California Fish and Game V. 14 1928 Bound volume uiiu n ^ 'aa DATE DUE C.I California Fish and Game. V. 14 1928 Bound volume DATE -r^S^E^ ISSUCD TO M California Resources Agency Library 1416 9th Street, Room 117 Sacramento, California 95814 * t > 4 ^ l_ I >-' I \^ V# N* California Fisii ^M-i&l CONSERVATION OF WILD LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION.' Volume 11 SACRAMENTO, JANUARY, 1928 Number 1 CONTENTS. Page THE SEA LIOXS OP CAL.IFORNA Paul Bonnot 1 THE SMELTS OF THE SAN PEDRO WHOLESALE FISH MARKETS ■ Frances N. Clark 16 HOW A NATURAL RESOURCE IS BEING ADMINISTERED W. L. Scofield 21 SALMON INVESTIGATION J. O. Snyder 25 STRIPED BASS STUDIES' 4-— E- C. Scofield 29 CATCH FIGURES AND PISH SUPPLY _^^ --_.^Joe A. Craig 3 7 AN HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE USE OF FOOD FISH FOR REDUCTION PURPOSES B. D. Marx Greene 42 BIOLOGICAL REQUISITES FOR LAKE TROUT Geor(je A. Coleman 45 I'ROGRESS IN HALIBUT INVESTIGATIONS Kuth Miller Thompson 47 EDITORIALS --^__-- 5o COMMISSION ACTIVITIES 72 COMMERCIAL FISHERY NOTES' 83 LIFE HISTORY NOTES 89 CONSERVATION IN OTHER STATES 93 REPORT ON SARDINE CANNERIES', 1926-27 95 REPORTS — Violations of Fish and Game Laws 98 Statement of Income and Expenditures — 99 Fisliery Products. July to Seiitember. 1927 102 THE SEA LIONS OF CALIFORNIA. By Paul Bonnot. (With eight photographs and two maps by tlie autlior. ) Most of the larger mammals of California have been extensively studied. As a result of these studies, a few have been reduced to the point of extermination because it has been shown that they are detri- mental to man. The majority, however, are protected by law as they do not conflict with man's commercial pursuits, and in some cases are rated as beneficial. The sea lions have not been studied to any extent 56393 /7//7 2 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. and very little is known about tliem. Nevertheless, determined efforts have been made from time to time to exterminate them. Late in 1926, the fishing industries complained to the Fish and Game Commission regarding the depredations of the sea lions, and asked that their num- bers be reduced. The writer was detailed by Mr. N. B. Scofield, head of the Department of Commercial Fisheries of the Division of Fish and Game, to make a survey of the marine mammals of the state, to investi- gate the claims made by the fishermen and to determine the present status of these animals. This survey will be continued for several years. This year's work has resulted in a great deal of authentic data and several interesting conclusions, some of which are dealt with in the present article. There are two species of sea lions found on the coast of California: Fig. 1. An adult bull California sea lion at Plea Island. This animal seemed unafraid of the photographer. June 13, 1927. Steller's sea lion {Enmetopias stelleri) and the black or California sea lion {Zalophus calif ornianus) . Steller's sea lion is found from Bering Sea to Santa Cruz Island. The breeding range is from Bering Sea to Santa Rosa Island. They are found the year round throughout their range, though the bulls, for the most part, disappear during the winter and spring. The general opinion seems to be that the bulls migrate to Alaska during this time. The animals are light gray in color when wet, which turns to light brown when dry. The bulls are much larger than the cows. A full- grown bull will weigh between 1500 and 2000 pounds, while the cows will weigh between 600 and 1000 pounds. The California sea lion is found from the Farallon Islands south to central Mexico. The breeding range is from Point Piedras Blancas to an unknown point in Mexico. In the past, the California sea lion CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 6 was fairlj' abundant and probably maintained rookeries as for north as the Farallons. They have been recorded as far north as Puget Sound. At the present time, they are rare north of Point Piedras Blancas, in San Luis Obispo County. The California sea lion is dark brown in color when wet, and an ochre yellow or brown when dry. The bulls weigh from 800 to 1000 pounds, and the cows from 500 to 700 pounds. The skull of the bull has a high keel which gives the profile of the face a concave outline. Sea lions are polygamous animals, one bull generally taking care of from five to twenty cows. They begin to collect on the rookeries during May. The pups are born from June to the middle of July. They must be taught to swim and are generally not proficient in the water for about six weeks. By the end of August or middle of September, the bulls leave and the rookery is broken up. A few animals may be found on the regular rookeries at all times. Some General Habits of Sea Lions. As sea lions pass most of their lives in the water, they would naturally be expected to be fine swim- mers. In the water the front flippers are used for swimming, the hind ones trailing behind. They can swim readily on either the belly, sides or back. A favorite method of progression seems to be to rotate slowly on the long axis. I have seen yearlings jump clear of the water, make a graceful arc and go in head first, like a porpoise. I have never seen an adult do this. Mr. N. B. Scofield tells me he has seen adult sea lions, at the mouth of the Klamath River, riding the surf in the same manner as men using surf boards. The animals repeated this again and again, and were evidently doing it for amusement. The adults, when landing on a steep bank, will sometimes shoot up from a wave as much as five or six feet. In moving on land they are clumsy, yet they can move with surprising speed. The front flippers are used as a base, the hind ones drawn under and the animal springs forward on them, the front flippers being hitched forward at the same time. They will dive into the water from considerable heights; and I once saw a Steller bull leap from a rock dovm ten or twelve feet to a gravel beach, where he landed on his chest and con- tinued his course to the water, apparently none the worse. Sea lions can see a moving object very well, but do not seem to ctSsfly see a stationary object. I have on several occasions stood or sat in full view, iLsing my glasses and making notes, and no notice was paid to me by animals thirty or forty feet away. When I started to move ofi' or rose to my feet, however, nearly every animal in sight saw me at once. They do not seem to have a very keen sense of smell. They use this sense as a means of identifying one another, as do dogs, but give little indication that it is useful for distant odors. Their hearing is also rather poor. On several occasions I have walked up to blind animals, taking no particular pains to remain quiet, and though they seemed to sense my presence, it did not seem to be through the sense of hearing. On the hauling grounds and rookeries, the sea lions practice no sort of sanitation, as do some animals. The places frequented by them are rocky and uneven, and therefore catch debris, such as excreta and dead animals. These are trampled underfoot and left. In consequence. 4: CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. a sea lion rookery is very dirty underfoot and, at close range, very evident to the olfactory nerve. Sea lions are both diurnal and nocturnal. It is not easy to observe their comings and goings at night but, from the continual uproar, they are as active by night as by day. When on the rookeries at the breeding season, they seem to spend a great deal of their time sleeping on the rocks. At other seasons they move up and down the coast a short distance, swimming in small schools and fishing. On two occa- sions I watched several fishing at night, their movements being easily followed by the line of phosphorus in the water, and their loud "whosh" when they came up to blow. x\t Ano Nuevo the rookeries seem to be conducted as are the rookeries of the fur seal. That is, a large bull, by right of might, collects a Fig. 2. A blind, young bull California sea lion at Point Bennett. Blindness is occasionally encountered and may be counted a natural check on abun- dance. June 10, 1927. varying number of cows, drives off all other bulls and manages his "harem" himself. He will fight desperately for his small piece of territory or to retain his cows, maintaining his stand for the whole breeding season, not even leaving to eat. At all other rookeries I visited, however, this does not apply. I saw no evidence of the so-called harems. The bulls, old and young, were mixed up indiscriminately on the rookeries. There was little or no fighting. I saw only one Cali- fornia bull who was cut about the chest as though he had been fighting. The nearest approach to fighting was a more or less continual wrangling among the cows, which, though noisy, seemed never to go beyond the |)oint of making a few passes at each other. CALIFORNIA FISH AND <; A:\F1:. O In tliis regard, it ini^lit be ^\■eil to mention thai tlie Ano Xuevo rookery is unique in another way. The animals there are evidently more used to man and have enjoyed protection for so long that they do not act toward him as at other jilaces. At all other places it was necessary to "sneak" up to the animals in order to count and observe them; but at Ano Nuevo, although most of the cows and some of the bulls will "unload" upon the appearance of a man, the big herd bulls will not only stand their ground but will actually chase a man who gets too close. Generallj", they will not press the matter, but as they look as big as an ox and weigh close to 2000 pounds, it behooves the investi- gator to respect their dignity and give them room. The cows will sometimes form what are known as "rafts." They lie together in the water in small or large bunches, apparently asleep, swinging with the action of the water. Here and there in the compact group a flipper will be elevated. The rafts seem to be formed by cows nearing the pupping time. Each cow has but one pup a year. The pup can not swimn for several weeks after birth, but even when first born, it has a natural instinct for the water. I have seen a young pup go overboard and get a mauling from the breakers but, upon stranding on the beach, half-drowned, it not only met my attempts to help with a defiant squall but plunged back into the next wave. On such occasions they desperately work their flippers up and down, but until the use of the flipper is learned and breathing is coordinated, they are more helpless in the water than the average terrestrial animal. The bulls pay no attention whatever to the pups, and the cows seem only interested in their own. I have several times seen a bull, while stampeding or love-making, step on a pup that happened to be in the way, and its frantic squalls were lost in the uproar of the occasion. The cows seem to know their own pups, and when coming ashore will hunt their own. Another's pup, however, is treated rather roughly. I have seen a cow pick up a pup in her mouth and throw it at least 10 feet with a vicious side jerk of her head. On two occasions, while examining and photographing pups, a cow called just outside the breaker line. Her call sounded exactly like an ordinary domestic cow calling her calf. The pup, at my feet, evidently recognized the cow, as it stiffened up and answered the call with' a high-pitched squall. Sea lions are gregarious animals but I would not call them social. They ordinarh^ travel about in small groups, and collect, of course, in large numbers on the rookeries ; but they seem to conduct themselves toward their fellows on a strict laissez faire basis. When lying about on shore, there is a continual snarling and growling and if, in moving about, one animal happens to tread on another there is at once an uproar. These disturbances seldom amount to anything, but there is little that is amiable about them. There seems to be little or no definite communication among sea lions. Mr. Alvin Seale, of the Steinhart Aquarium, first called my attention to the fact that they seem to communicate by touching their noses together. The sea lions at the aquarium do this. I watched for it on the rookeries and saw it many times. Each animal has, no doubt, a definite scent, and they either use this habit of touching noses as a means of identification, as everyone has seen dogs do, or there may be a more definite exchange of ideas. At Seal Harbor, San Clemente 2 — 56393 6 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Island, I saw a lialf-drownecl pup, squalling and splashing a hundred feet from the beach. Several cows swam up to it, touched its nose and then, evidently finding it not their own, went on their respective ways and left it. Evidently its own mother was beyond the sound of its call, as its cries went unheeded until it drowned. Each species has several distinctive calls but none of them seems to convey much intelligence to other members of the same herd. After stampeding into the water when alarmed by a landing party, the animals swam up and down the rookery, just outside the breakers, roaring or barking, according to the species. There were generally several individuals too sleepy or too lazy to leave with the herd, and these paid no attention whatever to the loud uproar kept up by their fellows in the water. They only departed, in great haste, when touched. Fig. 3. Sea lion pups after a little handling become fairly tame. Gull Island. June 14, 1927. Once, several of us sneaked up on a sleeping bull, the photographer focused his camera, and then with a touch of the foot, the bull was awakened to furious haste. The call of the Steller sea lions consists of a deep, hoarse roar. Both sexes have this, the bull's roar being deeper and louder. The cows "baa" for the pups, and the pups answer with the same sound, about two octaves higher. The California sea lions make a "honking" bark, repeated steadily. They also make a smooth howl that sounds exactlj^ like a hound. The cows and pups call as do the Stellers. Both species snarl and growl when angry or frghtened. "When suddenly awakened from a. sound sleep and finding themseh^es sur- CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAMPJ. 7 rounded b.v several men, both species of all ages emit a loud, quavering "Ah" of surprise and fear. In captivity, sea lions do very well. They are docile, intelligent and fairly hardy. They are subject, to some extent, to pulmonaiy dis- orders. The cows only are used for exhibition purposes and for per- forming acts. These are, for the most part, California cows, but occasionally a Steller coav is put on exhibition. The bulls are too large and pugnacious to be readily handled. California bulls have been taken but an adult Steller bull has never been captured. The impression of the rookeries most vividly remembered is the continual uproar of sound. This is seldom or never absent. While on the rookery, talking in an ordinary tone of voice is heard with difficulty. The sound ebbs and* flows like the roar of the surf, with here and there a sudden breaking through of sharper sound by some individual that happens to be close at hand or that has been trodden on by one of its fellows and voices its protest. History of Sea Lions in California. Before 1860, sea lions were extremely numerous along the California coast. During the sixties, they were commercially valuable and their numbers therefore steadily decreased until the late seventies, when the products gained from them (oil and hides) were bringing such a low price that it was unprofitable to hunt them. Scammon, in 1874, says, "A few years ago great numbers of sea lions were taken along the coast of upper and lower California, and thousands of barrels of oil obtained. The number of seals slain exclusively for their oil would appear fabulous when we realize the fact that it requires, on an average, throughout the season, the blubber of three or four sea lions to produce a barrel of oil. Their thick, coarse- grained skins were not considered Avorth preparing for market, in a country where manual labor was so highly valued. At the present time, however, they are valuable for glue stock, and the seal hunter now realizes more comparative profit from the hides than from the oil. ' ' In 1899, the sea lion question in California became acute. At the behest of the fishing industries, the Fish and Game Commission called a meeting in San Francisco to discuss the situation and to decide on a course of action. The fishing industries were represented and several scientific men attended. The conclusions arrived at by this conference were that the sea lions were too numerous, that they were destructive to the fishing industries and that their numbers should be reduced. As most of the large rookeries were located on lighthouse reservations, the Commissioners Avt'ote to the Honorable Lyman Gage, Secretary of the Treasury, for permission to kill sea lions on the federal lighthouse reservations. This request was granted on April 27, 1899. The Com- mission sent two men to the Farallone Islands and two to Ano Nuevo Island, both lighthouse reservations, but before any killing had been done the permission was revoked by wire, on May 31st.* On June 9th, a letter from the Treasury Department gave the information that the suspension was due to protests from the United States Fish Com- mission, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, * Mr. Walter Welch, Field Agent for the Fish and Game Commission, tells me that in 1899 he was a deputy for the Commission in Santa Cruz County and that before the Lighthouse Board canceled the permission to kill sea lions on the reserva- tion, several thousand were killed at Ano Nuev"0. 8 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. the Xew York Zoological Society and various others. The California Commission stated its case at greater length, and the United States Commissioner of Fisheries withdrew his opposition. The other prot- estants, however, could not be induced to withdraw their opposition and the Lighthouse Board refused to cancel the suspension. While this controversy was at its height, in the summer of 1899, Pro- fessor L. L. Dyche, of the University of Kansas, made examinations of sea lion stomachs at Monterey and found only squid contained therein, although at the time salmon and other fish were plentiful in the bay. Dr. C. H. Merriam, in Science^ May 17, 1901, uses this work of Dyche 's in an article in support of the contention that the sea lions are not detrimental" to the fishing industry. In 1900, the Lighthouse Board still refusing to grant permission to kill sea lions on the federal reservations, the California Commission asked for the appointment of a special commission to investigate the matter thoroughly. This commission was appointed. It consisted of Cloudsley Rutter, chairman; R. E. Snodgrass, named by the California Fish and Game Commission, and E. C. Starks from the California Academy of Sciences. This commission studied the sea lions in Cali- fornia and its findings were published in the Commissioner's Report of the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries for 1902. They came to the conclusion that little damage was done to fishing gear bv the sea lions. In regard to food, thev arrived at the conclusion that the Steller sea lion is largely a fish consumer and the California sea lion is largely a squid eater. "It seems apparent, however, that either species feeds on whatever is most convenient. ' ' Although the California Commission could not kill sea lions on the federal reservations, they were so confident of the correctness of their stand that several of their deputies wore ordered to hunt sea lions and a great many were killed. Their report of 1901-1902 states, "The action of this Commission in causing a reduction of the sea lion herds, the killing of which Avas carried on for a few weeks in the spring of 1899, also in 1900, because of the inroads made on the supply of food fish, particularly salmon, has been the subject of more or less newspaper criticism. It arose chiefly from the groundless fear that one of the picturesque features of San Francisco the Seal Rocks, would be destroyed.* When our methods, scene of operation, and reasons there- for were made known, the criticism quickly subsided. Though no seals have been killed for more than two years, it is a fact that not since that time have they been seen in any numbers in the bays and rivers, and complaints about damage to nets and taking of fish have been very infrequent." Between 1902 and 1909 little was heard of the sea lions. Captain H. B. Xidever, of San Pedro, has supplied me with the information that in 1907 and 1908 several men systematically hunted sea lion bulls at San ^liguel Island and killed practically all the bulls of breeding age. In 1909 the sea lions had been so reduced that several natural history societies and interested parties sponsored a bill for their protection, "forbidding the killing, maiming or capturing of sea lions in the waters * Ml'. John Rowley, o£ the Lcs Angeles Museum, has in his possession a picture taken in 1889 which shows a flourishing rookery of Steller sea lions on the Seal Rocks at San Francisco. This place is and has for a long time been only a hauhng ground. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. of Santa Barbara channel and on land adjacent thereto, or in fish and game district nineteen." This was primarily to prevent the extermi- nation of the California sea lion. Since 1909 there has been no organized killing, though a small but steady drain has been acting on the herds. Several individuals add to their incomes by killing the breeding bulls for the penis and testicles, known to the trade as ''trimmings." These are sold to the Chinese, who manufacture a medical preparation supposed to rejuvenate the aged. A number of California sea lions are taken annually to be used for exhibition purposes in zoological gardens and circuses. This species is used almost exclusively, as the Steller is too large and difficult to handle. In 1927 the fishing interests of San Pedro and Santa Barbara spon- sored a bill (Senate Bill No. 547, introduced by Senator Charles W. Fig. 4. Bull sea lion trimmings hung up to dry on San Miguel Island. When dried they are sold to the Chinese who manufacture from them a medical preparation supposed to rejuvenate the aged. June 16, 1927. Lyon, of Santa Barbara), which would have repealed section 6'ilc of the Penal Code, the law of 1909. If this had passed, it would have taken all protection from the sea lions in California. This was subse- quently withdrawn. Another bill (Assembly Bill No. 820, introduced by Assemblyman Morgan Kcaton. of Long Beach) would have given the Fish and Game Commission power to control the seals and sea lions "where it determined such reduction was necessary." This also was withdrawn. A third bill relating to sea lions (Assembly Bill No. 199, introduced by Assemblyman T. R. Finle.y, of Santa Barbara), which passed both houses and was signed by the Governor May 17, 1927, affords protection to the California sea lion only, in fish and game 10 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. districts 19, 20 and 20A. This is approximately the same territory covered by the old law, but is more definite as to boundaries and includes Catalina Island, which Avas not in the previous law. This law- became effective July 29, 1927. S/ (Seor^e's /^ee/" . / y ' " " — /Feoi///7^ ff*r • rMji Po/r/^/rs Pb/'rt/- 'f X. ,. r''ly\ Ccrpe /Ve/7i/oc/ho X S, ' ) C V > ^''^"'"7 ) '1— / / U:"~-~-r P/ /7rena .( V. cv 1 V /y7^/-o//o/7S /s. i '-/^XX — ( / /Z70 A'l^ei^o '\^^ C/'^\ /./c>/7 PA: »f V. ■( Pec^o PA:') ,' ^ X - . ^/ 0 V — '— Fig. 5. Rookeries and hauling grounds of the Steller sea lion, Eumetopias stelJeri, on the coast of California. For the last twentj^ years, the information concerning sea lions has been confined to short notes by scientific men and to complaints of fishermen. The scientific man, with little authentic data, is cautious CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 11 when expressing an opinion. The fisherman, however, talks of thou- sands, and a vast amount of damage. The facts show that the numerical strength of the sea lion herds has been greatly exaggerated. The fol- FiG. 6. Rookeries and hauling grounds of the California sea lion, Zalophus c! r^^Mi HZB a §30 0. o 25 < " . ' ■ ^^^^^H '^'^'^^^^^H ■ '^ '. ■'' ■■ » ■ o ^20 in 3 O X 1- 15 " y/M ' " ■ VMT^^. 10 ^. 5 0 OCT NOV DEC ^AH FEB MAR /\PR My JUWE JUL/ AU& SEPT 1 9 X 6 » 9 Z 7 Fig. 14. Number of pounds, by species, of smelts landed in Los Angeles County, based on the observed percentage of each species. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 21 lowest percentage of jack smelt occurred in February, when this fish comprised only 71 per cent of the whole, but since the percentage was high in January and again in March, it would seem that the drop in February was due to a chance variation, and not to a seasonal fluctua- tion in the fishery. Grouping the data by quarters brings the per- centage of jack smelt above 90 throughout the whole year. This grouping makes the data comparable with statistics published quarterly by the Division of Fish and Game. Panzarotti occurred in small quantities throughout the whole year, but the data suggest a slight increase in percentage during the summer months. The grunion catch was most concentrated in the late winter and spring months, and negligible during the remainder of the year. It seems probable that no great significance should be attached to the unusually high percentage of grunion taken in February. The spawning season for the jack smelt occurs during the winter months, for the grunion, during the spring, and for the panzarotti, during the summer. Since the maximum percentage of each species corresponds roughly with the months of spawning, there may be a slight correlation between time of spawning and the amount of jack smelt, grunion or panzarotti taken by the fishermen. However, such indications are exceedingly slight, and the great preponderance of jack smelt at all times of the year entirely overshadows any significant fluctuations in the relative amounts of the three forms. If the year in which the observations were made is typical, the sm,elt fishery at San Pedro is composed almost exclusively of jack smelt. HOW A NATURAL RESOURCE IS BEING ADMINISTERED.