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Ptychocheilus as rare(1) from above Lake Powell to above Grand Junction, Colorado, rare in the Green River frem its eonfluenc:e with , the Colorado River to the mouth of the Yampa River, and rare in the Yampa River frcan its mouth to Craig, Colorado. They also found evi- dence that the existing (1972) populations were declining, with reduced reproduction fran 1968-1971. During his four year study, Holden took 300 adult squawfish frown the Upper Basin; 261 (870) from the lower Yampa River. In fact, Holden and Stalnaker (1975-a) conclude: , "The Yampa River is very important to the preservation of rare and endangered fishes in the Colorado basin primarily because all these rare forms (squawfish, humpback chub, bonytail chub, razorback sucker) are at least present in small numbers and some are apparently reproducing. Perhaps the Yampa River is the most natural large river environment left in the Colorado basin." A few squawfish have been recently collected from smaller waters including the Duchesne, White, and San Rafael Rivers and also Plateau ' Creek. The significance of these individual specimens i~ presently being evaluated. Econanic I~ortance i Jordan (1891) identified Ptychocheilus lucius (white salmon, river salmon, Colorado sa]mon) as the largest and best food fish of the laver Colorado River. Hinckley (1973) also stated: "It is notable that the name 'salrron' in some context or alone, , was used exclusively for Ptychocheilus, and no other names for the species were known to the (12) persons interviewed." In fact, a fishery existed for them on the lower Colorado River until- r about 1910. Several people interviewed who have lived in the Colorado basin fondly remember the squawfish as being much preferred as a food fish to the local trout. According to Mrs. Phyllis Shaw of Las Vegas, Nevada, the fish were prepared by skinning the filleted half, pounding to break the small (intermuscular) bones, and then deep frying. ThP meat is flaky, white and sweet. Because of the piscivorous food habits of squawfish (Vanicek and Kramer 1969) they are sometimes caught on artificial lures. The sport fishing potential of a fish that may attain 80 lbs (36 kq), hits artificial lures, and is good eating, cannot be overlooked. In addition, the piscivorous habits of this species could be considered an advantage in maintaining better predator/prey ratios. However, present fish manage- ' meet programs seem to place little importance on either of these potentials. Life History Several published and miuneographed papers have been written during the last few years on the biology of Colorado squawfish (Vanicek and Kramer 1 (1)rare: species collected occasionally, but with no certainty regardless of effort expended. 4 ~-