfrom the airport to the lakes tookapproximately one-half hour.

Planting of trout by airplane in theisolated lakes of California's highSierra is the result of years of ex-perimenting by the California Statefishery experts. The initial work wasbegun in 1946 and 1947 . Thesestudies revealed the important factthat fingerling trout could survivethis method of stocking with mini-mum loss.

By 1949 the first practical applica-tion of the new technique was madeat 150 lakes, into which a total of300,000 trout were dropped . A full-scale program was undertaken thefollowing year when 1,633,275 troutwere dropped into 426 lakes . Duringthe next three seasons the followingnumbers of trout were planted bythis method : 1951, 2,769,000 in 632lakes; 1952, more than 2,600,000 in610 lakes ; 1953, 2,864,000 in 662lakes.

The plane used is a twin-enginedC-45 Beechcraft which has the power,carrying capacity, and maneuvera-bility necessary to transport the

trout to the high-elevation lakes . It isequipped with an aerating plant, op-erated off the plane's generator, tofurnish the fingerlings with the oxy-gen necessary for life while en route.A tank or hopper with a capacity of50 gallons is constructed in thecamera porthole in the floor of theplane. A small opening located be-hind the hopper serves as a sightingdevice.

California State fish hatchery at Happy Isles.

Each lake to be stocked is identi-fied from the air by the recognition ofits shape and location, which havebeen determined by previous studyof the terrain on aerial photos or byground investigation. With the knowl-edge gained on the surveys, thejunior author, who went along oneach flight as an observer, pointedout each lake to the pilot quicklyand accurately.

When the lake is spotted, the smalltrout are poured into the hopper andthe plane descends for the plantingrun over the lake. The instant thebody of water appears in the sight-ing hole, the tripping mechanism isreleased to open the bottom of thehopper and allow the fish and thewater to fall free . The water im-mediately turns into mist . The trout,after surging forward a short dis-tance, soon plummet straight down-ward at a rate of nearly 30 miles perhour, and strike the lake surface like

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

65

giant drops of rain . The junior author the fish and to the lakes to beriding in the plane was able to see stocked . Officials of the Californiathe fish actually hitting the water in Department of Fish and Game haveeach of the lakes except one on determined that, in their overall pro-which a slight breeze riffled the gram, the expense of planting by

water surface .

plane in 1953 was $1 .25 per thou-

While releasing the fingerlings, sand fingerlings as compared withthe plane cruises at a speed of ap- $20 .00 per thousand to stock the

proximately 125 miles per hour and same waters by packtrain.travels at an elevation of 300 to 800 Annual investigations will be con-feet above the water . The planting ducted in Yosemite to determine theis done between the hours of 5 and success of trout populations planted10 in the morning when the air is by this new method. Although it iscalm and clear and few disturbing more practical at present to stock theair currents are present. Pilot Al readily accessible waters by formerReese and his copilot Carrol Faist methods, planting of the remoterhave become so proficient at their lakes by plane will eliminate thebusiness of dropping trout from the long, difficult packtrips.air that they can land the fish in

During July 1953 the senior authormost any lake which exceeds 2 acres made observations in 13 of thesein size .

plane-planted lakes . The investiga-This method of planting trout in tions revealed that the trout which

remote lakes saves time, expense, had been released at 154 fish perand effort . By airplane, it is now pos- ounce had grown to lengths of 7½sible in a few minutes to restock to 12½ inches in 11 months . Thelakes which would be accessible on greatest growth was made by thethe ground only by long, tedious, rainbows which were planted in theovernight packstock trips . The air- lower-elevation lakes where theplane stocking of 16 of Yosemite' s water temperatures are higher andlakes was completed in less than the aquatic foods more abundant.one day . If the fish had been carried The stocking of trout by plane inin to the same lakes by packstock, Yosemite is another example of thethe schedule would have required cooperation between the California10 days . It would have been neces- Department of Fish and Game andsary to make 4 lengthy overnight the National Park Service . In thisjourneys and 3 long single-day trips operation the State furnished thecovering a distance of over 179 trout raised in the Yosemite Fishmiles on horseback .

Hatchery, assisted in taking the fishBy plane these lakes were planted to the airport, and provided the plane

at less than one-third the cost which and crew used in the actual planting.would have been required to do the The National Park Service conductedtask by pack animal. The total cost of the preliminary field investigationsthe Yosemite operation was greater and transported some of the fish . Thethan that of the average plane- junior author flew along on all threeplanting schedules because of the flights as an observer and assisteddistance of the hatchery from the in spotting the proper lakes to beairport, and the mileage from the stocked. The National Park Serviceairport to the bodies of water to be administers the trout managementplanted. In the average operations, program and enforces the protectivethe airfield isc loser to the source of regulations .