* By W. L. ScoFiELD. In an offhand way we will agree that research work is a good thing, even necessary perhaps, but why should any department of the Division of Fish and Game of California establish a research labora- tory as an integral part of its organization? Would such a labora- tory actually be of direct and practical aid to a department, and could we be justified in calling research necessary to the extent of providing it a place in a state department on a par with administration or law enforcement! The Commercial Fisheries Department in its organization places research on such a parity. It is rather unique in this respect. Other organizations express interest in research but in actual practice the scientific work is considered a side issue, and it is hoped that the results of the investigations may be of use indirectly or possibly of direct use at some time in the future. A passing interest in scientific work and a dependence upon research are two very dif- ferent things. The Commercial Fisheries Department expects its • Contribution No. 66 from the California State Fisheries Laboratory, October, 1927. 22 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. research work to be of direct and immediate practical value in addition to laying a foundation for the future development of the department. What is the laboratory doing to justify this confidence in research? By straining a point we may say that the work of the Commerical Fisheries Department falls under three heads — Administration, Research, and Law Enforcement — but such a classification is artificial because there is no definite dividing line for any one type of work. Each is so dependent on the others and so interlocked with the other two that no one activity of the department can be singled out and called purely administration, research or law enforcement. This appears to be an exaggeration, but in practice the research workers are dependent on the patrol department and the law enforcement officers are depend- ent on the laboratory staff, while the administration of the department is dependent on, coordinates and directs the patrol and research. Almost every action of a member of the department involves more than one of the above functions. The department as a whole is assigned the duty of applying con-, servation practice to a state resource, the commercial fishes, aquatic animals and marine life of California. This means that the state must receive the benefit to be derived from the wise use of this resource, the fullest utilization possible. Since fish constitute a resource that is capable of reproducing itself, full utilization means continuous and perpetual use rather than a brief period of over-utilization resulting in a depleted resource. A radical reduction in resource means less use or even no utilization whatever as in the case of the sturgeon in Cali- fornia. Halibut and salmon are examples of resources depleted to the extent that utilization is now only a small fraction of what it should be. It is impossible to even discuss proper utilization of a resource with- out some knowledge of its extent. You can 't make even a sensible guess at how much interest is due you at the bank if you haven 't the remotest idea of what the principal is. If you are foolish you can make a wild guess at it for a year or so but sooner or later you are shocked into realizing that you are overdrawn. In withdrawing interest it is bad to guess at the principal but it is doubly foolish to keep no record of the interest drawn. Some resources, including some fisheries resources, are handled just that way, but fortunately California adopted more business-like methods and conservation practice is being applied to our commercial fisheries. It should be obvious in applying a policy of con- tinuous use to a resource such as fish that what we need most is to know something of the total supply and of the amount caught each year. Chiefly we wish to know M^hether the yearly catch is more than it should be or less than it could be with safety for the future. Other considerations are secondary. In the case of ocean fish, the answers to these questions are exceedingly difficult to arrive at, but the difficulty of solution does not lessen their importance nor is sensible administra- tion of the resource any less dependent on fundamental knowledge as to extent of the supply and the rate at which it is being utilized. We need not crow about recognizing the obvious, but California deserves great credit for doing something after the obvious needs were recog- nized. The Commercial Fisheries Department set itself the task of answering the most important questions first instead of postponing them in favor of less important but more spectacular work. Proper CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 23 administration of the resource should not be based on guess work, so it was decided that knowledge of the resource should be substituted for assumptions and should serve as the foundation of the department. Research workers were called upon to aid the department in learning something of the fundamentals of the fish supply to be administered and the State Fisheries Laboratory was established. The staff was asked to make accurate observations as to the resource, check these observations to be sure they were dependable, make an orderly arrangement of the observed facts, and as a final step to draw con- clusions based on facts rather than on assumptions. That procedure is the essence of the scientific method. It might be called systematized common sense. When the Ford is missing you go over it and trace the Fig. 15. California State Fisiieries Laboratory, Terminal Island, California. October, 1927. Photograph by G. H. Stone. trouble down to a blackened spark plug rather than oil the timer on suspicion, and to that extent you apply the scientific method without wearing your hair long or using a microscope. The program of the laboratory then is clear cut and definite; to aid the department in getting the necessary information as to fish supply, to estimate how heavily the supply of each species may be drawn upon, to discover any changes occurring in the supply, and to determine at what point depletion begins to show itself. This is a large program but it is the proper one. The complete fulfillment of such a program will require many years of the concentrated effort of the best brains that can be applied to these questions, but complete fulfillment is not 24 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. immediately necessary. In the meantime every fact learned supplants a guess. Each year the administration of the resource is increasingly effective as more facts are available and assumptions are discarded. Before any such program could be put into effect, it was necessary to survey the whole field for possible methods that might be applied and to determine what line of approach promised to lead toward the goal set. In this field of research the methods and details of procedure have not been worked out, so that we of necessity are having to deter- mine the value of methods by trying them out and this adds to the difficulties and delays. We are suffering all the hardships and experi- encing all the thrills of discovery that go with pioneering. One of the first and one of the most important steps taken by the department in learning about the fish supply was to establish a com- plete and accurate system of statistical records that would show the daily catch of each species of fish for each boat for each fishing region of the state. It is hard to run any large business with no system of bookkeeping, and these total catch records are of great value in under- standing what is happening in each fishery, in determining questions of relative importance, in determining seasons, and in tracing the effects of legislation. Important as these questions are, they are secondary when compared to the real object of establishing this system of catch records, that is, determining changes that may occur from year to year in the supply of fish. The system was designed so that we might have the daily catch of each boat. The catch of one boat for a day may he accepted as a measure of the return in fish for a definite unit of fishing effort. It is a measure of the availability of fish. From these records a group of certain boats may be selected and their daily catches followed through a series of years in order to determine whether the trend of their success is declining, remaining constant or possibly showing an increase. Other things than the supply of fish affect the boat catch so that allowing for and discounting them is not a simple operation. This analysis of the catches of individual boats is one of the two chief methods we have selected as promising to give us knowledge of changes in the supply of fish. Another method is to sample the commercial catch at regular inter- vals to determine the normal proportion of age classes appearing in the catch and to watch for any future change in this proportion. This is based on the theory that depletion, if it occurs, will show itself in a drop in the proportion of older fish. "We all know of the irritating scarcity of big trout in an over-fished stream as compared with a virgin stream. Such a method involves adequate sampling of the com- mercial catch and this means many laborious hours examining and measuring specimens from the catch. Although this is a long and slow process extending over a series of years, we expect it finally to yield results that are more complete and give us greater knowledge of the supply than are possible by a boat catch analysis alone. The program as outlined so far is given first consideration, but it is only part of the story. Suppose we find that a certain species is being depleted, then we should know what we are going to do about it. Why guess at the remedy ? We need to know how a certain remedy is going to affect this particular species. The effect of any one protective law is apt to depend on some peculiarity in the life history of this CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 25 particular fish. At the same time that we are working on questions of fish supply it is necessary to carry on work aimed at giving us the necessary knowledge of the life history and behavior of each species that we are considering. It is by no means possible to tell beforehand just what piece of information as to life history is going to prove neces- sary. The more we know of the habits and behavior of a species the more confidently we may venture to predict how it will be affected by a protective measure that might be applied. The research work of the Commercial Fisheries Department is not a desirable or even necessary side issue. It is the basis upon which the department is organized, and it is so interwoven with the work of the department that it would be difficult to clearly define its boundaries and impossible to segregate the purely investigative work from the other activities of the department. It is obvious then that such work must be conducted by the state department rather than depend on by-product fisheries investigations from some other organization such as a university or independent marine station. The very nature of the work involves state legislation and department regulation. In adminis- tering our fisheries, the department is endeavoring to determine the point of full utilization for each fishery, and to discover over-utiliza- tion before it becomes serious depletion of the supply. It would be easier and cheaper to guess at this, but the department is basing its work on dependable information rather than surmise. The research laboratory is assisting the department in determining the facts. SALMON INVESTIGATION. By J. O. Snyder, Stanford University. Believing that measures intended to conserve a fishery can not be intelligently devised and applied unti] the life history of the species is well known, an investigation of California salmon was begun some years ago, and is still in progress. Along with other work of a statistical nature the Division of Fish and Game has been keeping a A^ery accurate account of all salmon taken by the commercial fishermen wherever they have been operating. An examination of this reveals an alarming decline in the fishery, and points to the need of ' even more restrictive measures than have as yet been applied. Observations of the catch have been made at many places, both along the coast and in the rivers. These include the close scrutiny of thou- sands of individuals in an effort to determine sex, age, and certain phases of ocean and stream history. A microscopic examination of the scales reveals certain pertinent features of the life history of the fish, and the results of many of these are now available. Active field work has resulted in the collection of a vast amount of material such as scales, young fish, anatomical parts, field notes, photographs, draw- ings, etc., which are now stored in the Division's laboratory. It is expected that papers bearing on the investigation of this material will appear in due time. Some observations of an interesting and valuable nature have been made on young fish caught at sea and in the main channels of the rivers. 26 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. During the seasons of 1927 and 1928 an effort was made to place metal tags with distinctiA^e marks on fish which were caught at sea. It was thought that the recapture of the released fish would contribute something worth while to what we know of ocean migration. Difficulties encountered were so great as to put a very definite limit on the under- taking, and the results to date are not very encouraging. Much work of an experimental nature has been carried on in an attempt to answer questions or solve problems relating to the life history of the king salmon. One of these experiments, for example, was so planned as to make a test of the parent stream theory, and also to determine as far as possible the extent of ocean migration. It is hardly necessary to say that the parent stream theory has a direct bearing on artificial propagation, while the extent of ocean migration obviously has to do with the problem of regulating the marine fishery. The parent stream theory involves the presumption that on maturity, salmon return to the stream from which they previously migrated to the ocean. Much evidence which favored the theory had accumulated in the past, but sufficient experimental tests were lacking. The fact that adult king salmon would return to the stream into which they had been introduced when young, regardless of where the eggs which produced them had been taken, was not fully established, nor was it known whether mature fish on their upstream migration would seek out and enter the particular tributary in the waters of which they had been reared. A description of one or more field experiments, and a summary of the results may be of interest. The preliminaries of an experiment were described in California Fish and Game for July, 1920, and the results were published in the same magazine at later dates. In brief, the work was performed as follows : A large number of king salmon eggs, taken in Mill Creek, a tributary of the Sacramento River, were transferred to Fall Creek Hatchery which is located on a branch of Klamath River. The fry which came from these eggs were placed in rearing ponds near the hatchery and there held until they were of sufficient size for marking purposes. The marking of young fish is a process of fin mutilation, the reliability of which has been amply demonstrated. In this particular case the adipose and right ventral fins were removed from 25,000 small fish. When the slight wounds were completely healed, the fish were allowed to pass into Klamath River. They entered the main stream at a point north of Mount Shasta, from where they passed down the river and eventually entered the sea. Fishes from this planting were later captured in the ocean at points as far south as Monterey Bay, thus proving beyond doubt that salmon while at sea range very far from the mouths of their native streams. It is scarcely necessary to point out with this information in mind, that any procedure relating to the protection or conservation of Klamath salmon will involve a regulation of fishing at sea as well as in the river. It is not known to what extent Klamath salmon migrate to the northward, but since marked Sacramento salmon have been observed as far north as Fort Bragg, one m.a.y perhaps be allowed to infer that Klamath fish also migrate northward in search of food. None of these fish was taken in any stream other than the Klamath, where they returned in numbers, a fact indicating that salmon will CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 27 return upon their nuptial migration to the stream in whicli they passed their early life, rather than to that of their real parentage. It also appeared that these pond-reared fish behaved much as did those which had lived in the stream under natural conditions, that they eventually reached a similar size at a given age, and that in other respects they were like fish bred under natural conditions. A counter experiment performed in the Sacramento River produced similar results, thus confirming that of the Klamath. It having been demonstrated that salmon, when mature, enter the streams from which they at first migrated, the Division attempted to determine just how far this homing instinct would obtain with regard to particular tributaries of a river system. Since king salmon Fig. 16. Diagram showing how various lots of salmon were marked in experiments on the Klamath River. in the Klamath mature at from three to six years of age, it will be appreciated that any experiment having to do with them must extend over a considerable period of time. Cooperation among observers, officials, packers, anglers and commercial fishermen enters largely into the work, and lack of interest on the part of someone may cause partial or entire failure. A test of the homing instinct with regard to tributaries of a river was initiated in the fall of 1923 in the Klamath. The preliminaries of this experiment were fully described in California Fish and Game for January, 1924. The returns are not complete at this writing, but enough observations have been made to establish certain facts. As in the previously described experiment, the work centered about Fall Creek Hatchery, which is located about one mile above the junction 28 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Fig. 17. Map showing location of salmon spawning and marking experiments on the Klamath River. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 29 of the creek and the main channel of Klamath River. Fish to the number of 75,000 were marked as shown in the accompanying diagram. Each 25,000 of these was given a distinctive mark. These were care- fully kept in three separate groups, each of which w^as eventually introduced into a separate tributary. One group, that with the right ventral and adipose removed, was allowed to leave the breeding pond and pass down Fall Creek. Another lot, minus the adipose and anterior half of the dorsal, was put into Jenny Creek at a point a few hundred feet above its mouth. The latter stream enters the main channel somewhat over two miles below the mouth of Fall Creek, and a long distance above the racks. The third planting, the fish of which were distinguished by the absence of both ventrals, was made in Shasta River about a mile above "the mouth. On the following year an exactly similar planting was made. The racks near Ilornbrook act as a trap, which enables one to catch and examine all fish which attempt to pass that place. Traps in Fall Creek and Jenny Creek made possible the capture of fish entering those streams. Numerous adult fish with each of these marks have already been caught at sea and also in Klamath River, thus demonstrating the success of the plantings. Fish bearing the Jenny Creek and Fall Creek marks came to the racks in numbers, while the Shasta River mark was represented there by but two individuals. Several of the latter were caught in Shasta River by spearmen. Some of those wdth the Fall and Jenny Creek marks were allowed to pass beyond the racks and on up stream, where they were later recaptured. The results of this experiment, although it is not yet complete, seem to indicate that none of these fish entered any river other than the Klamath, that those bearing the Fall Creek mark returned to that stream when given an opportunity, and that the brief exposures given to fish in the other tributaries, while causing the return of some of the fish, was not suffi- cient to operate in all cases. Along with the examination of king salmon, considerable informa- tion relating to silver salmon, steelheads and stream trout has come to hand. Enough material relating to the rainbow trout of the Klamath has been collected to give us a fair picture of the more salient features of the life history of this fish. STRIPED BASS STUDIES. By E. C. ScoFiELD. The striped bass is one of the few combined sport and commercial fishes that we have in California. About 800,000 pounds are caught annually by the commercial nets and marketed to the people of Cali- fornia only. There is also a large amount caught by the sportsmen anglers for which no figures are available. However, the combined com- mercial and sport catch is certainly well over a million and a quarter pounds annually. Such a large catch appears startling, in view of the fact that the striped bass have had only 48 years of existence on our California coast. They were introduced from the east coast in 1879 and 1881, when two shipments were made, a total shipment of about 450 small bass. Ten years had not elapsed before they were being caught 4 — 56393 30 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. for market purposes. The Division of Fish and Game was swift to act in obtaining legislation to limit the size and number of striped bass caught. They wished the new species to be protected sufficiently to survive the nets and hooks and increase its numbers annually. Today we are confronted by the same question: How are we going to keep the striped bass on the increase in face of the hundreds of nets and thousands of anglers that appear as a barrier across the road to conservation? The popularity of the species demands that it be saved from a possible extermination by overfishing. The Division of Fish and Game, as a state institution maintained to regulate such matters, has taken steps to prevent such an occurrence to this valuable fish. The Commercial Fisheries Department, in whose hands lies the destiny of our commercial fishes, has launched a systematic, scientific study of the striped bass, knowing that the results obtained will form a basis for legislation and their future conservation. ■ ^ ■ i^^^S f^^^HHS ■If 1 ^5 mRWam -J r 1 V , jMjiijBnBW JH p w >^- _ J^^ --^'"'"i"l „^ *-"■-- '- ^ ^ 1^1^ ^ ^ ^ J J 1 \ V M^ Fig. 18. Catch of striped bass from Salinas River by party of three men. Photograph by G. A. Clark, 1921. One of the most important activities of the department is to measure the abundance of the commercial fish species by means of data which have been gathered of the commercial catch. These data, provided by commercial fish dealers, are required by state law and are detailed and accurate. They have been gathered now for a period of seven years. From these data, it is possible to determine the average yearly catch of any species for a given unit of effort. Such a measurement has been made of the striped bass, and the result shows that these fish have been increasing in abundance during the past seven years. Problem. Next to measuring the abundance of a fish, or any animal for that matter, the most important information to be obtained for proper legislation is the knowledge of the life history of the species. Such a study of the bass will show us how old they are at various lengths, how fast they grow, how old they are when they begin spawn- ing, where they migrate, what they eat, and many other facts entering CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 31 into their life cycle. It is, therefore, the intent of this article to show how the work of obtaining the life history is carried on. A life history study will include such studies as the spawning, development of the egg, hatching, growth, migrations, food, habits and so forth. We realize that it would be next to impossible to follow a group of bass throughout their entire life cycle in order to obtain tire above facts. It is necessary, therefore, that we study only one question at a time. Age, The first question is the determination of the age of the striped bass. - It is imperative that we speak of the bass in ages rather than in sizes, for it is more accurate. Nature has provided a simple means of 4 / 0 ^j'. <. Fig. 19. Microscopic photograph of a striped bass scale. The particular bass from which this scale was taken had just passed its fourth winter ; therefore, it was in its fifth year. 0 indicates the center of the scale, 1, the first winter annulus or check, 2, the second winter check, etc. Photograph by E. C. Scofleld. 47 centimeters: June 1, 1927. obtaining the age of most fishes, and that is by the markings that form on almost all hardened parts of a fish. On the striped bass, we have used the scale for age determination. A microscopic image of a scale shows a great number of rings, somewhat similar to a cross- section of a tree stump. (See Fig. 19.) For every ring in a tree stump, a year's growth is represented. A scale, however, will have from twenty to thirty rings per year, but during the winter months the bass go through a dormant stage when these rings are formed very close together. About April or May, normal growth commences again and the rings are formed much wider apart. Where the crowded rings 32 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. on the scale meet the widened rings, there is a decided mark, or check, as we call it. Because this check is formed once a year, we call it the "annual check," and the age of the bass can thus be determined. We also find this annual check formed on other hardened parts of the body of a bass. The opercle, or cheek bone, shows the markings very distinctly when it is boiled and cleaned of its scaly surface. The mark- ings are not so plain as those on a scale, but one can see them without the aid of a microscope by simply holding them up to the light. Another part of the body that is frequently used for age reading is the otolith, a small cradle-shaped bone that occurs in the inner ear of most fishes. To obtain best results with these, they must be examined immediately after they are removed from the fresh fish. After they are removed, they are ground down on a stone until they are so thin that a light will penetrate them. A microscopic image of the otolith at this stage will show the annual checks, as does the cheek bone. Many investigators prefer this ear bone for age determination, holding that it is less influenced by natural or artificial disorders that may affect the scales or other parts of the outer regions. The work of removing them and grinding them down is very tedious; so in the case of the present investigation, they have only been removed at random, to be aged and used as a check on the scale method of age determination. Rate of Growth. An important obstacle in the study of the life history of the striped bass has been overcome by the determination of their age. Next, we are confronted by the problem of solving their rate of growth. It is important to learn how much a bass grows in each year of its life. The simplest method of determining this is the periodical sampling of the bass and the application of the frequency curve. Although this may seem difficult to understand, it is very simple when explained. We will assume that the bass spawn in the spring of each year. The bass that hatch from each of these yearly spawnings should grow at about the same rate. Some individuals may grow more slowly and others more rapidly. Now, if two hundred or so bass are measured, which is a good representative sample of a spawn- ing that occurred two years ago, we obtain something like the fol- lowing table: 0 bass at 7 inches 5 bass at 8 inches 20 bass at 9 inches 45 bass at 10 inches 75 bass at 11 inches 40 bass at 12 inches 10 bass at 13 inches 5 bass at 14 inches 0 bass at 15 inches If this table is plotted in a curve with the base measured off in inches and the height in number of fishes as in figure 20 the result is what we call a frequency curve. CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. 33 Now, if we measured all the bass that have hatched since the spawn- ing that took place, say four years ago, we would have four groups, representing bass from one to four years of age. If these data were plotted in a simple frequency curve, we would see, as a result, four distinct humps, one for each year or age group, as is seen in Figure 21. Of course, it is impossible to catch and measure all the bass which have been spawned, even for one year, but it is possible to obtain a liberal sample of the fish which is representative of the bass population in San Francisco Bay. However, it has not proved easy to obtain this representative sample, for commercial fishermen are not allowed to use a net with smaller mesh than 5^ inches, and they catch very few bass under five years of age. It is necessary, therefore, to use a large seine with small mesh, and to do this an experienced seine fisherman must be hired. It is also required that a special permit be obtained to take the bass for scientific purposes. 8o 70 60 'So Jo C »^ Zq ^ j i / \ / \ i f \ \ / r / \ / } \ \ / / s 1:^. / * I J ■^ >■ ^ f (. > " ' i \ i. / 3 / 1 1 I 1 J /I * / r /b o L.enath of jha^s /n j'nches Fig. 20. A typical length-frequency curve of the two-year group of striped bass. The points on the curve represent the number of bass at a certain length. The first point to the left shows that there are five bass of eight inches in length, and the second point shows that there are twenty bass of nine inches in length, etc. The mode, or highest point, indicates that the majority of the two-year old bass are eleven inches in length. If the sampling of the bass population, as dascribed in the preceding paragraph, is done periodically, say every month, we would expect to gather larger bass each time, as a result of growth. This proves to be true, for when the material is measured and plotted in frequency curves, we observe a movement of the various humps to the right, showing an increase in size as time progresses. This is well illustrated in Figure 21. In this manner we can obtain a very accurate record of the growth of striped bass throughout the first few years of their life, at least. Another important use of the frequency curve is the checking of the age reading from scales. The frequency curve shows us that a bass is from eight to fourteen inches in length at the end of its second year. The scale reading method, therefore, should show that a two-year old 34 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. bass is from eight to fourteen inches in length. Any results to the contrary would expose an error, either in the scale reading or in the formation of the frequency curve. O •Q '^ Length tyf bas5 in inches Fig. 21. Ideal length-frequency curve of four age groups of striped bass, show- ing their respective advances in growth over a period of four months. Each peak of the various humps, or age groups, for August and October shows a decided advance to the right as compared with June. This illustrates growth, and is the method employed to determine the rate of growth of striped bass. A series of lengths which were computed from a group of bass scales has given us a rough, yet interesting, chart of the average lengths of bass at various ages. The results are in the following table : 1 year old bass average 4 inches 2 year old bass average 10 inches 3' year old bass average 15 inches 4 year old bass average 18 inches 5 year old bass average 20 inches 6 year old bass average 23 inches 7 year old bass average 28 inches 8 year old bass average 32 inches 9 year old bass average 36 inches 10 year old bass average 39 inches 11 year old bass average 41 inches 12 year old bass average 42 inches Age of Maturity. The age and rate of growth having been solved, we next turn to the question of the age at which the striped bass mature and spawn. This question is one of the primary studies of CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 35 this investigation. The results will show the percentage of spawning bass that are, and those that are not, protected by the present sized fishing gear or nets. For example, we will say that the bulk of the commercial catch is made up of bass that are in their fifth and sixth years. If it is discovered that the majority of the bass spawn for the first time in their fourth year, then that spawning group is protected from the nets and should spawn unmolested. Such a condition in any fishery, should result in the maintenance of the present abundance of that species. The method being followed is to test the bass ovaries for their degree of maturity or immaturity prior to and during the spawning season. A thousand or so specimens from two to ten years of age are examined in this manner. A hundred or so individuals representing each age should show the percentage of bass that spawn for the first time in their respective ages. The difficulty encountered in this method was the inability to get the desired material. We were obliged to gather our own material by using a seine, as previously stated, and our results were unsatisfactory. Because of this difficulty, we have resorted to the commercial catch entirely for our material, in spite of its selectiveness. It is believed that we can obtain good results in this manner, for once the age of maturity of the commercial group is obtained, it will be comparatively simple to determine the younger ages of maturity. Migrations. We have determined the age of the striped bass, as well as their rate of growth. We are now working on the problem of age of maturity. Only two important features of this investigation, then, remain untouched. These are the migrations and the food of the bass. The migrations are a problem that can be partially solved through close observation and individual information. However, the more accurate way would be to carry on an extensive marking experi- ment within San Francisco Bay. The small striped bass can be obtained by the thousands in the summer time. If these were caught and marked by removing one or more fins and then liberated, they would later be caught by anglers or net fishermen and reported to deputies of the Division of Fish and Game. If the return of these marked bass was large enough, we could obtain a fairly good concep- tion of their migrations, for we could undoubtedly get cooperation from the net fishermen within the bay, the anglers on the flats and on the sloughs, and from casters along the beaches from Monterey to Point Reyes. Information of this sort would tell something of the migration of the bass in the ocean and within the bay. This plan has not been included in the present investigation, but will probably be carried on as a separate work later. Information, however, can always be readily secured from fishermen as to movements of the bass within the bay and along the coast. We have learned from them, and from our own experience, that during the warm summer months, and perhaps early fall, the bass will school close to the shores, following the rise and fall of the tide. Their favorite grounds during these months are the mud flats where the temperature ranges from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The most exciting incident that we ever witnessed in regard to the bass schooling on the flats occurred early in July of this year. Our collecting boat had been scouting the bay for two days, without a sign 36 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. of bass. Weather conditions for their capture had been poor, but on that afternoon the wind had changed to the northeast, and the northern shore of San Francisco Bay was very calm. It was fine weather for the bass to be schooling on the flats, so we headed our boat for Black Point. The sunset marked our arrival. The surface of the water was as smooth as glass, for there was not a breath of wind. As our boat glided through the shining water, we suddenly became aware of a few jumping bass in the shallow water beyond. In a moment we were surrounded by splashing bass. The captain of our collecting boat had witnessed such scenes before; so for our benefit, he took a long boat hook and hit the water a resounding smack with it. The result was as if some unseen hand had hurled a ton of rock over the surface of the water in all directions. Striped bass from one-half to six pounds in weight splashed and squirmed in the shallow water, in their frantic efforts to escape danger. The water was a boiling mass of fish. In a few minutes they had subsided and the surface gradually became smooth and finally resumed its silvery tint. The captain estimated that at least twenty tons of striped bass were in that one school. We see nothing of this sort when the cold weather sets in. The bass leave the flats and seek the depths of the channels and sloughs. At times they rise to the surface, but never do they in schools approach the flats which formerly had been their habitat. In the channels of the bay the movements of the bass occur at lower depths. Surface nets are discarded and submerged nets are employed almost entirely. A net of this sort is a typical gill net, except that it is heavily leaded so that when placed vertical in the water it will sink below the surface. Buoys, however, with twelve-foot ropes tied to them and to the top of the net allow the net to sink only twelve feet below the surface. By this method a fisherman can use a regular drift gill net at lower depths where the bass are. Should the law allow, the fishermen would fish the bottom of the channels, for there they claim the bass can be found in larger quantities in the winter months. The sloughs afford a great habitat for wintering bass, especially the larger ones. Occasionally a big one is landed by a skilful angler but the bulk of the bass refuse the baited hook at this time of the year. The bass are there, however, because we have made successful experi- mental catches during the coldest months, namely December and January. The ocean fishermen have also given valuable information in regard to ocean migration of striped bass. They have told us that during the winter and early spring months, the fishing is very poor. About the last of July the bass are caught in large numbers. This run lasts until early fall, about October, at which time the biting practically ceases. These facts seemingly indicate a seaward migration immediately after their spawning, which occurs in the spring months. From October to March their diet lightens considerably. They appear to seek the deep water and the rivers that enter the ocean, where they lie practically dormant save for intervals when they take nourishment. Spring sees them stirring around for food and, as a result, a few are taken on hook and line off' the beaches and in the rivers. We must take into considera- tion, also, that the amount of bass caught by anglers off the beaches and in the rivers does not necessarily form an accurate basis on which CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 37 to determine their migrations. If linked with accurate methods of migration study, such material would be valuable ; but if used alone, it would be valueless as far as accurate scientific research is concerned. Food. Closely related to the migrations is the food of the bass. We have found that the migrations or movement of the bass within the bay and along the coast are largely dependent upon the food they are seeking. _ During the warm summer months the bass school on the mud flats. There, also, is the small feed of these revenous eaters. In the fall, when cold weather sets in, they leave the flats, and with them go the smaller fishes. We have seen occurrences similar to this in the ocean. We have watched the Salinas River all through the ebb tide, without seeing a sign of bass. At the first of the flood tide, however, they school into the river's mouth, seeking their favorite food — the Portuguese man-of-war, which drift in with the tide. Because the food of the bass is so closely related, in many ways, to their migrations, we have undertaken a detailed study of this question. By systematically examining stomach contents of bass at random throughout the year, we have been able to determine their food in the various localities and seasons. A wide variety of foods has been found in their stomachs. Crabs and shrimps are their main diet, but we have found that they eat almost anything they can get into their mouth lengthwise. Any food that is plentiful, such as crab and shrimp, appears to be their favorite. Small smelt occur in great numbers in the summer months and they are ravenously eaten by the bass. We once extracted a thirteen-inch splittail from a nineteen-inch bass. Excep- tionally large crabs, smelt and bullheads are not uncommon in their stomachs. They eat their own young in great quantities. Other varie- ties of food removed from their stomachs are softshell crabs, clams, periwinkles, piling worms, herring, gobies, minnows, sticklebacks, sand fleas and grass. Bass will follow a school of fish for miles if the water is clear. Where there are sea gulls and pelicans flying over the water, one is sure to find a school of small fish, and there also will always be a school of feeding bass. Final Report. As soon as this work is completed, a final report will be issued. It will be detailed and accompanied by charts and tables. The studies of this report on the life history of the striped bass will consist of age, rate of growth, age of maturity and facts relating to migrations. CATCH FIGURES AND FISH SUPPLY.* By Job A. Craig. The necessary and fundamental information which a person must have in order to intelligently manage a business of any sort, is a knowledge of the amount of capital that the business possesses and the income derived from the investment. Certainly a competent executive would not pay out as dividends part of the capital needed to maintain a business. Nor would the manager of a cattle ranch sell a great many more cattle than the natural increase of his herds, and so cut down his breeding stock to a dangerously low level. * Contribution No. 68 from tiie California State Fisheries Laboratory, November, 1927. 38 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. The Department of Commercial Fisheries of the Division of Fish and Game is in mneh the same position as an executive employed for the purpose of managing an investment belonging to other people ; the capital invested being represented by the population of crustaceans, mollusks and fishes of commercial importance, belonging to the people of the state, and the dividends derived from that investment being the catches taken from this population. The department, at a very early date in its organization, realized the importance of having accurate information concerning the size of catch of the various species of fish and the question of whether or not the amount taken was depleting the supply or breeding stock to such an extent that future profitable returns were endangered. Therefore, we find it provided by a state law, enacted in 1919, that ''It shall be the duty of the Fish and Game Commission to gather data of the commercial fisheries and to prepare the data so as to show the real abundance of the most important com- mercial fishes." There are also provisions made for the biological investigation of depletion, but we shall mention only that portion of the study of abundance of commercial fishes concerned with the col- lection and use of statistical data. It is also legally provided that all fish dealers, canners or other per- sons buying fish direct from fishermen must fill out a triplicate form, furnished by the Division of Fish and Game, showing what species and amounts were bought, date of purchase, name, number and owner of boat that caught the fish, and price paid for the fish. One copy of this record is kept by the buyer, one is given to the fisherman selling the fish and the third copy is sent to the Department of Commercial Fisheries. In this way that department procures a complete record of every catch of fish sold in the state. It is a simple matter to add up these records of individual catches and secure a total yearly catch for each species. The relative size of total yearly catch of a species is supposed by many to be a satisfactory method of judging the abundance of a fish over a period of years. In fact, it is a very unreliable and usually misleading basis for detecting depletion. This is so because there are a great many factors, other than the abundance of a fish, that determine the size of the total yearly catch. As an example, a species of fish may be seriously depleted, but be very much in demand so that the price rises and consequently more men go into that fishery, with the result that the total catch stays at a high level or actually increases, because more effort is being expended on the fishery, while the abundance of the species is rapidly decreasing. Improvements in gear or fishing methods may also cause an increase in total catch while depletion is taking place. Of course after depletion has proceeded to a great extent, the total catch will fall off in spite of greatly increased fishing effort, but then it is often too late to recoup the losses and get the fishery back on a paying basis. Also the total catch may decrease while the abundance of the species is constant or even increasing. This may be due to a falling off in demand for a certain fish, or an increased demand for another species, .causing less effort to be expended in the taking of the species in ques- tion. A strike of a fishermen's union or storms may also cut down the number of fishing day,s (Available to the fishermen and cause a decrease CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 39 in their fishing effort and total catch, while the abundance remains unchanged or increases. A closed season or legislation prohibiting the use of some particularh^ effective gear may decrease the total catch, while these protective measures are really causing an increase in abundance. Evidently then, the catch data must be carefully analyzed and changes in fishing effort, gear and available fishing days discounted by some means before authentic information concerning the relative abundance of a species of fish can be obtained. A boat catch analysis is a procedure which, as far as is possible, accomplishes this, and in brief gives us the return for a constant unit of fishing effort and gear over a period of years.* In a general way the method of making a boat catch analysis is as follows: As has been explained, the Department of Commercial Fish- eries receives tickets which are complete records of every catch of fish sold in the state. These tickets are sorted and filed by boat at the State Fisheries Laboratory. This means that we have a record of each catch of every commercial fishing boat filed in chronological order. Also, each boat owner is required by law to register his boat each year, giving gear used, sort of fish caught during the previous year, number in the crew and a complete description of the boat. When it is decided to conduct a boat catch analysis of a certain fishery, the first step is to go through the tickets and select a number of boats operating continuously in that fishery- during the j^ears to be included in the investigation. The registration cards of these boats are then gone through and checked over to see if there has been any marked change in gear or personnel which would change the efficiency of any of the boats. The catches of any boats having changes in gear or marked changes in crew number should be discarded since they do not represent the product of a constant unit of gear. A large enough number of boats should be secured to insure a good sample of the catches of the fishery being investigated. The catches of the boats selected are then tabulated bj^ days, that is, each daily landing or catch is recorded with date upon which it was sold. This is done for each boat separately. This process of selection of boats and tabulation of catches gives us a day-to-day record of the output of a constant unit of gear and fishing personnel employed over the period of time to be included in the anah^sis. The records of all of the boats selected can then be combined and the average daily catch computed for each year, or shorter period of time if desired. There are several different sorts of averages that can be used for this purpose, and a careful analysis of the data and fishery is necessary to decide upon the best form of average to use and how it should be computed. This then gives us the relative result of a constant unit of fishing effort and gear used for a constant unit of time. In other words, the final result is the daily average catch of a fixed unit of fishing effort and gear computed in yearly periods or shorter units of time over an interval of several years. * The first work undertaken in North America on catch returns per unit of gear, as far as we know, was done by Mr. W. F. Thompson on the halibut of British Columbia, and published by. the British Columbia Fisheries Department in 1915. Mr. Thompson also made a boat catch study of the albacore fishery during the time be was Director of the California State Fisheries Laboratory. 40 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. These results when considered as yearly averages would be indicative of the yearly fluctuations in abundance, or at least the availability to the fishermen of the species studied, if no changes in economic, weather or biological conditions had taken place during the time included in the boat catch study. However, some change, such as adverse weather for the best catches, or a great demand for another fish, taken perhaps with the same gear as the one studied, may have caused the fishermen to make only small incidental catches of the one in question, and fluctuations would result in the average boat catch so that it is not an absolutely accurate measure of the abundance or availability of the fish to the fishermen. Also the appearance of the offspring of an unusually successful spawning season in the commercial catch may cause a tempo- rary increase in abundance, which would not be especially significant if the study of abundance extended over a long period of time. Therefore, when the average daily catch per year has been computed, the problem of a person undertaking a boat catch analysis is by no means completed. All available data on economic, weather and Fig. 22. Graph showing the average daily boat catch of shad of twenty boats fishing in the San Francisco bay district for the years 1920—1925, inclusive. biological conditions that may affect the fishery should be carefully analyzed and applied to the boat catch analysis results, before the final result is said to be indicative of the state of abundance or availability of the fish in question. When there is added to this the fact that different fisheries may require different statistical methods of deriving the boat catch averages, it can at once be seen that a boat catch analysis is not a simple problem. The solid line in figure 22 shows the average daily boat catch of shad in each year from 1920 to 1925, inclusive, of twenty boats fishing in San Francisco Bay and its tributaries, and will serve as an example of the result of a simple boat catch analysis. Briefly, the average daily boat catch for each year was computed as follows : First, from the boat regis- tration and ticket files, the names of twenty boats were taken which had fished for shad continuously during the years in question and had not changed their personnel or gear. This gave a constant unit of fishing gear with which to work. The daily catches of each boat were then tabulated, the record of each boat being kept separately. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, 41 As soou as the catches were tabulated, it was evident that some boats ]iad catches which averaged much larger than the catches of others. This was due to some boats being larger, having larger nets or crews, or being operated by more skillful fishermen. Then if the catches as recorded had been combined and averages taken, the boats with the large catches would have had a much greater influence in determining the final averages than the boats with small catches. This is not desirable, since small fluctuations in catches of a boat which habitually makes small catches should be as indicative of the availability of fish to the fishermen as greater fluctuations in catches of a boat which regularly makes larger catches. In order to give all boats equal weight in determining the final results, the catches of all of the boats were raised to a level so that their averages corresponded to the average of the boat having the highest average catch through the six -year period. This was accomplished by finding a factor for each boat, by which all catches of each boat were multiplied and thereby raised to an equal basis with the catches of the boat having the largest catches. Since the catches of all of the boats were raised to a common level, the records of all twenty boats were combined and an average of the daily catches per boat computed for each year. This was done by dividing the sum of all catches of all of the boats for one year by the total number of catches occurring in that year. This procedure was followed with the data for each of the six years. The result is shown by the solid line in figure 22. The actual size of each catch for each boat, after being multiplied by its respective factor, and number of catches of each boat were used in computing the yearly averages, so each boat had a weight or influence on the final yearly averages in direct proportion to the number of catches that it made in each par- ticular 3^ear. This is as it should be, because a boat making a hundred catches in a year furnishes twice as reliable a sample as a boat making only fifty catches in that year. The final result then is the average catch per day or trip of a con- stant unit of fishing effort and gear for each of several years. At this point it may be well to say that this paper does not pretend to be a complete discussion of the abundance of shad in our state. The graph shown in figure 22 is presented merely as an illustration of a boat catch method, and the statements that follow are in the nature of suggestions to show what can be done with boat catch data. The shad boat catch analysis was made in the course of an investigation of the abundance of striped bass, and we do not feel that enough work has been done on the shad data to warrant definite conclusions being drawn concerning the subject. The boat catch curve indicated by the solid line in figure 22 shows that there was a sharp decrease in average boat catch from 1920 to 1921 and then a steady increase up to the close of 1925. This indicates that there was an increase in abundance of shad from 1921 to 1926. In order to verify this curve the economic conditions of the shad fishery during these years should be investigated. Prices for the different years and data on market conditions should be gathered and correlated with the boat catch curve. 42 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Also, since salmon and striped bass are taken by the same boats on the same days that shad are caught, the condition of these fisheries should be studied, particularly prices, because a rise in shad prices and a drop in the prices paid for the other two fish might result in more fishing in places favorable for taking shad and so raise the size of the shad catches. Another interesting phase of the problem is that in 1918 a protective measure, making a closed season on shad during part of their spawning season, went into effect. Therefore it may be that the first fish spawned in that protected spawning season returned in 1922 and helped to cause the rise in boat catch from 1922 to 1925, inclusive. Of course work to determine the age at which shad first appear in the commercial catch should be done to verify that supposition. A boat catch analysis then is not a simple problem, but when care- fully done and all of the biological and economic factors that might affect it are also worked out, it is a procedure that will yield the infor- mation desired by the Department of Commercial Fisheries and persons interested in the fisheries, and will furnish a definite measure of the abundance of the species of fish involved in the investigation. AN HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE USE OF FOOD FISH FOR REDUCTION PURPOSES. (Continued from California Fish and Game^ Vol. 13, No. 1, p. 17.) By B. D. Marx Greene, Attorney, California Fish and Game Commission. At the conclusion of the previous article, certain cases were still pending in court. The owners of the two purse seine boats which had diverted food fish to the ''Peralta" were contending that we had no right to condemn their purse seines. In the superior courts, however, of both Monterey County and Santa Cruz County, judgment was given in favor of the Fish and Game Commission condemning the nets. Thereupon, the owners of the two nets immediately filed petitions for writs of supersedas in the Supreme Court to prevent the court below from enforcing the judgment of condemnation. The two matters came on for hearing before the Supreme Court on May 3, 1927, and after argument, it was stipulated, owing to the perishable character of the nets, that they should be sold under an order of the court and the proceeds deposited with the court, pending the final determination of the right of condemnation. Subsequently, however, the petitioners consented to a dismissal of the actions and the nets were sold back to the original owners for the sum of $1,450. At the conclusion of the first installment of this article, the Alameda County court still had under consideration the injunction hearings brought by the Commission against the "Lake Miraflores." In this matter the temporary restraining order was finally dissolved and the defendant's demurrer sustained on the ground that the location of the vessel was beyond the three-mile limit and outside the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of California. This did not at all upset the theory of law enunciated by the Supreme Court and the United States District Court, but was decided upon the question of fact as to whether CALIFOENIA FISH AND GAME. 43 or not the body of water in which the boat was anchored was a bay within the meaning of the constitution. In December, 1926, the Globe Cotton Oil Mills of Los Angeles, which was in the business of manufacturing edible oil out of sardines, filed a petition in the Supreme Court for a writ of mandate against the Fish and Game Commission to compel it to hold a hearing to determine whether a^permit should be issued to petitioner to use sardines for such purpose. The Commission had refused to hold such hearing, basing its refusal upon the language of the decision of Judge Stephens (Cali- fornia Fish and Game, January, 1927, p. 11), which seemed to deprive the Commission of all its judicial powers, including that of holding hearings. The Supreme Court, however, decided in favor of petitioner, and handed down the following decision : S. F. No. 12323. In Bank. January 20, 1927. Glole Cotton Oil Mills, Peti- tioner vs. I. Zellerhach, M. H. Connell and Ralph H. Clock, members of the Fish and Game Commission of the State of California, Respondents. Application for writ of mandate prayed to be directed to respondents as members of the Fish and Game Commission to require them to act upon the application of petitioner for a permit authorizing it to use in its plant a designated quantity of fish. Writ granted. For Petitioner — Warren H. Pillsbury, John L. Dyer. For Respondents — B. D. Marx Greene. BY THE COURT. Upon submission of the cause in open court the chief justice announced the decision of the court as follows : The petitioner, owning and operating a fish reduction plant at Terminal Island, San Pedro Harbor, seeks a writ of mandate to compel the respondent Fish and Game Commission to set for hearing and to act on the application filed with the Commission by petitioner for a permit authorizing it to use in its plant the quantity of fish designated in the application, for the purposes therein specified. The Com- mission has refused to entertain jurisdiction of the application upon the ground that it is a nonjudicial body, and that to act as requested by the petitioner would be to exercise judicial functions. In assuming this position the respondent relies upon Van Camp Sea Food Co. vs. Pish and Game Commission, 49 Cal. App. Dec. 38, in which it was held that a commission like the Fish and Game Commission, whicli is one having a state-wide jurisdiction, as distinguished from a local board, can not be invested with judicial functions, for the reason that, "except for local purjwses," section 1 of article VI of the constitution confines all judicial power to certain specified courts. This court is of the view, however, that admitting that the Fish and Game Com- mission can not be granted any power which constitutionally belongs exclusively to the judicial department of the state government, the granting of power to hold hearings and determine facts incidental to the regulation of fish and game, and to the granting of permits to take and use fish, is valid as an administrative or regula- tory power, and in no wise transgresses upon the judicial functions of the judicial department. Let the writ of mandate issue as prayed for. This decision of the Supreme Court, while technically a defeat for the Commission, was in reality one of its greatest victories, because it restored to the Commission the right to hold hearings and detennine quasi- judicially matters entrusted to it by the legislature in various acts. Relying, therefore, upon this decision, the Commission immediately told all of the sardine packers in California that it would be necessary for them to file applications to have their capacities determined. Most 44 CALIFOENIA FISH AND GAME. of the packers in southern California refused to comply with the_ order of the Commission, basing their refusal upon the former decision of Judge Stephens. The Commission thereupon commenced an injunction suit against the Van Camp Sea Food Co., Inc., alleging that they were operating their reduction works and using fish therein without having had the capacity of their canning plant determined. The matter came on before Judge Stephens upon an order to show cause, and was argued and submitted to the court upon a general demurrer filed by the defendant. On November 14th, Judge Stephens handed down his decision overruling the demurrer of the defendant and sus- taining fully the position of the Fish and Game Commission. In effect, this second decision of Judge Stephens in the Van Camp case expressly overrules his former decision heretofore quoted. The law therefore is now settled that all canners must apply to the Fish and Game Commission to have their capacity determined. There is, however, no method left in the law by which the Fish and Game Commission is to determine such capacity, for the arbitrary allowance of 150 tons for each line of one-pound oval can closing machinery has been declared unconstitutional by the appellate court. In the meantime, the Fish and Game Commission, in the orders determining capacity which it has heretofore made during the present season, has set out that the capacity of each canning plant is the amount of fish actually taken into such plant and canned. Each packer is, therefore, allowed to use for reduction purposes 25 per cent of his actual catch and not 25 per cent of a theoretical capacity of a plant. Furthermore, the Commission, in order to make the matter doubly certain, has adopted its General Order No. 6, defining waste of sardines, and in this order it determines that any use of sardines will be con- sidered a waste unless a packer obtains out of each ton of sardines received by him at least fifteen cases of one-pound oval cans of sardines. Inasmuch as a packer can obtain twenty cases of such one-pound oval cans of sardines out of each ton of fish received, if the entire amount is fit for canning, it necessarily follows that this General Order No. 6 of the Commission allows the packer the leeway or margin of 25 per cent contemplated by the law. After the decision on the demurrers in the Van Camp Sea Food case, the Commission filed injunction proceedings against three other packers at San Pedro who had ignored the Commission's order to have their capacity determined and had gone ahead with the operation of their plants. Temporary restraining orders were issued against these three packers and they were all kept closed for a period of days. Thereupon, all of the packers in southern California filed with the Commission their applications to have their capacities determined and appealed to the Commission to dismiss the pending litigation, agreeing that they would abide by the rules and regulations of the Commission and cooperate with it to the fullest extent. The Commission heeded the pleas of the packers and ordered the pending cases dismissed — and for the first time, practically, in the history of the state, there is now complete accord and amity between the California Fish and Game Commission and the sardine packers. CALIFORNIA L'lSU AND GAME. 45 BIOLOGICAL REQUISITES FOR LAKE TROUT.* By George A. Coleman. The lakes pf California range from nearly sea level to almost 12,500 feet in altitude. A great variety of conditions are produced as a result of such changes in elevation. Lakes lying in the lowlands are rarely if ever frozen while those in the high Sierra are beleagured by the powers of winter for a great part of the year. Even lakes located at the same level above the sea vary. They have different depths and this factor, too, has a bearing upon the food supply of fishes and the conditions under which they live. Often sportsmen wonder when fish are planted in a lake why they are not forthcoming by the thousands. The reason is not so much a mystery as it would seem at first blush, for either the lake is unsuitable for fishes to breed in or the food in it is not adequate to support them. The wind in passing over the surface of a lake sets up a wave action and produces a circulation that reaches a depth of from 25 to 40 feet. Hence, a lake with a depth of 25 feet has a circulation entirely to the bottom. Lakes of this character, where the whole body of water is influenced by the wind, are classed as shallow. Lakes of this type are also influenced by fluctuations of daily temperature. However, the deep lakes, those whose depth exceeds 40 feet, are subject only to seasonal changes in temperature. When a depth of 170 feet is reached the temperature varies only one degree Fahrenheit. Below this depth it is constant even though the surface may be 10 degrees warmer. In general, the food of fishes is produced in a narrow fringe around the edge of the lake. The only place where plants and insects flourish is in the rocky or sandy margins where a strong wave action occurs. This area rarely extends more than 10 feet from shore so that the growth within the lake of plant and insect food for fishes is accord- ingly limited to a small portion of the water area. Water insects and plants very seldom occur at a depth of greater than 25 feet. Occasionally they are found in deep water but not often. Light sensibly affects the growth of life in water as well as the other factors previously mentioned. At a depth of 250 feet only the lowest forms of plants have so far been discovered. Below this there is practically no light and darkness and lifelessness hold sway. The United States Bureau of Fisheries made some experiments in keeping fishes at different depths. Pressure, of course, increases with depth and this represents another controlling factor in the well being of fishes. For instance, the bureau found that ordinarily fish will not live below 50 feet. Yet, in the face of this, fish have been caught in Lake Tahoe at a depth of 150 feet. This all goes to show that there is much undiscovered country in this field and that there is much we do not know about the habits of our lake fish. Reproduction will not occur unless there is a sizeable breeding ground where the water is two to six feet in depth and conditions are right for breeding. Some fish require lake margins of a sandy nature, others prefer rocky situations. There must also be an adequate area * Address given at Second Annual Convention, California Fish and Game Com- mission Employees, San Francisco, February 8, 1927. 5—56393 46 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. where the young fish may feed. This must contain submerged and emerging vegetation and consist of some of the simplest and lowest forms of plants which will support the insect and microscopic life that serves as food for young fish. The area must be free from decay. Where there is decay there is disease. The perfect breeding and rearing ground is where production and consumption of waste are equal. Oxygen is as necessary to a fish as it is to living forms out of water. Carbon dioxide is equally indispensable and must be present in a certain amount. In fact, the amount of carbon dioxide in the water is an index of its suitability and governs in no small degree the pos- sibility of fish existing in this medium. By this, it must not be inferred that fish can not endure water slightly alkaline. They do best, how- ever, in water slightly acid and poorest in water perfectly neutral. Curiously enough, if a fish is put in distilled water, which is perfectly neutral, it will die. A hard and fast law of nature is that fish either must eat or be eaten. All their lives they are busily engaged in blithely devouring one another in order to preserve and continue their existence. Their appetites on the whole are very hearty and it takes a prodigious quantity of food to keep a fish in good health. Of the plants that afford food, the algae are probably the most prominent. On the basis of color the fresh water algae fall into a general group called blue-green algae. These include the yellow-green and brown algae. These plants are of great economic importance as they supply oxygen for fish. They depend upon nitrogen in water for their growth, and certain microscopic forms, the diatoms and protozoa, in turn depend upon the abundance of the algae. A scarcity of the latter invaribly results in a scarcity of the former. Nor is this the end of the chain for the invisible plankton, on which minnows live, depends on the diatoms and protozoa. Only a few of the crustaceans are important as fish food, though there are thousands of species and varieties. The fairy shrimps and the water fleas are the most note- worthy. Another item in a fish's bill of fare, besides water insects, is scuds. In the main, scuds are scavengers, living on decaying matter. Go around Clear Lake, where numbers of dead fish can be seen, and on examination it will be discovered that every fish is covered with thousands of scuds. Tiny trout feel the hunger urge almost before the egg sac is absorbed. They begin to jump at gnats on the surface of the water and to take the larvae of small insects as well as to devour the microscopic forms. Experiments have shown that trout but ten days old will take as many as twenty-five gnats in a single day. As they grow in size they take larger insects and their consumption of various sized prey is only governed by the size of their mouths. From the start they are cannibal- istic. At first they will eat any other fish smaller than themselves. It makes no difference whether they be minnows, bass or trout as long as they can be captured. As they grow older, however, trout become more selective. There is a constant trading around between bass and trout. Bass take great numbers of trout and trout devour bass up to a size that their mouths will permit. Due to the large size of the mouth of the bass it can take a trout almost as large as itself. In this respect the trout CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 47 is not SO fortunate and must confine its attentions to bass much smaller than itself. There is no doubt that if a trout could swallow a bass as large as itself it would do it. Nature usually makes provision for this by producing a sufficient number of individuals so as to afford food for the various species that live off one another. In conclusion it can readily be seen that no small problem is involved in planting trout in a lake and supplying them with an environment insuring their proper growth. At all times natural conditions must be obtained. If the balance of nature is upset or if conditions are not right for the plant, it can not possibly be successful. PROGRESS IN HALIBUT INVESTIGATIONS.* By Ruth Miller Thompson. Presenting a most absorbing account of the -alarming depletion in the North Pacific halibut fishery, and of what is being done to save the industry, the Pacific Fisherman (July to October, 1927) devotes four major articles to a description of the scientific work being carried on for the International Fisheries Commission by Mr. W. F. Thompson and his associates. The author of this unsigned series speaks of this investigation as "without doubt the most thoroughgoing and valuable ever carried out in the field of commercial fisheries. ' ' Again, he refers to the "inconceivable mass of statistical and biological data" collected by the Commission's scientific staff, and says, "Though highly scientific in method, the investigation is along intensely practical lines, and is marked by close adherence to facts and avoidance of unsupported theory or speculation." This is high praise indeed, from anyone, and especially from a publication which is of the "trade organ" rather than of the "scientific journal" type. It reflects great credit upon the judgment of both the commissioners themselves, in their executive capacities, and of those who framed the scientific program, that their work has been kept strictly relevant to their aims. It is also significant that in spite of the fact that the future recommendations of the Commission will very likely affect adversely various sections of the industry, the Commission 's staff main- tains the friendliest relations with fishery operators. That quite the reverse of this situation has been and still is usual in fishery investigations undertaken in other countries could easily be demonstrated. There has often been a great gulf of misunderstanding between the "industry" and "science." This is despite many efforts on the part of investigative bodies to explain their endeavors to "prac- tical men." In other days and places many articles have been printed and many public meetings held, similar to those conducted during November and December in Ketchikan, Prince Rupert, Vancouver and Seattle, by the International Fisheries Commission staff. Doubtless much of the unfortunate antagonism that has existed in some countries is due to the greater complexity of scientific problems presented by older fisheries, or to other factors beyond the control of scientists. However this may be, it is certain that the cooperation between research • Contribution No. 69 from the California State Fisheries Laboratory, November, 1927. 48 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. and industry on the Pacific Coast points to an intelligent comprehension of each other's problems. If anj^thing can prolong indefinitely the life of the halibut fisheries, this spirit ought to be able to find the way. That California has made a large contribution to saving the halibut is a tribute to the vision of Mr. N. B. Scofield, head of the Department of Commercial Fisheries of the Division of Fish and Came. He was first to start scientific fishery investigation in this state and his con- tinued enthusiasm made possible the employment of Mr. W. F. Thomp- son and the establishment of the California State Fisheries Laboratory under the latter 's charge. While Mr. Thompson was well fitted for his present work by previous training and temperament, and had gained valuable experience by conducting a preliminary investigation of the halibut in 1912-1913 for the government of British Columbia, it was as director of research for the California State Fisheries Laboratory that he developed his scien- tific talents. Undoubtedly his work on the sardine and albacore in California was a fine preparation for his return to the halibut research, and enabled him to think through its intricate problems with a masterly clearness. Mr. W. C. Herrington, also trained at the California State Fisheries Laboratory, has recently been added to Mr. Thompson's staff. While the basic facts of the halibut situation have already been unfolded, the conclusions presented in the Pacific Fisherman articles are of a tentative character. The commissioners have as yet made no report to their respective governments, and have reserved their recom- mendations until after the previously mentioned conferences with men from the industry. The commissioners, namely Mr. J. P. Babcock of Victoria, chairman, Mr. Henry 0 'Malley of Washington, Mr. Miller Freeman of Seattle, and Mr. W. A. Found of Ottawa, have alwaj-s taken a very active interest in the work of their scientific staff, and planned to be present at the public hearings. Data indicating the actual abundance of fish on the banks which have been available to the Commission, include what is described as a "remarkably complete record of the commercial landings for the last twelve years," and logs kept by fishermen. During the course of the investigation, the system of record keeping has been still further improved and extended through the efforts of the scientific staff. The truly scientific character of the work may be judged from the emphasis placed on the necessity of adequate and continuous statistical records to the proper control of the fishery. This emphasis will recall the similar insistence that accurate and complete statistical records of catch are essential, which marked Mr. Thompson's work in California. Undoubtedly his appeal that research was futile without adequate statistics aroused the agitation which resulted in establishing the now famous ' ' pink ticket ' ' system in California. Eesults obtained from a study of catch records and logs have been checked with painstaking thoroughness by comparison with data from other sources. Chief among these stand the observations of the Com- mission's employees aboard chartered vessels. For this work, a large and powerful halibut schooner, the ' ' Dorothy, ' ' has recently been recon- ditioned and newly equipped to replace the "Scandia, " which was CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. 