66

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

FLOWERS OF THE MERCED'S FLOWING WATER

By Richard J. Hartesveldt, Ranger Naturalist

Of all the flowering plants that water much warmer than out in theare found within Yosemite National moving stream . Pondlike conditionsPark, certainly those that make their prevailed and the plant was growinghome in running water are not beautifully . It is easily recognizedamong the best known nor the show- by the broad-ovate floating leavesiest . Few people, even fishermen, that are brownish green in color (seeare interested in them because in a illustration) . For this reason anothermountain stream these plants gen- descriptive common name is oftenerally play only a small role in form- used : floating brownleaf. Theseing cover for fish . At first glance it leaves are hinged to long, slendermay appear that most water plants petioles . The plant has another kindhave about the same habitat require- of leaf which is submerged; thesements. A closer look will show that are long and linear and may some-aquatic flowering plants, like their times be confused with the longdrier relatives, inhabit a great variety stipules that form at the nodes . Theof ecological situations . Most of them flowers are borne in inconspicuousare found growing in the slower mov- spikes which just protrude above theing waters next to the streambanks, surface of the water in order thatbut others have been able to adapt they may be pollinated by the wind.themselves to life in swift-flowing One large colony of these plants iswater .

located on the south side of the riverStrolling along the Merced River a few hundred yards upstream from

while wearing a bathing suit and a the Sentinel Bridge . Early in the sum-pair of tennis shoes (for the sake of mer some of the plants were seenone's feet), one may encounter sev- out in the river where the currenteral species of flowering plants liv- floated them as far down the streaming in the flowing water . Early in the as the stems would allow. Most ofspring when the water is high, the this colony is high and dry by thenumber of species established there first week in August.is vastly increased . If the water were On the sandbar that formed thealways this high, many of these shelter for the floating brownleaf,species would succumb. By midsum- and in the adjoining waters near themer there are still several species Sentinel Bridge, as well as in manygrowing in the river, and these are other similar localities, I found antruly aquatics .

interesting sedge . The Kellogg sedgeOne plant that I was surprised to (Carex kelloggi) is identified by the

find in several sheltered localities single male spike and several linearalong the Merced River was the female spikes of simple flowers.floatingleaf pondweed (Potamogeton These have numerous small scalesratans) . It lives in the almost still which are conspicuously dark, con-water below the end of jutting sand- trasting with the light green of thebars. In every case where I observed other flower parts . Some clumps ofit the bottom was sandy, the current this sedge inhabit fast, shallowslow, and the temperature of the water. There the plants are smaller

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

67

CREEPING SPEARWORT BUTTERCUP( )'j SIZE)

FLOATINGLEAF PONDWEED(%y SIZE)

- WATERBUTTERCUP

(%4 SIZE)

Some aquatic plants of the Merced Rive

and have fewer blossoms with less of length . Where the water has receded' the contrasting colors. The leaves and left the plants up on the banks,and stems are bent over from the the leaves are larger and bright yel-current . The clumps have well-de- low flowers are formed.veloped root systems that bind much A very small plant encountered infine soil together . Apparently these or out of the water is the tinker'sclumps have broken away from the penny or trailing St .Johnswortstreambanks and have become (Hypericum anagalloides) . The smalllodged in the shallow water where aquatic form whose stems seem tothey are tolerant enough of the ad- thrive in the flowing water is muchverse conditions to continue growth . smaller than the typical plant on dry

In shallow water where the cur- land . Like other St .Johnsworts, it hasrent is moderately slow and the bet- the familiar translucent dots on thetorn is stony, a peculiar little crowfoot leaves . These dots can be seen bestis discovered growing so thickly that with the aid of a hand lens and areit forms mats on the bottom . This is a good identifying character.the creeping spearwort buttercup In the slow-moving water near(Ranunculus flanrnmIa var. oaalis), Camp 7 I found a rather large bedwhich doesn ' t resemble the typical of bittercress (Cardamine breweri) . Themembers of its genus (see illustra- leaves of this member of the mustardtion) . The stems are long and creep- family are hairless and crisp, the up-ing and they root at the nodes . The per ones compound with 3 to 7 leaf-small leaves are linear spatulate lets . The plants closely resembleand are borne on petioles that may toothwort (Dentaria) and watercressmeasure as much as 2½ inches in (Radicnla) .

68

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

The common horsetail (Equisetuuaareensc) sends its trailing stems be-neath the fine gravel of swift-flowingwater . The narrow leafy stalks mayor may not protrude above the sur-face of the water. I observed thatthe reproductive stems were grow-ing mostly on the drier banks.