49 wrecked last February. The winter's studies of maturity, spa-\vning, eggs and larvte, and races have already begun. The biological investigations based on all types of data have yielded harmonious results. That depletion has been very marked, though uneven, is clear. South and east of Cape Ommaney conditions are worst. Unmistakable signs of overfishing are : greatly reduced catch per unit of gear, a marked westward shift of fishing operations, and the preponderance of small fish in the catch. It is apparent that on the southern grounds the number of spawning fish is greatly reduced so that the present fishery is here a heavy drain on the immature popu- lation. That the halibut stock of any bank is independent of the stocks on other banks, and must be protected by its own set of regulations, has been demonstrated. Studies of migration by means of tagging, of races by means of measurements of body proportions, and of age in relation to growth by means of "reading" the number of year rings on ear stones, give the chief evidences for the independence of fish stocks. Much remains to be discovered, especially concerning the large fish, before it will be possible to predict with certainty the effect of every proposed protective measure on the fish of each locality. From the point of view of the actual ultimate needs of the fishery as scientifically determined, the essential part of any adequate regulatory law is provision for increasing or at least maintaining the number of spawning fish. Some "baby" halibut nurseries and spawning grounds in every general fishing area must eventually be closed. Each area must be handled as a unit in itself with its own conservation measures. Furthermore, to be effective, protection must continue for a long period of time, even permanently in some cases. Whatever legislation is adopted must be regarded as experimental. Therefore, not only must it be flexible and easily revoked should this be desirable, but its effects must be carefully followed. The necessity for adequate statistics is again apparent. If records are poor there will be no test of the value of regulation. The study of the halibut is only half completed. To define the precise extent and degree of restriction needed on each bank will require considerable further work. Even when this is done, to deter- mine the true results of regulation will be a task requiring the highest degree of scientific skill. It is to be hoped that the two governments will see the great value of the work that has been so ably begun and will realize that discontinuance would cause irreparable loss not only to the halibut industry, but to the future of fisheries research and to the cause of rational conservation. 50 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME A publication devoted to the conserva- tion of virild life and published quarterly by the California Division of Fish and Game. Sent free to citizens of the State of California. Offered in exchange for ornithological, mammalogical and similar periodicals. The articles published in California Fish and Game are not copyrighted and may be reproduced in other periodicals, provided due credit is given the California Division of Fish and Game. Editors of newspapers and periodicals are invited to make use of pertinent material. All material for publication should be sent to H. C. Bryant, Postal Telegraph BIdg., San Francisco, California. January 30, 1928. Consider your need, not your greed. EUGENE D. BENNETT, NEW EXECUTIVE OFFICER. On December 1, 1927, Mr. Eugene D. Bennett of San Francisco became execu- tive officer and attorney of the Division of Fish and Game, Department of Natural Resources. Although born in Kansas, Mr. Bennett came to California as a boy, where he learned to fish and hunt. During the World War he was a commissioned oflBcer in the Ninety-first Division and a member of the division rifle team. His marksmanship was also demonstrated when he won a place on the California state rifle team in 1924 and entered the national competition at Camp Perry. Mr. Bennett has taken an important part in American Legion work, being past commander of San Francisco County Council and was formerly chairman of the Americanization Committee of the state department of this organization. For nearly ten years Mr. Bennett has practiced law in San Francisco. During the past two years he has been chief deputy United States Attorney of north- ern California. Even since childhood Mr. Bennett has fished and hunted and a definite interest in fish and game matters has long smoul- dered. In the acceptance of his new position this interest has been a deter- mining point. Mr. Bennett believes that "never before has such responsibility rested upon the Division of Fish and Game as at present. It is of the utmost importance that the Division keep pace with the present rapid strides of its pro- gressive development to the end that the state's great commercial fishing industry and also its outdoor and recreational resources of fish and game may be pre- served and developed to take care of the state's ever-growing population." THE RETIRING EXEICUTIVE OFFICER.' To Mr. B. D. Marx Greene was give^ the important problem of reorganizing the work of the Fish and Game Commis- sion, beginning January, 1926. To this work he brought administrative ability and boundless energy. In retiring he leaves the working force of the Commis- sion acting under various departments and bureaus manned by competent men and the whole financed under a budget system. Other administrative accomplishments include the reorganizing of the patrol force under a chief, two assistant chiefs and captains, and putting the warden force in uniform ; the organizing and bringing to efficiency of a volunteer warden system ; the establishment and maintenance of one of the largest game farms in the United States ; efficient handling of pollution and screens and ladders ; enlarged educational, research and publicity programs ; a system of hold- ing ponds and tanks for the ageing of trout ; and the publication of a Service Bulletin and the holding of an annual convention for the education and stimu- lation of employees. Mr. Greene's more recent interests have been centered in the development of a new and better system of fish distribution and in the use of a short wave radio in keep- CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 51 ing the patrol force in constant touch with the head office. In all of the above accomplishments, Mr. Greene took an active part and his ability in better organizing the working force will be long remembered. Mr. Greene on December 1 assumed the posi- tion of attorney for the Department of Commercial Fisheries. SPECIAL FISH PLANTING TRUCK. During September a new Graham truck was especially equipped with ice boxes and aerating system for use in fish dis- tribution. On its initial trip it proved so satisfactory that more emphasis will be given this mode of planting in the future. The first trip during the first eight days of October was in Mono 2. Those in charge can leave the fish to secure meals without danger of losing the fish. The reserve compressed air tank will continue to furnish air to the fish for thirty minutes, even when the engine is not running. 3. With fish in good condition, plenty of time can be given to proper distribu- tion at the terminal. The truck has continued to operate successfully from the Mount Whitney Hatchery. A CORRECTION. Due to the fact that the author of the article, "The Deer of California," which appeared in the October number of Cali- FOBNiA Fish and Game (Vol. 13, No. 4), did not see figures or legends for figures Fig. 23. New fish distribution truck. Air tank on side filled by air com- pressor furnishes aeration to shipping cans. Photograph by H. C. Bryant. County. The truck traveled over steep mountain roads and conveyed forty cans of black-spotted trout to Searles Lake, Alpine County. The shipment was on the road for nineteen hours. The dis- tance covered was 255 miles. In some of the cans there were no dead fish at all. Apparently fish will travel any reasonable distance very satisfactorily under the con- ditions afforded by this truck. The out- standing advantages of this method of transporting fish are : 1. When properly iced, fish can be transported over a smooth highway as easily as over a rough road. Joggling produced by a rough road is necessary to furnish proper aeration when com- pressed air is not available. in the proof stage, several errors appeared in the article. Page 237. Transpose legends for fig- ui-es. That is, for 52 read 53 and for 53 read 52. Page 238. Lines two and three, "tailed deer and the white-tailed deer. The latter, the range of which is not shown on the distribution map, occurs in winter and only infre-" should read, "tailed deer and white-tailed deer. The latter occurs in winter and only infre-." Thus, the phrase, "the range of which is not shown on the distribution map," is to be omitted. Line four, word "northwestern" should read "northeastern." Also on page 238, the last line, "the state. (Range not shown on distribution map.)" should 52 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. read, "the state. (See distribution map, Fig. 57, p. 239.)" Page 239. In legends to distribution map (Fig. 57), "Odocoileus c. seaphiotus" should read "Odocoileus c. seaphiotus." "5. Burro deer. Odocoileus k. californi- cus." should read "5. Burro deer. Odocoi- leus h. eremicus." — E. Raymond Hall. COMMERCIAL DUCK LICENSED. CLUBS At the 1927 session of the legislature a commercial gun club license act was passed in an endeavor to control the many commercial gun clubs that had been estab- lished where fees for hunting were assured that these clubs will cooperate in the enforcement of the game laws. Only a few commercial giin clubs are operating in southern California, the greater number being located in the Gustine-Los Banos district of the San Joaquin Valley and again in the vicinity of Colusa and Willows in the Sacramento Valley. The following regulations have been issued by the Division of Fish and Game : GENERAL. ORDER No. 9. REGULATIONS UNDER WHICH COMMERCIAL DUCK CLUBS MAT BE OPERATED. Regulation No. I. Shooting days limited to three days a Fig. 24. New fish distribution truck showing aerating apparatus. Photograph by H. C. Bryant. charged. The law provides for a license fee of $25 to citi^iens and $100 to persons not citizens of the United States. Each commercial hunting club operator must pay a $5 license fee if he be a citizen and a $25 license fee if he be an alien. Up to December 1, forty-three commercial duck clubs had been granted permission to operate and fifty-six operators were licensed to work on these preserves. The men who pay their fee and hunt on these commercial gun club grounds have found that they are better protected and the Division of Fish and Game is now week ; Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. Additional operating days, the opening and closing of the season and all legal holidays. Regulation No. II. A blind must be within shooting dis- tance of water. Blinds must be a reason- able distance apart, to depend upon local conditions. Regulation No. III. Each shooter must be given a satisfac- tory blind. No shooters to be allowed to hunt at large when blinds are full. Regulation No. IV. Operators must cooperate with the Fish CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 53 and Game Commission in law enforce- ment. Regulation No. V. Where clubs adjoin, no blinds to be located within 70 yards of adjoining boundary, except under mutual agreement. Regulation No. "VI. The continual shooting of birds out of range will be regarded as a nuisance and the club may at its discretion refund the money paid for shooting privilege and bar shooter from further hunting. Regulation No. VII. Under no consideration is a club to guarantee limit. The foregoing order is hereby approved and ordered filed as "General Order No. 9, Division of Fish and Game, of the Depart- ment of Natural Resources of the State of California." Dated : This thirtieth day of September, 1927. I. Zellerbach, Reginald Fernald^ Geo. B. ClarksoNj Fish and Game Commission. Many requests have come from com- mercial duck club operators and hunters, who can only seek birds on these club preserves, that they be permitted to shoot every day during the week. After a thorough investigation of all angles in connection with the problem it was deemed to the best advantage of the hunters, the clubs and the ducks that the regulations as laid down by the Commis- sion be enforced and that hunting be per- mitted only three days a week. PATROL CONFERENCE. Many important matters were dis- cussed at a special conference of the patrol officers, held in San Francisco, October 10th and 11th. Captain K. P. All red, acting chief of patrol, discussed general policies. As a better means of handling the large field force it was decided that each deputy will report directly to his captain and the captain directly to the chief of patrol. Thus there will be corrected the general tend- ency for men to go over the heads of their captains to the higher officers of patrol. Under this plan it is expected that the men will be able to work to the very best of their ability and accomplish splendid results. KMN GOES ON THE AIR. In order to increase the efficiency of the patrol service, the Division of Fish and Game at San Francisco has installed a 500-watt transmitting set, and with receiving sets a detail can be in almost constant touch with the head office. The station, known as KMN, is capable of sending messages to the remotest points in California both day and night. It has an advantage over telephone systems in that it affords almost instantaneous serv- ice and there is no danger of the message l)cing broken or "tipped off" as has been frequently the case with telephone calls. It will prove a valuable feature in regions where deputies are far from a telephone. At duck headquarters for northern Cali- fornia, near Maxwell, a 100-watt trans- mitter has been set up. Here operators are constantly on duty and in ready con- tact with the central office. The ten men in the field at Maxwell are thus con- sistently informed in regard to develop- ments and information received at the San Francisco office. In turn, the central office is advised of the needs of the men patroling the duck fields, when a large haul is suspected and when relief deputies are wanted to check nightshooting. So excellent has been the patrol so far that no instance of a "drag" is known to have been made. Another station has been installed at San Pedro and at the conclusion of the duck season it is the intention to remove the set at Maxwell to Sacramento. This will enable the three central offices to be in constant communication. Another ambition is to equip the patrol with small portable sets and to instruct and train the deputies as to their opera- tion. It is estimated that but three weeks, at most, will be necessary to teach a man how to take a message. Every deputy will have his own code letter. Messages will be sent from the central office at agreed periods known only to the field forces. There is no doubt that the efficiency of the patrol will be greatly increased by means of the use of this modern inven- tion. It is believed that this is the first instance in history that a patrol force has been directed by wireless. KILL OF DEER, SEASON 1927. A tabulation of the kill of deer in Cali- fornia has been made possible by the enactment of the Deer Hunting License Tag Act. This law provides that every person who hunts deer in this state must first procure license tags in addition to a regular hunting license. For a fee of one dollar, the hunter is furnished with two deer tags in duplicate ; the original tag to be attached to a deer when killed and the duplicate mailed to the Division of Fish and Game. The purposes of the new law are: (a) to make possible better enforcement of the laws for the protection of deer; (b) to secure accurate information on the num- ber of deer killed; (c) and to provide additional revenue for field patrol. 54 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. The following report shows the number Game is importing from Czecho-Slovakia of deer killed during the 1927 open season. However, only a part of the data secured from duplicate deer tags is indicated ; a full report will be published at an early date. five hundred pairs of Hungarian par- tridges. A friend of conservation work who has been importing birds for his own use helped iu making the arrange- ments. On arrival, these birds will be DEER KILLiBY COUNTIES, SEASON 1927. County Points 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total Alameda. 171 14 19 74 50 161 4 16 183 215 284 389 1 74 83 42 21 18 68 47 76 1 12 173 170 242 258 7 27 17 69 42 25 220 Alpine ._ ._ 2 4 13 5 1 3 1 3 2 67 Amador. 59 Butte 1 3 228 Calaveras 149 Colusa. 263 Contra Costa 5 Del Norte 10 138 159 88 155 4 32 33 6 15 42 El Dorado 7 12 3 3 1 2 1 1 535 Fresno 592 Glenn 623 Humboldt 1 821 Imperial _ 1 Inyo . . . 48 72 3 229 86 92 77 58 31 426 21 138 7 161 155 48 17 105 169 82 35 52 11 8 3 3 1 1 173 Kern 218 Kings 3 Lake . _ 599 20 279 96 297 32 853 41 65 129 45 64 10 24 180 4 262 10 41 41 36 12 95 167 51 6 37 8 14 2 4 11 1 69 5 11 3 3 2 14 25 19 1 14 1 6 1 3 901 Lassen 4 3 296 Los Angeles . 425 Madera . _. . 1 2 260 Marin ... 367 Mariposa. . 2 5 i 1 95 Mendocino . . 1,475 Merced _ . 67 Modoc 24 10 3 4 510 Mono 14 541 242 38 24 121 177 170 36 Monterey _ _ 1 1 2 757 Napa _ 442 Nevada 125 Orange . 1 4 8 1 56 Placer. 2 2 341 Plumas .. 3 551 Riverside 323 Sacramento San Benito _ 150 32 95 54 21 38 10 14 33 2 6 3 1 1 217 San Bernardino 74 San Diego . 169 San Francisco SanJoaquin__ ._ . ... 13 251 61 424 243 69 171 27 424 22 519 53 7 103 13 154 119 6 240 27 491 16 188 26 1 29 3 74 31 3 164 44 578 7 37 8 1 192 238 177 52 27 18 6 21 San Luis Obispo 8 2 1 394 San Mateo . 77 Santa Barbara 16 4 1 669 Santa Clara 397 Santa Cruz 78 Shasta . _ 25 2 120 4 1 28 1 4 3 612 Sierra . 101 Siskiyou .. ... 10 4 10 1,665 Solano 45 Sonoma 7 3 751 Stanislaus 1 91 Sutter. .. 1 Tehama 286 299 341 64 164 55 24 288 339 200 72 74 39 19 29 35 24 20 7 3 4 2 4 1 1 2 2 4 799 Trinity . 2 1 .. 921 Tulare 744 Tuolumne . . 213 Ventura 274 Yolo.. . 115 Yuba 53 Totals . ^ 9,069 5,687 3,807 686 157 52 24 25 19,507 HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGES PURCHASED. In the hope of furnishing still another desirable game bird for the sportsmen of California, the Division of Fish and placed at the Yountville Game Farm to form the basis of a brood stock. In British Columbia and the state of Washington, the Hungarian partridge has become well established and is fast becom- CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 55 iiig a favorite game bird over a large area. Thus far, difficulty has been experienced in attempting to rear these birds under artificial conditions. However, the state of Oregon now has a brood stock that gives hope of better results in the future. ASSOCIATED SPORTSMEN'S CONVENTION. It is gratifying to all conservationists to find that at last the numerous fish and game protective associations of the state are united and pulling together to bring about better conservation of natural resources. The Associated Sportsmen of C.ilifornia held their third annual con- vention in San Francisco on November 3d and 4th. Representatives of the affiliated organizations were present and TROUT DISTRIBUTION FOR 1928 PLANNED. The present policy of establishing local hatcheries to care for nearby territory is proving a success. Time and energy are saved as well as losses in the shipment of fingerling trout. Well equipped auto trucks deliver the fish to the streams in splendid condition because of a short haul. The system can be made yet more effec- tive by making all allotments of trout to the various streams in the fall in order that eyed eggs may be sent to the various hatcheries in proper quantities to care for each local district. Accordingly this is being done through a series of meetings with various captains of patrol. The needs of various districts are being ascer- tained and the allotments made. This Pig. 25. Fish Car No. 01 arrives in Marin County with shipment of trout designed for Marin County streams. September 18, 1927. Photograph by "Walter Sellmer. there was much discussion on numerous and various subjects. As in past years, emphasis was placed upon the need for the destruction of predatory animals and the suggestion was made that the Divi- sion of Fish and Game put more lion hunters in the field charged with the addi- tional duty of killing other predatory ani- mals. A report on the reflooding of Lower Klamath Lake by a representative of the Bureau of the U. S. Biological Survey was not heartening. The con- cluding session of the convention was devoted to a display of motion pictures and to addresses by President Zellerbach of the Division of Fish and Game, B. D. Afarx Greene, retiring executive officer, and Eugene D. Bennett, his successor. having been done it will be an easy matter to allocate the proper number of eyed eggs to each hatchery and thus eliminate the long hauls which cause losses in trout shipments. OUTBREAK OF DUCK DISEASE. During the last days of October ducks died in large numbers at Buena Vista Lake, Kern County. It was estimated that at least two thousand birds lost their lives. In order of abundance the sick birds found were as follows : pintail, shoveller and greenwinged teal. Some mud hens were also affected. An investi- gation made by the Bureau of Research showed the symptoms to be similar to past outbreaks but when chemical analy- 56 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. sis was made of the water from Bueiia Vista Lake it was found to be in rela- tively fresh condition, the concentration of salts being very low. In the study of sick ducks at Tule Lake, Modoc County, last year it was evident that temperature was a con- tributing factor in the occurrence of the disease. The appearance of the disease at Buena Vista Lake was preceded by hot weather. In the case of Buena Vista Lake there was a large percentage of decaying organic matter. Since labora- tory experiments have demonstrated that gases such as those found where the dis- ease occurs may be fatal to ducks, experi- ments designed to settle the question whether gas poisoning is concerned are being made. A determination of the exact cause of this malady which has periodically swept this and other states is a necessity if waterfowl are to be conserved. The Divi- sion of Fish and Game is making a deter- mined effort to solve this fundamental conservation question. It is indeed for- tunate that Dr. K. F. Meyer, director of the Hooper Foundation for Medical Research of the University of California, has been secured to supervise this and other studies of disease by means of care- fully planned experiments. It is ex- pected that the mystery will be solved as soon as sufficient material is made available for study. POT-HUNTING AND SHOOTING ETHICS. In a certain place in Madera County where the land rises on end to meet the sky, two mountain masses come together forming a natural trap and affording but one outlet up a draw. Deer in con- siderable number frequent the region and it would be difficult to find in California a combination of circumstances more favorable for their slaughter on an in- credible scale. The tendency of man to devise means of killing game by wholesale methods is as old as the human race. In the day of the club and stone axe, man was ambitious to lay traps and to discover ways of gaining advantages over game that permitted of their easy and whole- sale destructiton. Such methods can be forgiven, considering the poorness of man's early weapons and the struggle he had to make to survive against the savagery of the world. But a different principle governs the use of such methods today. The coming of the high-powered firearm has brought with it certain ethics in regard to its right use. It is unsportsmanlike to shoot quail on the ground. It is taking an unfair advantage of ducks to shoot them on the water. It is equally beyond the pale of decent sportsmanship to "pot" a deer. Unfortunately, an instance of deer "potting" on an extensive scale must be recorded for the opening day of the deer season. Some thirty men, employing a pack outfit of over forty horses, effected a "drive" on the deer in the region vaguely alluded to and enacted a day of slaughter seldom equalled in the present. The country was systematically combed. Those bucks attempting to escape up the draw met a shower of lead. Senti- ment, not for a moment, swayed the bloody business and little thought was bestowed on the fact that others were being robbed of a sport, on the pursuit of which many writers have delighted to linger. It is known that the law was not violated in any particular. The limit rule was observed and females and "spiked" bucks were not molested or harmed. The slaughtered were piled on a truck along with two black bear and the hunters merrily went their way leav- ing the country "shot out." It is known, further, that some one thousand hunters were admitted to the • region subsequently by the Forest Service, and that these, without hardly an excep- tion, profited little by their long days of toil in quest of the very few bucks remaining. During the whole season the region gave a most pitiful reward to those who had enjoyed the sport of deer hunt- oig in it in former years. Assuredly, such methods of killing game in Cali- fornia are to be uniformly condemned for their selfishness, their unfairness to the game pursued and their woeful want of sportsmanship. WHAT IS A "FORKED-HORN"? Is it legal to kill a deer with a fork on one side and a spike on the other? This is assuredly a very reasonable ques- tion and one which arises so obviously from a reading of the present law defining a "forked-horn" that there is good reason to answer the question here. The present law reads, "any male deer with antlers of two branches on both sides shall be considered a 'forked-horn' " (Sec. 626e). The ambiguity springs from the fact that the law does not specify that a legal deer must have branched horns or antlers on either side. Hence, it is very likely that a judge considering the purpose and intent of the law would be most apt to recognize that any deer CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 57 without branched antlers on both sides •would be an illegal deer. NEW PLAN FOR DUCK CONSERVATION. The failure of the Game Refuge-Public Shooting Bill at past sessions of congress has led to the formation of new plans that immediate results may be obtained. In the deficiency bill which awaits the present session . of congress is a clause that provides, under the Phipps Bill, for an appropriation of $350,000 to be used in the building of a dike across the mouth of the Bear River in Utah, as a means Commissioner D. L. Madsen of Utah was appointed a committee of one to consult with the western states regarding any such proposals that may be sub- mitted. By this action it is hoped that an adequate program may be initiated. The Division of Fish and Game has adopted the resolution passed and is watching for additional opportunities to be of service in improving the situation. California has made a fine start by setting aside one-third of the hunting license fees to be used exclusively for the purchase and rental of refuges. Fig. 26. Taking motion pictures of Hungarian partridges at State Game Farm. A blind was necessary to secure natural pictures of these wary birds. July, 1927. Photograph by Sidney Snow. of holding fresh water on an area of about 200 square miles. The lake and marsh thus created probably will prevent the recurrence of the duck disease which has killed so many ducks in the past and will at the same time provide excellent nesting and feeding grounds. At the meeting of the Western Associa- tion of Fish and Game Commissionei's at Seattle a resolution was passed re- questing the Secretary of Agriculture to submit proposals for creating and financ- ing the necessary wild fowl refuges to care for the present critical sittuation. The estimated kill of ducks in Cali- fornia is set at one million. Those in a position to know claim that the annual toll of the duck malady on Bear River marshes is a million ducks per year. Enactment of the Phipps Bill (included in the deficiency bill) will save ducks to the number of the estimated annual kill in California. Banded birds give evidence that 25 per cent of ducks that traverse Utah find their way to Cali- fornia during their migration. The rea- son why Califomians should support this measure is evident. 58 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. AN ELK REFUGE NEEDED. The elk, the largest game mammal of the west, was once very abundant in Cali- fornia. A census of the total number of wild elk left in the state would probably show less than five hundred animals. The last stand of the smaller valley elk is being made in Kern County where several hundred animals range back into the hills and then forage on the ranges near But- tonwillow. Complaints as to the depredations of these animals have been frequent. For many years it has been clear that unless land could be purchased and an elk refuge established in this vicinity the state will soon have to add this famous game animal to its list of exterminated species. Sev- eral attempts have been made to stir and December 1st, twenty thousand acres were disposed of in this region by the Miller and Lux Co. Marsh land in this area is selling at $25 an acre and upland, from $45 to $75 an acre. The refuge should, of course, contain both lowland and upland. Both federal and state officials are united in the belief that an elk refuge in the San Joaquin Valley is an impor- tant and immediate need. The matter of finance is the only factor which is preventing the solution of this problem. Somehow or other adequate means must be found for taking care of these wild elk in the San Joaquin Valley. The Izaak Walton League recently raised $36,500 by popular subscription, bought 1760 acres of land and presented Fig. 27. Truck load of pheasants at Salinas on their way to the fields where they were planted. Augnst 9, 1927. Photograph by Sidney Snow. interest among the Order of Elks, but thus far no move has been made actually to furnish a satisfactory home for this final herd of elk. The U. S. Biological Survey has long advocated a refuge and recently Mr. E. A. Goldman, in charge of federal reservations, made a survey of the situation. He reports that a refuge should comprise at least four sections of land. This is hardly possible in Kern County because most of the marsh grounds are now under private ownership. Near Los Banos, Merced County, where there is considerable marsh land of the type formerly frequented by the valley elk, there is still an opportunity to secure suitable land. However, a purchase must be made quickly for between August 1st it to the government to be added to the winter elk refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyom- ing. As a consequence, Yellowstone elk will find better winter pasturage and starvation in" hard winters will be avoided. The critical situation in Wyom- ing has been improved. Who is going to improve the situation in California? VOLUNTEER WARDENS. The work of game wardens in investi- gating violations of fish and game laws is purely and simply detective work. It is work of criminal investigation, and as such it requires a fair knowledge of all the laws and of criminal procedure in the courts. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 59 Without this knowledge a game warden is constantly groping in the dark and he never knows whether his actions will be approved or condemned when his cases are brought into court, where they must inevitably land. This point can not be too strongly emphasized. No matter how clever and energetic a warden may be in other ways, if he is ignorant of the intent and purpose of the law and criminal pro- cedure, he will fail in the course of time. If he works in disregard of the laws, his activity is certain to get him into trouble. Therefore, he must be familiar with the law and the rules of criminal procedure in the court. No special set of rules can be laid down for the reason that no set of rules will of the state. The duties of sheriffs, con- stables and police oflBcers usually end when they have apprehended a violator of the law, but that of a game warden has really just commenced after the arrest has been made. Then begins the trying stage. The warden now drops his role of "Policeman of the Woods" and assumes the role of prosecuting attorney. He has deprived a person of his liberty ; now let him prove in a court of law that the said person has committed a crime — or by what right did he cause such person's arrest? Herein will be shown the warden's fit- ness or unfitness. Whether the warden has used good judgment, is honest and has the requisite knowledge of what con- FiG. 28. Arranging liberation of pheasants in the Salinas Valley. August 9, 1927. Photograph by Sidney Snow. apply to all cases. Each case demands its own particular treatment and atten- tion. However, it must follow that a game warden should possess some slight ability, either natural or acquired, as a detective. Each and every case demands the application of common sense rules, persistent effort, patience and careful attention in every detail, with the view always in mind that the enforcement of the fish and game laws must be clean, fair and just in all ways, and at all tinies, in order that the wardens may command the confidence, respect and sup- port of the people. In most instances the work and duties of game wardens are peculiar as com- pared with other law enforcement officials stitutes legal evidence in a court of law, is now put to test. The warden may be honest and have acted in good faith, but, if he is ignorant of his full duty, in the eyes of the law, or has used poor judgment, he will be criticized and condemned. It behooves wardens to go slow at first and to feel their way, but there is no reason for an intelligent warden to hesitate if he is perfectly familiar with the laws for the protection of fish and game, and carefully and con- scientiously performs his duties. A game warden may feel perfectly cer- tain within his own mind that a party is guilty of violating the fish and game laws, but that should have no bearing on the matter. The question is : Can the 60 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. warden prove the fact by competent legal evidence? Mere rumors, conjec- tures, prejudice and popular opinion should not interfere with the warden's judgment. Facts are what he is after and such facts as are relevant material and will support the warden's charge against the person arrested. The quicker the warden learns his duty the better will he be able to do his work. As a rule, the real duty of game wardens is to educate the people as to the value and necessity of fish and game laws and to prevent violations of the laws, as much as it is to arrest those who violate the laws. All volunteer deputies are advised to keep their own counsel relative to reported violations of the fish or game laws and not to openly discuss such matters. When a volunteer deputy is confronted with any subject or matter relative to the protection of fish or game, the fish and game laws, or the enfoi-cement of the laws, that he does not understand thor- oughly, he should take up such matters with the commission and be guided by their advice. While the Division of Fish and Game does not expect the volunteer deputies to be able to make frequent arrests for violations of the fish and game laws, it does want to know what each deputy has accomplished. Therefore, it is neces- sary and very important that all volun- teer deputies comply with the instructions issued to them and render, either to their captain or to the field assistant, a monthly report of their activities. These reports should be made upon monthly report blanks which will be supplied. With activity and efficiency the watch- words, and cooperation and coordination between the regular patrol and the volun- teer deputies the key note all along the line, let us, one and all, put our shoulder to the wheel and make the volunteer deputy forces a body of men meriting and commanding the confidence, respect and support of the people in the efforts made to protect and conserve the state's supply of fish, game and wild life. — (Instructions issued to Volunteer War- dens by Walter R. Welch, Field Assist- ant.) EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA The Fish and Game Commissioners began educational work in the schools in 1911 and 1912 when Miss Gretchen Libby traveled the state speaking to groups of children. The state is still reaping some of the benefits of Miss Libby's work. Beginning on August 1, 1914, the work was reestablished on a more permanent basis and since that time bulletins for teachers and lectures at schools have been part of a well planned educational program. Few other states have had so uninterrupted a program as has Cali- fornia. Now work of this kind is recog- nized as fundamental by most states. The state of Pennsylvania launched a similar program a number of years ago and a questionnaire recently received gives an opportunity to summarize the present status of the educational work in California. The questions are those put by the Board of Game Commissioners of Pennsylvania ; the answers those made by the director of the Bureau of Educa- tion of the Division of Fish and Game. QUESTIONNAIRE. Issued by the Board of Game Commis- sioners, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Approximately how much monejy is available yearly for educational work? $23,317. Do you present lectures throughout the state to sportsmen's organizations, schooJs, etc., and if so, how long has this method of education been carried on? Yes, about sixteen years. How many lecturers are carried on your staff? Heretofore, but one. Beginning this month (September) two will be detailed for work in schools. Two part-time lecturers are employed for summer resort work. Are the lectures illustrated with lan- tern slides and motion pictures? Yes. How long have you used motion pic- tures of wild life with your lectures? How long since your first motion pictures were made? Thirteen years. Do you photograph your own motion pictures? Only a small part of them. How many lectures illustrated with slides and motion pictures are presented in your state in a single year? About 150 in past years. Do you have live exhibits of birds and mammals? Are they located permanently in a museum or zoo, or are they sent throughout the state to county fairs, etc? A few located at the game farm which are used at exhibits occasionally. Do you have exhibition cases contain- ing mounted birds and animals which you use in lecture work? Not as yet, but plan to have. We have study skins of birds and mammals for loan to teachers. Do you keep a photographic file of pic- tures of wild life, or other pictures of interest representative of your depart- ment? Yes, we have both. Do you have a collection of scientific skins of birds? Yes. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 61 Do your publications include an annual or biennial report or quarterly magazine, etc? Both. Do you publish bulletins or pamphlets dealing with the life history of the birds and mammals representative of your state, and if so may -we have a list of same? Yes. A series of Fish, Game, Teachers and miscellaneous bulletins. Do you maintain a separate bureau in your Game Department for purely edu- cational work? If so, when was this bureau inaugurated? Yes. 1914. How was the work carried on prior to the inauguration of an educational bureau? School lecturer, 1910-1912. Bureau of Education established in 1914. (See report of the Bureau of Education in last Bien- nial Report.) EXPRESS SHIPMENTS OF DUCKS INSPECTED. Before the sale of ducks was stopped it was diflScult to keep track of the vari- ous shipments arriving in the large cities. At present it is proving dangerous for anyone to ship more than a limit of ducks by express. (Parcel post shipments are prohibited by law.) A deputy detailed to' investigate all shipments of game arriving in San Francisco has appre- hended a number of violators who ship more than a legal limit to their homes. TAHQUITZ GAME REFUGE. After many years of endeavor a sizable area has been set aside in the San Jacinto Mountains which is known as the Tah- quitz Game Refuge. Here a large num- ber of southern mule deer will find satis- factory protection. This new refuge is well situated ; on the north and east it is practically inaccessible to man, with no roads or trails. On the south and west only three trails lead into the refuge. The only person living within its boundary is the lookout of the United States Forest Service, located on Tah- quitz peak. This lookout is cooperating heartily with the Division of Fish and Game and is in a position to hear prac- tically any shots fired within the refuge. An abundance of water, fine feed and cover help to make conditions ideal. Deputy Robert J. Little on a recent visit to this region reported seeing seventy deer and many tree squirrels and moun- tain quail. OPENING OF DUCK SEASON ENCOURAGING. Pessimism has reigned in California for several years regarding the status of ducks. Sportsmen have continually com- plained of few birds. The fall season of 6—56393 1927 opened on October 1 and reports from the duck country have justified the hope that the present season will be a nearly normal one. Early rains furnished considerable overflow land and ducks appeared in numbers. A splendid flight was reported from the Imperial Valley and limit bags were the rule in the San .Toaquin Valley. FISH PLANTING. Old timers love to tell of conditions a decade or so ago when it was the usual thing to catch hundreds of pounds of trout in a single day. But trails were few in those days and very difiicult to travel. Bridges were wanting, all mod- ern conveniences were absent and a trip into the high country often involved much of hardship and danger. Now with new trails built and old trails improved, so many resorts furnishing pack outfits at reasonable rates and means of rapid loco- motion ever at hand, more fishermen are present along the mountain streams than during whole summers in the early days. All this increased activity of anglers augurs an enormous drain on the streams and means that fish planting must be on a scale of equal magnitude. Indeed few anglers realize the enormity of the task that has devovled on the division to keep the streams replenished with gamy fish. Over 19,184,000 fish were planted from the hatcheries this year. Truly this is an achievement. Nor should it be forgotten that literally thousands of black bass, crappie, perch and catfish were rescued from overflow waters and pools fast going dry and placed in live water. SAGE HEN GIVEN PROTECTION. Game Refuge 1-Q, located in Lassen County and created by the state legisla- ture last year, is a boon to the future of the sage hen. It accorded them adequate protection this year and it is reported that there are now some five thousand birds at Painter Flat. These are increas- ing and will stock the adjacent area. It is reassuring to know, further, that stockmen are materially aiding in the good the refuge is accomplishing by keep- ing their gates locked so that hunters find the refuge difficult of access and do not get into the refuge innocently at night. They are further contributing to the welfare of the sage hen by warning hunters of the prohibited area. As an instance of this, one occurrence is of worth to note here. The refuge is approached from the Nevada side by way of Upper Smoky Creek. Riders from the Secret Valley Ranch were stationed on 62 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. the road on the opening day to inform the Nevada cars that they could not hunt in the refuge. At least twenty-five cars with their respective occupants would have taken toll of the sage hen had it not been for this splendid cooperation. A FAMOUS ANIMAL BLIND. Bull hunting, a spectacular method of slaughter, is now a thing of the past. One is no longer able to go out into the back country and watch a market hunter "walk his shot." Furthermore, there are few recorded accounts of the animals and methods used in this sort of hunting. As a consequence it seems worth while herewith to give a photograph of "Old Tom," most famous of the hunting steers. license law went into effect, two new speed boats manned by trained deputies will protect ducks in two of the great hunting spots of California. A Johnson aquaplane, equipped with a high speed outboard motor capable of 18 miles an hour, has been placed on Morro Bay, while another boat identical in construction will be used by the fish and game patrol on the famed Salton Sea in Imperial Valley. Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo County and the Salton Sea, unique inland ocean in the Imperial Valley, are famous for ducks. In years past violators of the game laws have frequented these places and made great hauls by motor boat due Fig. 29. "Old Tom" a famous hunting steer of the olden days when "bull hunting" was legal. This animal weighed 1850 pounds and made an excellent blind because of its size. "Old Tom," because of his training, his size, and build, made a most satisfactory blind. When he was sold to his owner, P. A. Blackburn, of San Bernardino, in 1914 he weighed 1850 pounds and stood 5' 8" high. During the days of market hunting "Old Tom" was utilized in prac- tically every inland county of the state. This assistant of the market hunter, although concerned in extensive slaugh- ter, deserves none of the blame to be heaped upon those who take more than their fair share of the state's game supply. TWO SPEED BOATS ADDED TO PATROL. Carrying out the program of progres- sive eflBciency promised when the new to the fact that the areas were not prop- erly patrolled. But now that the defi- ciencies of patrolling these watery areas are removed by the addition of this equipment to the Patrol Department's resources, and with men on duty day and night, adequate law enforcement is made sure. RESOLUTIONS OF WESTERN ASSOCIATION. The Western Association of State Game Commissioners held its seventh annual meeting at Seattle, Washington, on September 8 and 9, 1927. Many impor- tant questions relative to fish and game conservation in the western states were discussed. The general attitude of the meeting toward a number of problems is CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 63 indicated by the following resolutions which were passed : I. Whereas, this association and conserva- tion in general has lost a valuable and esteemed friend in the passing of the late C. A. Jakeway, who was a charter mem- ber of the organization ; therefore, be it Resolved, that we do hereby express to the family of Mr. Jakeway, our sincere sympathy, and assure them that his name and good work will long be remembered by his associates in conservation ; there- fore, be it further Resolved, that this resolution be spread upon our minutes and a copy sent to the family of the deceased, and to each mem- ber of this organization. II. Whereas, the water area suitable to waterfowl has been greatly decreased through reclamation, drainage, and evapo- ration ; and Whereas, there is great need for the establishment and maintenance of refuges for the perpetuation of migratory water- fowl in the United States ; therefore, be it Resolved, that the Western Association of State Game Commissioners favors en- actment of legislation for the establish- ment and maintenance of said migratory bird refuges. III. Wliereas, the long continued mortality among migratory birds in the Bear River marshes is seriously affecting the abund- ance of these birds in Western America ; and Whereas, the restoration of these marshes would effect the saving of many thousands of migratory birds annually : and Whereas, said restoration is both feasi- ble and practical ; therefore, be it Resolved, that the Western Association of State Game Commissioners commends and urges the immediate passage of the Phipps measure, which has for its purpose the appropriation of $350,000 to be ex- pended by the federal government in the restoration of these marshes. IV. Whereas, the reclamation of Lower Klamath Lake has destroyed a great habitat of migratory waterfowl ; and Whereas, the reflooding of Lower Klam- ath Lake is both desirable and urgent; therefore, be it Resolved, that the Western Association of State Game Commissioners hereby favors the introduction into congress of the United States of a bill proposing the appropriation of dollars, for the pur- pose of reflooding Lower Klamath Lake. Be it further Resolved, that the president of the association is hereby directed to appoint a committee of two to prepare or have pre- pared the draft of a suitable bill and submit the same to the states comprising the membership of this organization for their approval. Be it further . Resolved, that the committee of two IS hereby authorized to confer with and solicit support from all other conserva- tion organizations in America in carrying out the purpose of this resolution and to pledge the support of the Western Asso- ciation in securing the passage of such legislation as may be determined upon. V. Whereas, the Western Association of State Game Commissioners has by resolu- tion favored the creation of migratory bird refuges ; and. Whereas, the need of this action is urgent ; therefore, be it Resolved, that the president of this asso- ciation be directed to request the United States Secretary of Agriculture to prepare proposals for financing and creating such refuges and submit the same to a com- mittee of one, which the president of this association is hereby directed to appoint. Be it further Resolved, that this association favors plans for financing said projects in the following respective order : 1. Federal appropriation. 2. Federal appropriation supplemented by state appropriation. 