Two species of mannagrass occurin abundance along the shores sfthe Merced. The northern manna-grass (Glyceria borealis) is very talland has wide leafblades, some ofwhich are 2 1/2 feet long and floatwith the current on the surface ofthe water. I found some of the flow-ering grass near the shore, whilesterile plants could be seen in thewater to a depth of 4 or 5 feet . Acharacteristic of the genus is thatthe sheaths of the leafblades arepartly closed and keeled.

The few-flowered or weak manna-grass (Glyceria pauciflora) was notedonly in limited numbers on rockybottoms with the creeping buttercup.The leaves of this species are wideand mostly bright green, althoughsome may be purple gray.

The most fascinating plant that Idiscovered was making its home inthe middle of the stream, often inrapid-flowing water to a depth of2½ feet. The flowers of the waterbuttercup (Ranunculus afriatilis) maybe seen blooming above water inthe more quiet stretches, or they maybloom several inches beneath thesurface where the current is rapid.The five white petals are contrastedsharply with the dark yellow sta-mens and pistils . The leaves are dis-sected into numerous filiform seg-ments that are borne on sheathedpetioles (see illustration) . They aredark green in color and are verylimp when taken out of the water.Occasionally, a broad floating leafcan be found. It is certain that theseplants cannot reproduce from seed

AndersonHalf Dome and Merced River.

as long as the flowers are sub-merged in the swift current, so theyare able to propagate themselvesvegetatively by the means of run-ners. In the deeper water, seedsseldom mature.

Thus it is apparent that many flow-ering aquatics have broad floatingor emergent leaves, or narrow dis-sected leaves if growing under thewater. The need for broad leaf sur-faces for transpiration purposes isabsent in the submerged parts of aplant . In species which live either ondry land or in the water, the leavesof the aquatic specimens are gener-ally much smaller than the others.This often makes identification dif-ficult, especially when flowers areabsent, but it adds greatly to theinterest of an ecological study. Ifsuch an interest in these water-lovingplants can be acquired despite theirlack of showy flowers, a trip alongthe Merced River can prove mostfascinating.

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

MOUNTAIN QUAIL

By Sam W. Elkins, Ranger Naturalist

69

The Yosemite visitor who takeshimself away from the roads andout on the trails will have many re-wards . Perhaps one of the most satis-fying will be a chance encounterwith a covey of mountain quail(Oreortyx pieta pluazifera) . During themonths of July and August he canexpect to find coveys of young birdswith one or both of their parents inthe vicinity of mountain springs orat the heads of ravines.

This bird is generally admitted tobe the most beautiful of all the mem-bers of the quail family found in NorthAmerica. It is also the largest ofthose species that may properly betermed quail . From the other quailsfound in California the mountainform may be distinguished at onceby its larger size, rich chestnutthroat and sides, the latter boundedby black and white, and by the longslender topknot or plume made oftwo jet-black feathers that can bemade to stand proudly erect, with-out dipping forward as does the top-knot of the valley quail.

Coveys of the mountain quail, orplumed quail as it is also called, areusually rather loosely formed, butthey are nevertheless held togetherby the soft kow, kow, kow notes ofthe parent birds as they slowly maketheir way over the forest floor . Thecovey may be large—as many as11 or 12 chicks following the parentsas they search along the ground fortender young leaves, seeds, or in-sects, which make up the greatestpart of their diet.

When disturbed, the adult bird willfrequently take some conspicuousposition and utter calls of alarm

which bring about a surprising re-action on the part of the youngbirds. Instead of scattering, theyoung will often freeze in theirtracks, for they seem to know thattheir streaked-brown protective col-oration is their best defense againsta possible enemy. They can holdtheir places only so long, though,and if a person passes uncomfort-ably close to one of these immobilechicks, it will come to life and scurryalong the ground, or perhaps fly tosome nearby tree or bush . Quail,like most of the grouse and par-tridges, feel most at home on theground and would rather run thanfly. The mountain quail is especiallydifficult to force into the air . When itdoes fly it usually does so from be-hind a tree or bush, which makes itparticularly hard to follow.

These young birds and their par-ents will remain in the higher moun-tains until late September or Oc-tober, when instinct will tell themthat winter is on the way and thattheir food will soon be covered withsnow and ice . At that time they willbegin their peculiar vertical migra-tion, on foot, down the mountainsideto the lower elevations . "Old-timers"in the mountains say they can judgehow severe the winters will be byhow far down the quail travel intheir fall migration . During the winterthe young usually will band together,where they may be found in largegroups until the following spring,when once again, perhaps like someof us, they will " hike" back up themountainsides to spend the summerin the remote and beautiful parts ofour back country.