3. Federal hunting licenses. Be it further Resolved, that the respective states comprising the membership of this asso- ciation be requested to furnish to the committee of one an estimate of their requirements for refuges and the approxi- mate cost thereof. Be it further Resolved, that the committee of one is hereby instructed to confer with the states comprising the membership of this asso- ciation for the purpose of determining upon the projects proposed. Be it further Resolved, that the committee of one is hereby authorized to confer with and solicit support from all other conserva- tion organizations in America in carrying out the purpose of this resolution and to pledge the support of the Western Asso- ciation in securing the passage of such legislation. VI. Wliereas, the American Fisheries Soci- ety and the International Association of Fish, Game and Conservation Commis- sioners have elected to hold the 1928 con- vention in the city of Seattle ; therefore, be it Resolved, that we believe that the best interests of conservation would be served by a joint session of these organizations and the Western Association of State Game Commissioners, and we therefore respectfully tender the full cooperation of the membership of this organization to participate in the program and activi- ties of their convention in such manner as they may determine, and we pledge our hearty support in making the joint con- vention a success. Be it further Resolved, that we authorize our incom- ing president to invite the conservation agencies of our friends across the border to participate in the deliberations of this convention in such manner as may best suit their convenience. VII. Whereas, the Honorable Roland H. Hartley, governor of the state of Wash- ington, and the Honorable Bertha K. Landes, mayor of the city of Seattle, have evidenced their keen interest in conserva- tion by giving hearty support to the suc- cess of our convention ; and Whereas, the very able committee on arrangements has contributed so largely to our comfort and convenience ; and Whereas, the Chamber of Commerce and the press of the city have accorded us such excellent publicity and support; and Whereas, the management of the Olym- 64 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. pic Hotel has furnished every facility required for our meeting ; therefore, be it Resolved, that we extend to these per- sons our sincere thanks and appreciation. VIII. "Wliereas, S. F. Rathbun, our worthy president, has transacted the business of this association in a proper and most efficient manner, and has unselfishly given unstintedly of his time and effort thereto ; therefore, be it Resolved, that we do now extend to President Rathtam our thanks and appre- ciation for his efforts during the past year which have resulted in a better under- standing of our mutual problems, and especially do we commend President Rath- bun for his pi-eparation for this meeting which has made the seventh annual con- vention the most successful in the history of our organization. GOVERNMENT TO TAKE WATER- FOWL CENSUS. There has been much discussion whether the general complaint relative to the scarcity of ducks can be supported on the basis of actual census figures. There are too many loose statements concerning the comparative abundance of various game species. In order to bring together some real data relative to the abundance of waterfowl, the United States Biological Survey is asking the cooperation of sports- men and bird students throughout the United States in the taking of a census. Instructions are given to each observer to select the best area in his vicinity. This is to be covered in a single day on the same day of the month for each month of the year. It is hoped thereby to obtain some accurate information on this much mooted question. From these data it is hoped to bring to light some of the causes of local fluctuations and facts relative to migration. HABITS OF THE CALIFORNIA CLAPPER RAIL. One of the important notable contribu- tions to the life history and habits of a game bird are to be found in the Novem- ber-December number of the Condor, under the title "The California Clapper Rail, its Nesting Habits, Enemies and Habitat," by Dudley Sargent DeGroot. The author gathers together much valuable data rela- tive to the number of eggs, nest location, nesting material and time of nesting. The latter part of the paper discusses the causes for the disappearance of the clap- per rail. The following are listed : ene- niies, encroachment of civilization, Nor- way rat, mussels and predatory animals. After suggesting the possibility of domes- ticating and distributing clapper rail to other marshes, the attention is called to the recent reclamation project which will destroy more than four thousand acres of the best rail marshes located on the San Francisco bay shore, between Belmont and San Carlos. MAINTENANCE OF WILD LIFE ON RESERVATIONS. With the settlement of the country, in- volving the removal of forests, the drain- age of marshes and water areas for culti- vation, the building of towns, and the construction of roads, together with exces- sive killing by hunters and inroads by predatory animals, the game and other useful wild life early disappeared from many sections. Public opinion is now, however, becoming aroused to an appre- ciation of the economic, recreational, and educational values of the presence in rea- sonable numbers of many forms of wild life. This has given a real impetus to conservation, and experience in wild- life administration has demonstrated the practicability not only of saving the rem- nants of our animals and birds but through restocking measures to restore them to territory long depleted. A com- mendable zeal to conserve game and other forms of wild life has in a few places even resulted in a surplus. Game-administra- tion programs should, therefore, provide for the maintenance of a suitable number of breeding individuals and the utilization, ordinarily through hunting, of any surplus that may accrue. The reservations under the jurisdiction of the Biological Survey include four fenced areas primarily used for buffalo, mountain sheep, antelope, and other big game ; a winter elk refuge in Wyoming ; the Upper Mississippi River Wild Life and Fish Refuge ; the Curry Game, Bird and Fish Refuge, Alaska ; the Alaska Railroad Muskrat and Beaver Refuge, Alaska ; and sixty -eight other areas iu the United States, Porto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska that are primarily bird refuges. Some of these widely scattered bird refuges are notable island colonies, containing interesting species not found elsewhere, and the need of extending them special protection to prevent extermina- tion is vital. — Ann. Rpt., Chief, Bureau of Biological Survey, 1927, pp. 14-15. PHEASANTS AND CATS. The ringneck pheasants are increasing as well as can be expected when one takes into consideration what this won- derful game bird has to go through even to exist. I am daily in pheasant country and have had the opportunity to watch and to study this bird. The delta land, where the pheasant thrives best, consists CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 65 of the best land that California has and is therefore all under cultivation, with the exception of a few islands. It is noticeable that the birds are a little more plentiful on these uncultivated islands. Thousands of nests are destroyed an- nually by mowing machines, rakes, culti- vators and different implements used to till the soil and harvest the crops, for a large percentage of these birds like to nest in the growing alfalfa, corn and barley fields, although there are many levees and sloughs where they do nest. Then there is the common house cat that is one of the greatest destroyers of young pheasants and quail. It is not so strange when you view the cat situation as it is that which proves to be such a menace to these birds. It should be taken seri- ously. The cat has gradually been planted on our islands, much as the Com- mission has planted pheasants and other game birds. First there are the farmers and people living' in tov/rx who haven't, as they say, the heart to drown small kittens, and finding them a nuisance, take them in the car and drop them along the road in some out of the way place. Furthermore, there is the delta tenant who moves out of a camp and leaves the cats to shift for themselves. I have often seen these cats along the road in the evening. I had a house cat at my home that killed two quail, less than a half a mile. apart: one was found partially eaten beside her nest of sixteen eggs, and the other within a few feet of her nest of twenty-one eggs. I saw this and know that this one cat destroyed two coveys of quail inside of two days. Later I came upon another cat eating a young pheasant about the size of a quail. These cats were killed, and I have declared war on all the cats that I find in the field, and up to date have killed quite a few. The planting of cats in this innocent way has given this animal such a start that it will take more than one game farm to produce enough birds to feed these cats. Many of the delta farmers are foreigners, who have made it a practice to hunt and trap these birds, but they are taking notice of our good judges who can say $100 or $500 just as easily as the judge, a few years back, said $25. — D. E. Roberts. A COSTLY LESSON. One Lassen County man who shot a doe and entertained secret ambitions to "out smart" the law. completed arrange- ments with Judge Taylor of Taylorville early in November to pay his -MOO fine in monthly installments. Deputy Walter I. Long of Westwood took the case nearly two weeks after the act had been com- mitted. He learned that two fawns had starved to death as the result of the slaughter of their mother. The tragedy persisted in his mind with a strange fasci- nation and he determined to make the best of the scanty information that had come to his ears. Finally, through two farmers who were sufficiently incensed over the distress of the fawns to be willing to tell all they knew of the matter, he succeeded in gath- ering in the remaining facts necessary to his case. At first, the doe slayer denied the charge, but when faced with the evi- dence that the deputy had gathered so carefully, he plead guilty. There are times and occasions when severe fines, though they impose a very serious burden on the offender, are neces- sary because of the reprehensible natui'e of the offense. The exposure of the two fawns to the many perils of the wilder- ness by the removal of their mother ; even their lingering death by starvation, might be viewed with some indifference, if the doe had been killed by a man whose family were on the verge of perishing for want of food. But in this case the killing was wholly wanton and Judge Taylor probably was of the opinion that the offender's lack of sportsmanship and fail- ure to keep the law could best be cor- rected by a severe fine. Inasmuch as the doe slayer could not pay the entire fine, he was ordered by the court to pay $50 a month over a period of eight months. THE FOOD OF FISHES. The source of subsistence of fishes in- habiting the vast expanses of the sea has excited man's keenest interest. This springs partly from a desire to know what is hidden beneath the waves of the ocean. While it is possible to see fish sporting about beneath the surface, rarely is the secret of their livelihood revealed. To discover this, scientists have tediously examined samples of sea water with high- powered microscopes, strained the water through fine cloth or filter paper and availed of all manner of methods to satisfy their curiosity as to the kinds of living things which serve as food for marine fishes. Dr. W. E. Allen in the California Monthly (Vol. xxi, No. 2) gives an ac- count of the study now being made at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography of the plankton, a general name applied to floating animals and plants resident in 66 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. the sea that fall victims to fish. In de- scribing the host of creatures composing the plankton group, Dr. Allen writes : "Obviously, a term as sweeping as this includes a wide variety of organisms some of whicli live suspended in sea water throughout their existence while others live as plankton through only a brief period of their lives. For example, very young barnacles, mussels, and starfishes may be found in the plankton inshore, at times, but they live on, or are even fixed to, solid objects over a much longer period after they have reached the adult form. "Some species of animals and plants are free-floating or free-swimming through- out indefinite numbers of successive gen- erations. They constitute the permanent plankton. Others, including fish eggs and very small fish fry, belong to the plankton for only a few days or weeks. They con- stitute the temporary plankton, or rather the temporary components of the plank- ton. Some organisms, such as jellyfishes, belong to the plankton only during a sexual generation, the preceding and fol- lowing generations being fixed to solid objects in much the same way as sea weeds. In general, they constitute only a small part of the temporary plankton, although in certain localities they may swarm in such numbers as to be almost all of it for a few days. "Plankton consisting of individuals large enough to be seen readily with the unaided eye is called 'macroplankton.' That which requires the use of a micro- scope for effective study is called 'micro- plankton.' That which can be studied only with very high powers of the micro- scope is called 'nanoplankton.' The bac- teria are included in it. Animal plankton is called 'zooplankton' and plant plankton is called 'phytoplankton.' "None of the animal components of the plankton can manufacture foods from raw materials of air and water (including dissolved and suspended salts and gases). They must feed upon other animals or upon plants or their products. Some plankton animals are able to feed on sea weeds or fragments of sea weed, but most of them are finally dependent upon the plants of the plankton. "Of these plants, diatoms are most widely distributed and, apparently, most important by reason of their power to manufacture living substance from raw materials, and by reason of their useful- ness as forage for animals. Diatoms are microscopic plants which usually give no evidence of their existence to our unaided eyes. But there are times when they swarm by countless billions over hundreds of square miles of sea and to some scores of yards beneath its surface. "In general, it may be said that the plankton in all seas tends to reach great- est abundance in the spring of the year. This is particularly true of plants, al- though it has not yet been shown to be a fully dependable rule. Many links in different food chains have been traced, for example, the use of diatoms for food by copepods (tiny shrimp-like animals in the plankton mentioned above), of diatoms and copepods by fishes, of smaller fishes by larger fishes, and so on. "In southern California it has been found that great variations in production of diatoms may occur in successive years and in different localities. In favorable localities and under favoring conditions diatoms may be found in numbers of several million cells to the liter (about a quart). Plankton organisms tend to occur in swarms just as strongly as fishes tend to occur in schools. The sea some- times shows reddish, brownish, or yellow- ish hues for many miles because of the abundance of certain plankton organisms which have found living conditions exceptionally good. Coastal- waters, up- welling waters, and Arctic seas in the summer season have been found to show high productivity as compared with other waters. There is increasing evidence that conditions of drainage from land into the sea may have great influence on the productivity of neighboring oceanic terri- tory. For example, at the Scripps Institu- tion of Oceanography it is considered probable that reduced and severely con- trolled drainage in southern California in the last several years is partly responsi- ble for the lower production of plankton and of commercial fishes. "Not only are components of the plank- ton most favorable amongst marine organ- isms for studies of fundamental condi- tions of origin and maintenance of life in the seas of today, but they are also highly important in furnishing clues to conditions of life in the past. For example, both living and fossil diatoms and foraminifera are being extensively studied for information concerning the conditions in the sea under which cer- tain marine deposits were formed. They are also used by stratigraphic geologists as an aid in the location of petroleum deposits. Since it appears that these minute organisms contain material which may be the mother sub3tance of petro- leum, they are also being studied in con- nection with the investigation of the origin of possible source beds of petroleum." COURT DECISION DIVIDES JURISDIC- TION OVER KAIBAB DEER. In connection with the plan to reduce the number of deer on the Kaibab game preserve in northwestern Arizona, a con- flict arose between the United States Forest Service and the state of Arizona as to the issuing of hunting licenses. When the Forest Service proposed issuing special licenses to hunters to kill a cer- tain number of deer, the state authorities objected, claiming the deer of the Kaibab were under state jurisdiction. When the matter was carried to the United States District Court of Arizona the court granted a perpetual injunction against the state officials from enforcing the game laws of Arizona against "officers, agents, servants or employees of the United States on account of anything done by them in carrying out the regula- tions or orders of the Secretary of Agri- culture relative to reducing the number of deer in the forest or game preserve." On the other hand, the decision provided that "this decree shall not be construed to permit the licensing of hunters to kill deer." CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 67 LION HUNTER BRUCE BREAKS RECORD. That State Lion Hunter Jay Bruce has been especially active the past year is demonstrated by the thirty-nine lions killed up to December 1st, and with a chance of adding several more during the month of December. His total kill to date has been 324. Mr. Bruce accounts for the bettering of his average of thirty being due to the assistance in camp fur- nished by a friend. With someone who could drive the machine and meet Bruce at some other point, much time has been saved. MOSQUITO FISH A SUCCESS. One of the latest fishes to be success- fully introduced into California waters is not a food or game fish, but a small top minnow known as the mosquito fish, introduced to help in the conti^ol of malaria. Heretofore, the cure of malaria has depended primarily on the skill of a physician in poisoning the malarial para- site which works in the blood corpuscles, with the least damage to the human body. The salts of quinine secured from a Peru- vian tree has been most successfully used. A recent paper entitled, "The Mosquito Fish (Gambusia) and its Relations to Malaria," by David Starr Jordan (Smith- sonian Report, 1926, pages 3G1-368, 4 pis.) points out that attention is now being given to prevention rather than cure. Anything which helps to destroy the carrier of the disease, which has been proved to be certain mosquitoes, is real prevention. The small top minnows from the coast streams of eastern Mexico eat the eggs of the "wigglers" of disease carry- ing mosquitoes. Immediate success was obtained in acclimatizing this fish in California and worthwhile results are claimed by those interested. The success here has caused the introduction of the same fish in Hawaii, Formosa, Philippine Islands and more recently in Spain, Italy and Albania. SEASHORE ANIMALS OF THE PACIFIC COAST.* These days there are increasing num- bers of people who find recreation along the seacoast. Not only are the sandy beaches chosen, but the rocky cliffs and tide pools are explored. Many there are also who inspect the wonders of the deep through glass-bottomed boats. To all * Johnson, Myrtle Elizabeth, and Snook, Harry James, 1927. Seashore animals of the Pacific coast. (The Macmillan Com- pany, New York), xiv, 659 pp., 11 col. pis., 700 figs, in text. such comes the constant question, "What is that beautiful sea animal, what are its near relatives and what its habits?" Though the shell collector has had the handbook of Josiah Keep, "West Coast Shells," those interested in other animal life could find no book to which to turn to find dependable information. There has been a real need felt by western nat- uralists, teachers, leaders of scouts and visitors at the beaches for a readable, fully illustrated account of the common seashore animals of the west coast. This need has now been filled through the pub- lication of a sizeable book entitled, "Sea- shore Animals of the Pacific Coast," by Myrtle Elizabeth Johnson and Harry James Snook. The authors discovered the need and made their plans while doing graduate work in the Zoology Depart- ment of the University of California. Through the years, though busy teaching in two widely separated parts of the state, these two authors through summer studies at various biological stations and independent work have brought to com- pletion this sptendid volume. Eleven colored plates give evidence of the beauti- ful colors which nature has evolved in living organisms that find their home about the reefs, rocky beaches and sandy patches of shore. Seven hundred addi- tional illustrations help the reader to visualize each form of animal life. Every rocky point that juts into the surf is a natural museum. Crevices in the rocks and the mat of seaweed afford shelter for numerous forms, while the hard rocks give places of attachment for those animals that lead a sedentary life. Nearby the outgoing tide leaves pools in rocky basins which form traps for shrimps, fish and other purely aquatic forms. With this newly published book in hand, one may segregate the various forms according to their relationships and find the correct names for them and learn of their distribution and interesting habits. Though great care has been taken to make the book scientifically accurate, it is designed for use by all those inter- ested in sea life whether they have a zoo- logical vocabulary or not. Anyone interested in fish and game and its conservation will find of value the paragraphs relating to such game species as the edible crab, the spiny lobster and the various edible clams. A cursory review will bring to light such interesting facts as the following: The red abalone pro- duces annually from one to two million eggs. Yet in spite of this the number of abalones have so decreased in recent years 68 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. that special legislation has been neces- sary in the effort to conserve them. The spiny lobster produces a quarter million eggs and the young have a curious larval existence. The flattened condition of the body has given them the name of phyllo- some ( leaf body ) . Artificial propagation has as yet been unsuccessful. One kind of starfish is so common a food of other animals that seldom is an individual found with all of its rays. Thirteen spe- cies of shore sponges are commonly found on the California coast. They seldom resemble the sponge of commerce, which is only the skeleton of this animal. The "rubberneck" clam or gaper is a con- spicuous inhabitant of the mud flats of Tomales Bay. Though it lives two to four feet below the surface, long siphons connect the animal with the water above in order that it may obtain food and air. It sometimes shoots jets of water a foot or more above the surface of the mud whenever an intruder invades the flats. The life along the shore constitutes a natural resource. The more the citizens of the state know about the individual inhabitants, the better use can be made of this resource and better attention can be given to its preservation. This new book is a worthy contribution to science and to conservation. — H. C. Bryant. STATE BIRD TO BE SELECTED. The California Audubon Society is sponsoring a move to secure a poll of the state as to a choice of a state bird. Chil- dren in the schools will enjoy making recommendations as will many bird lovers. In making choice, some decision must be made as to whether the requirement is for a bird Avell known to all or whether one of the more unusual and distinctive birds of the state may well be a candidate. The great California condor, the largest of land birds in North America, is re- stricted to this state and might well be chosen because of its size and its histori- cal background. The valley quail is, of course, a contestant for honors and prob- ably would be the choice of most sports- men. Although less well known the wren-tit, a typical bird of the chaparral and to be heard in every patch of brush in the foothills, is a distinctive species found in the southwestern United States and the only bird in a family. No close relatives of this bird are known. Like- wise, the yellow-billed magpie, found only in the state of California, receives con- sideration from the standpoint of beauty and uniqueness. If any reader is inter- ested in this contest, he should send his choice to the California Audubon Society, Los Angeles. GAME RESTORATION PROGRAM INAUGURATED. After hearing so much of such phrases as game depletion, game decimation and game disappearance, the term game res- toration is refreshing. The National Sportsmen's Magazine has taken up this slogan and is doing its utmost to stir interest in putting back into game covers what is taken out by hunters. Emphasis is placed on game propagation as one method of bringing about better hunting conditions. The day has passed where a sportsman can consider his responsibility ended after he has paid the state license fee. His two-dollar payment certainly would not replace one deer nor the twenty-five ducks which he shoots. Hunt- ing and fishing is worth more to a sports- man than he is paying for it, but he must assume responsibility in a restora- tion progi-am. REFLOODING OF LOWER KLAMATH LAKE HELD IMPRACTICABLE. It has long been the hope of conserva- tionists that some arrangement might be made by which a progi'am could be under- taken for reflooding Lower Klamath Lake, which was at one time a splendid water- fowl breeding and feeding ground, lying partly in southern Oregon and partly in northern California. By reason of the use of the water of Klamath River in recent