70 YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

GETTING TO KNOW THE MOUNTAIN LION

By Lloyd D . Moore, Ranger Naturalist

he had seen one too, but that his wasa dark brown in color, so we sur-mised that there must have been apair of lions hunting in the region.

Tamarack Flat is an exceptionallyfavorable site for a lion as it affordsa bountiful supply of small mam-mals for food, as well as a largenumber of deer . This area is just farenough from the crowds of Yo-semite visitors to permit lions to re-main there undisturbed, except for aperiod during the summer seasonwhen people are using the camp-ground.

There are many writers who claimthat the mountain lion (sometimescalled cougar, puma, or evenpanther) is a cowardly animal . Thisseems to be based on the fact thatthe great cat has an inherent fear ofman. It is an established fact thatwhen man moves into a region in-habited by a lion, the animal re-treats to the more undevelopedareas, returning at times to kill live-stock. Because of its predatory habitsit is destroyed by stockmen at everychance. There are men who earntheir living killing mountain lions.Inasmuch as this magnificent animalhas everything to lose at the hand ofman and nothing to gain, is it anywonder that it fears the very scent ofa human? To call the lion a cowardis a mistake—better, call it an intel-ligent mammal which can still sur-vive mankind simply because it ra-spects the influence of man. Noanimal which habitually attacks andkills moose, elk, and other large an-imals can be considered a coward.Possibly the greatest factor contribut-ing to extermination of the mountainlion is its love of horsemeat.

On June 18 last year, while fish-ing in Tamarack Creek about 1 mileabove the Tamarack Flat camp-ground, I was treated to a rare obser-vation. The trout had been eludingme all afternoon when I happenedto notice some large animal tracksin the wet sand next to the creek.The marks had not yet filled withwater so I knew they were quitefresh and the maker must be nearby.Dropping my fishing gear, I hurriedaround a bend in the canyon andthere I saw my first mountain lion.It was about 50 yards away and hadevidently been awaiting my ap-pearance.

When I first came upon it, theanimal was just sitting on itshaunches looking at me. Instantly Istopped still in my tracks and wesimply stared at one another . Aftera pause which seemed endless, butcouldn't have been more than a fewseconds, the lion took to its heels.

The huge cat did not appear to berunning hard but in a surprisinglyshort time it had crossed the meadowinto the forest and disappeared . Itran—bounded might better describethe action in a very loose-jointedbut graceful manner with the thickrope-like tail held outstretched as abalance. I paced off one of the stridesand found it to be between 10 and15 feet in length.

As for the size of the animal, Iguessed it as being about 2 feet highat the shoulder and slightly higherover the hips . Including the heavytail, its length must have been over6 feet. The lion was a light tawnybrown in color . Later I mentionedseeing the lion to District RangerOdin Johnson and he reported that

YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES

Since I had read quite a bit about lives alone in the desert, it will amuse itself

mountain lions, I was more startled by the hour fighting mock battles or playingat hide-and-seek with imaginary companions,

than frightened by the one at Tama- or lying in wait and putting all its wonderfulrack. Ernest T . Seton in Lives of Gauze

strategy in practice to capture a passing

Animals writes that :

butterfly.

The Cougar is a shy creature, avoidingEnos A . Mills mentions in Watched b

man and perfectly harmless to him under all Wild Animals that he has been fol-normal circumstances . . . . and under no cir- lowed for days at a time by a moun-cumstances, normal or otherwise, will it turn

taln lion just of its native curiosity.on him the full measure of power and ferocitythat it holds in reserve for such other fellow

The mountain lion is one of thebrutes as may cross its will .

most infrequently seen of our Yo-

In Naturalist in La Plata, W . H. Hudson semite mammals . Its presence is not

says this of the animal :

countenanced outside of the park.

The reactions of the puma to man areEven inside the protective borders of

peculiar . He actually seems to want to be the national parks it keeps as farfriendly, and in South America is called by from man as its stomach will permit.the Spaniards "Amigo del Cristiano," the Occasionally one will make a hunt-Christian's friend . It is notorious that wherethe puma is the only large beast of prey it ing foray onto the floor of Yosemiteis perfectly safe for a small child to go out

Valley, but fortunate indeed is theand sleep on the plain. The puma at heart visitor or resident of Yosemite whois always a kitten, taking unmeasured delightin its frolics; and when, cs often happens, one

gets to see one .

71

PS0 MA1T O$

From "Mammals of Lake Tahoe" by Robert T . Orr. Courtesy of publisher, California Academy of Sciences,

California mountain lion