years for irrigation of agricultural lands and also for power, water has been lacking to keep the marshes of Lower Klamath Lake habitable for waterfowl. A study was made this year by L. T. Jessup, an irrigation engineer assigned by the Bureau of Public Roads to the Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture, to determine the practicability of a reflooding program. At a conference held in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on September 27 and 28, by Paul G. Redington, chief of the Biological Sur- vey, with representatives of the California and Oregon game commissions, the report of the engineer was rendered. The many obstacles that preclude further considera- tion of the project were there brought out. In the first place, the full supply of water from the Klamath River is needed for existing and projected irrigation plans and for power use. In the second place, legislation of the states of Oregon and California, which ceded the lands involved to the federal government for use as a reclamation project, stipulated that the CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 69 water should be used for irrigation pur- poses. In the third place, even if water were available, it is held that the reflood- ing of Lower Klamath Lake would be detrimental to agriculture in the imme- diate region, and the cost of necessary project works, such as dikes and pumping plants, and the purchase of privately owned lands, would run into a very large figure. At the conference held in Klamath Falls it was decided to drop consideration of the reflooding program in the Lower Klamath region and to concentrate the efforts of sportsmen and others interested throughout the country on the I'estoration work to be done on the Bear River marshes, at the northern end of Great Salt Lake, in Utah. Here it is possible by diking to establish large areas of fresh water, which when completed will not only furnish breeding and feeding grounds for a very large number of waterfowl but will operate to decrease the mortality that has been so serious among the birds for many years. The chief of the Biological Survey, in commenting on this general situation, stated that the news of the abandonment of the Lower Klamath Lake project would be disappointing to many sports- men and conservationists of the country Avho had banked on the reestablishment of an important waterfowl concentration area there. Continuing, Mr. Redington said, "I am very sorry to be the harbinger of this bad news, since I am well aware of the great interest displayed by thou- sands of sportsmen and bird lovers in the project, but the obstacles to reflooding Lower Klamath Lake appear to be of an insuperable nature. Copies of the engin- eer's report on the project are to be given to many of the organizations that have been behind this project, and it is my opinion that after reading the report their judgment as to the unfeasibility of the project will coincide with the judgment of the Oregon and California fish and game commissions and with that of the Biological Survey. "We are daily expecting the report of our engineer who has been working for the past few months on a plan to con- struct additional dikes on the Bear River marshes in Utah. We know that this sort of restoration work is entirely pos- sible since the State Fish and Game Commissioner of Utah, Mr. Madsen, and certain duck clubs owning land on the Bear River marshes have already by dik- ing established such areas. "The state of Utah has, by legislation, consented to the establishment of a fed- eral project, which, when completed, will comprehend more than 100 square miles of fresh-water marshland territory for wild fowl, and it is our hope that this project may be consummated in the near future. Valuable not alone as a breeding ground but for feeding and resting, it is as important a concentration area as any that can be found throughout the United States, and it is imperative that action be had to remedy the conditions that for the past decade or so have caused such a heavy mortality of the ducks and other waterfowl in the lines of the great west- ern migration." Mr. Redington further stated that the engineering examinations of the Bear River marshes in Utah and the Lower Klamath and Malheur lakes in California and Oregon would not have been possible but for the generosity of western sports- men, who raised a fund of more than .$6,000, which permitted the Biological Survey to obtain the services of competent engineers. DISTEMPER ON FOX FARMS TO RECEIVE CAREFUL STUDY. The University of Minnesota Medical School is engaging in cooperative studies with the Federal Bureau of Biological Survey of the cause and treatment of fo.x distemper, according to an announcement of the United States Department of Agri- culture. Cooperators of the University are aiding the movement financially, and assistance by the Biological Survey also has been made possible by a slight in- crease in the federal appropriations made for the purpose by the last congress. Fur farmers throughout the country and in Canada are bending every effort to prevent contagious diseases of their foxes, and the cooperation of research workers of the university and the Biologi- cal Survey will be welcomed by all fur producers. Studies of outbreaks of disease have been made by research work- ers of the two organizations, and as rapidly as possible the results will be made available to fox farmers. Dr. J. E. Shillinger of the Biological Survey, formerly of the Bureau of Animal Industry, is in charge of the federal work, and Dr. Robert G. Green of the Depart- ment of Bacteriology and Immunology of the Medical School, represents the Uni- versity of Minnesota. So far as the resources of the Biologi- cal Survey permit, representatives of that bureau will cooperate with fox farmers in efforts to maintain the health of their stock. Outbreaks of disease on fox farms, if reported to Paul G. Redington, chief. Bureau of Biological Survey, Washing- ton, D. C, will receive as careful atten- tion as the funds for the purpose war- rant. Material for laboratory study will be thus obtained, and research work will 70 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. be conducted to determine, when possible, the cause of the disease and remedial measures. BEAVER FARMING IN CUT-OVER LANDS PROMISES PROFIT AND INTERESTING WORK. In a report on the possibility of raising beavers profitably, the Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agri- culture says that there are many locali- ties where these fur bearers could be re- introduced without harm and where, through storing water in the reservoirs along mountain streams, they would do much good by helping prevent floods and extensive erosion, by increasing the stream flow in dry weather, and by im- proving the fishing resources of streams and lakes. In such places they would not only enrich forests and parks with a unique and intensely interesting form of wild life, but also would add much to the decreasing supply of valuable fur. Beavers, the Survey has found, can be kept readily in a fully controlled if not a fully domesticated state. Because the ani- mals are comparatively clumsy and slow walkers, they rarely go more than twenty or thirty rods from their home stream. To confine them to a narrow strip along a certain stream, therefore, it is only neces- sary to fence across the stream a short distance above and below their colony, running the fences at right angles to the stream about thirty rods on each side. The best location for beaver farms is believed to be in the tier of states along the Canadian border. A rough guide to desirable range for beavers is the presence of the aspen or poplar tree. These trees are their favorite food and are of little value commercially. Much of the best beaver country is in localities where, after the original timber has been lum- bered off and the ground burned over, thickets of aspen and pin cherry have sprung up as second growth. Such land is generally considered almost worthless, but it might support a large beaver popu- lation and could be successfully handled either on a large or a small scale. A small fur farm, where detailed attention can be given to the animals, is likely to prove more successful at first, and can be extended when management practices are fully mastered. Anyone interested in the possibilities of beaver farming may obtain a booklet giving much additional information by writing to the United States Department of Agriculture at Washington, D. C, ask- ing for Technical Bulletin No. 21-T. BIOLOGICAL SURVEY SEEKS COOP- ERATION OF HUNTING CLUBS. An effort is being made to enlist the cooperation of wild-fowl hunting clubs throughout the United States and Canada in reporting to the Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agri- culture their bags of wild ducks and other migratory game birds taken during the 1927-28 open season. This information is desired as a basis, in part, for de- termining whether migratory game birds generally are increasing or decreasing. It will be of value in formulating regula- tions for their protection. Paul G. Redington, chief of the Biologi- cal Survey, states that "this cooperation from the sportsmen and sportsmen's clubs of this country and Canada will be of great benefit not only to the birds but to the sport as well." Clubs and individuals interested are requested to communicate with the Biological Survey, Washington, D. C. ; instructions and forms will be furnished. The work will be started early in October. WATERFOWL SHOOTING PERMITTED ON PARTS OF UPPER MISSISSIPPI. Under a recent order of the Secretary of Agriculture, waterfowl shooting is per- mitted during the present hunting season on parts of the Upper Mississippi River Wild Life and Fish Refuge, in accordance with the provisions of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the regulations there- under, with state laws, and with regula- tions governing the use of the refuge. The order permits hunting over navi- gable waters and meandered lakes only. Thus it has the effect of preventing shooting on marshlands and ponds, and on these areas waterfowl will have sanc- tuary. This reservation was authorized by congress chiefly to provide a refuge for wild life, but at the same time to afford a place that the public might enjoy for hunting and other recreational pur- poses, so far as consistent with the main objects for which the reservation was made. Hunting on private lands within the limits of the refuge is not affected by the order. It relates to waterfowl shooting only and does not permit the taking of other wild life on the reserva- tion. FORESTS PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN REGULATION OF STREAMFLOW. That the forest plays an important part in the regulation of streamflow has been brought out by scientific investiga- tion over a great many years and in many parts of the world, according to Raphael CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 71 Zon, director of the Lake States Forest Experiment Station of the Forest Serv- ice, United States Department of Agri- culture. The forests are not only an important factor in regulating streamflow, but also aid in modifying climate and the chai'- acter of the soil, tending toward the improvement of the water storage capac- ity of any watershed. These conclusions of Doctor Zon's regarding • the relation- ship of forests and floods are of particu- lar interest just now when ways and means of preventing floods and regulating flood waters are being given such wide consideration. In his booklet entitled "Forests and Water in the Light of Scientific Investigation," just republished by the United States Department of Agri- culture, he points out that although floods which are produced by exceptional rainfall can not be prevented by forests, yet, without the mitigating influence of the forests, floods are more severe and destructive. "A national policy," he says, "which, though considering the direct value of forests as a source of timber, fails to take full account also of their influence upon erosion, the flow of streams, and climate, may easily endanger the well-being of the whole people." The tendency of the forest is to equalize the flow throughout the year of all streams having their origin in tree- covered mountain regions. This is explained in an interesting discussion of the combined effects of the forests upon air and soil temperature, relative humid- ity, effective precipitation, evaporation, wind, physical character of the soil, and run-off of water, which, in turn, control streamflow. A comparison of many streams having forested and nonforested watersheds supports the conclusions reached by the study of contributing factors. The booklet shows the effect of forest cover to be most beneficial on steep slopes, at the higher elevations and on nonporous soils. The forest breaks the force of storms, absorbs some of the water, per- mits still more water to seep down into the soil where it is gradually released to feed the springs and larger streams. The maintenance of a forest cover is shown to be the cheapest and best way of prevent- ing erosion by its tendency to bind the soil in place. A limited number of free copies of "Forests and Water" are available upon application to the Office of Information, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. GAME ANIMALS KILLED IN FOREST EVEN BY SLOW GROUND FIRES. Like the exile who brought about his undoing by yielding to the desire to return once more to his old home, the instinct of wild game to drift back to their range following a forest fire often leads to their destruction, according to evidence gath- ered by foresters of the United States Department of Agriculture. While a forest fire, unless it is "crown- ing," or traveling in the tree tops, ordi- narily does not travel fast enough to overtake the fleeing game birds and ani- mals, the homing instinct is said to bring them back to their haunts frequently before a fire has subsided. Commenting on the destruction of wild life by forest fires, J. W. Humphrey of the Forest Service, describes some of his observations during the Lost Johnny Creek fire in the Flathead National Forest in Montana last summer. This fire occurred in a mixed stand of spruce, fir, larch and white pine. "The fire while at its height," Mr. Humphrey says, "did not travel faster than two miles an hour. This being the case, it would seem unlikely that deer or game birds would be overtaken by the flames. Pine squirrels and other animals, however, were all destroyed in the path of the Are. Along the edge of the Are, where we were trenching, we saw a num- ber of pine squirrels that apparently had their feet so badly burned they could not climb trees. "I found two whitetail deer on the creek below the fire fighters' camp that were burned to a crisp. Two others — one a large buck and the other a yearling — died near the Riverside pasture gate. Another old buck, with the hair over his hind quarters badly singed, and his feet so badly burned that he could hardly walk, was seen by the entire crew a number of times between Riverside and Murray Creek. I also saw a fawn in the vicinity of Spring Meadows that had evi- dently lost its mother. The feet of this fawn had been badly burned. However, it appeared as if it would recover. We found a great many grouse that had died from the effects of the fire. "This fire did not travel fast enough to overtake either the game or the birds. It is my opinion that both, after the fire had quieted down, drifted back to their old range through the smoldering ashes. After getting in where the ashes were extremely hot, and burning their feet, they had become bewildered, and probably had run on until so badly burned that, even though they got out of the fire, they later died. Both deer and grouse appeared very reluctant to move away from their home range and returned before the ground had had time to cool. Nearly every day we would see deer wandering through the burn, especially on the meadows, even though the forage was practically all destroyed." 72 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. STUDY MADE OF MAGPIE IN RELA- TION TO AGRICULTURE. The common magpie, a characteristic bird of the plains and mountains of the west, exerts an economic influence similar to that of the crow of the east. A study of its food habits, the results of which have just been published by the United States Department of Agriculture in Technical Bulletin 24-T, "The Magpie in Relation to Agriculture," by E. R. Kalm- bach, biologist of the Biological Survey, indicates that as an insect eater the mag- pie surpasses the crow and all other mem- bers of the Corvine family, which includes jays, crows and magpies. Destructive weevils, caterpillars and grasshoppers characterize its insect food, which forms nearly 36 per cent of the bird's annual diet. The magpie also eats a limited number of small rodents, and as a carrion feeder it does additional good. On the other hand, the magpie has some outstanding faults. It is guUty of the destruction of poultry and beneficial wild birds and their eggs and at times becomes a pest on the cattle ranch by its attacks on sick, injured or weak live stock. There are times when these birds become so bold or gather in such great numbers that a reduction in their numbers is war- ranted. Poisoning during the winter has been found to be an economical, effective and safe method of accomplishing this. Extirpation of the bird, however, is not called for, and before local campaigns of control are inaugurated careful con- sideration should be given to their neces- sity and scope. Copies of the new bulletin may be had upon request addressed to the United States Department of Agriculture, Wash- ington, D. C. ANNUAL FUR LAW SUMMARY ISSUED. To encourage effective action on the part of those concerned in maintaining the supply of fur animals, including trappers, fur tradesmen, administrative officials, legislative committees and con- servation societies, the Biological Survey issues a summary of the fur laws for each season. The thirteenth annual sum- mary, entitled "Fur Laws for the Season 1927-28," and known as Farmers' Bulle- tin No. 1552-F, has just been published by the United, States Department of Agri- culture. The authors of the bulletin state that the fur resources of the country are stead- ily diminishing and that the factors responsible for this are out-of-season trapping, overtrapping, a general tend- ency in many sections to class fur bearers as vermin to be killed on sight, a great reduction of fur-producing areas, unwise drainage of swamps and marshes, and needless destruction of forests and cover. The raw-fur catch during 1925-26 was approximately 20 per cent less than in the previous year, and the decrease for 1926-27 was even greater. The primary responsibility for making and enforcing laws to protectt fur animals rests with the individual states, and the states are more and more appreciating this fact, as well as the fact that if they do not make and enforce appropriate fur-conservation laws, the public and private benefits from the fur resources will diminish to the vanishing point in the not distant future. The neAV bulletin gives a complete sum- mary in synopsis form of all the laws of the various states relating to fur animals effective for the present trapping season, also those of Canada, Newfoundland and Mexico. Regulations affecting interstate shipment of pelts are explained, and the fur legislation enacted during the year is reviewed, with all important changes noted. Copies of the bulletin may be obtained from the United States Depart- ment of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. COMMISSION ACTIVITIES. A number of important administra- tive changes have been made by the new Board of Commissioners since their appointment on September 2. They are as follows : J. S. Hunter from chief of patrol to assistant to the executive officer. New duties will include game census and technical advice. Mrs. Pearl Ford from assistant to the executive officer to secretary to the Board of Fish and Game Commissioners. K. P. AUred from captain, San Luis Obispo district, to acting chief of patrol. J. D. Dondero from deputy to captain in charge of the district to include Lake, Napa and Mendocino counties. La Rue Chappell from deputy to cap- tain in charge of portion of southern California territory. W. B. Sellmer, captain Marin County, additional charge of launch patrol. New badges have been issued to the CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 73 volunteer deputies to replace the mauy different styles aud patterns. The new l)adge is a bronze shield aud somewhat resembles that of the federal game warden. It assures uniformity aud an equal dignity throughout the volunteer forces. The assortment of glittering oddities that formerly posed as badges has been called in and those privately owned will no longer be honored as marks of authority. The comments on stream and field and game conditions made in the reports of the volunteer deputies are pi'oving of interest and value to the division. They indicate not alone the coordinative work of the volunteer force with the regular patrol, but also indicate a more favorable attitude of the public toward the value of wild life and the need of its proper protection. Up to November 1, sixty-seven organi- zations that have for their object the conservation of fish and game had recom- mended and sponsored the appointment of 2G9 volunteer deputies. These appoint- ments have been made by the division. Replies have come in from practically every employee of the division, giving the data requested on the personnel ques- tionnaire sent out in July. A vast amount of useful information can be found in these papers disclosing ambitions and capabilities, as well as desires to become more proficient in each respective field of endeavor. It is planned to have these data serve not only as a personnel record but as a means of adapting those better fitted to perform other lines of work, and as a means of making adequate advancements. The survey crew posting the bound- aries of California's thirty-four game refuges was recently loaned a one-ton truck used at the Yosemite Hatchery. This additional equipment will serve to carry the crew from one refuge to another and will expedite the work. Game refuges 1-H, Plumas County, l-I, Placer County, 1-0, El Dorado County, 3-F, Contra Costa County, 3-G, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, have been surveyed and posted. The crew is now chaining and posting refuges 3-A, Santa Cruz County, and 3-E, Santa Clara County. Department of Patrol. Much of the routine of the patrol office has been reorganized and adjusted. Captains in all districts have been placed in complete authority and are now held accountable for conditions obtaining there. Except in cases of unavoidable emergency, deputies are instructed to act through their captains. On October 11, a conference of the captains of patrol was held in San Fran- cisco. Both land and water forces con- vened for the purpose of arriving at a common imderstanding of certain prob- lems which were discussed in open meet- ing. The success of the conference has merited the suggestion that similar gatherings be held every three months. The most clever schemes of men ofttimes are of no avail. This proved the case of two dove hunters in the Monterey district who, on killing over the limit of doves, thought themselves achieving the pinnacle of adroitness by concealing 26 doves in their bed-roll. Deputy Richard Young became suspicious of their charac- ter, however, and succeeded in taking them before Judge F. J. Voll of Hollister, who imposed a fine on each of $75. Due to the skill of deputies C. J. Walters and E. S. Hurlbut a catch of 190 trout was discovered in a snowbank near Lake EUery in Mono County. An arrest of a near-by camper followed and Judge A. E. Rule of Mono Lake fined the "trout hog" $100. Even the ranks of the game wardens in California have been invaded by the fair sex. The division recently appointed Mrs. Walter B. Sellmer a volunteer deputy and her first case involved the arrest of an individual shooting from a motor driven conveyance. A record plant of 100 cans of trout fry was made by Captain J. E. New- some's division on October 28. Just two hours and five minutes were alloted to the men to plant 20 miles of the Merced River from the terminus of the railroad at El Portal to the upper end of Yosemite Valley. Three trucks met the fish car at El Portal at 11.45 a.m. and returned the empty cans before the depai-ture of the train at 1.50 p.m. One truck planted the stream as far as the power house, a second, the river above the Pohono bridge and a third from the Sentinel bridge up stream. The water was at a satisfactory temperature, there was little loss in fish and those planted were in fine condition. An enviable record of arrests and con- 74 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. victions dealing with deer cases was attained by deputies Walter Emerick and R. E. Bedwell. They secured eleven con- victions during the opening of the deer season in district 3. The fines imposed on the defendants convicted totaled nearly $1,000. Later in the season, Deputy Emerick made a case involving the kill- ing of a fawn, which resulted in a $200 fine. "This should serve notice on all vio- lators of the fish and game laws, that those who come before me will be severely dealt with in the future. The wild life of California is one of the state's greatest assets and I am heartily in sympathy with the rigid enforcement of the laws existing for its protection." With this declaration, Police Judge Daniel O'Brien of San Francisco sentenced John J. Ryan to serve thirty days in jail for having more than 100 wild ducks in his posses- sion during the closed season when he was arrested on August 25. It is claimed that Ryan has been a violator for twenty years. Profits on the sale of 102 pounds of striped bass were trimmed down as a result of the assessing of a fine against A. Romeo, fish dealer, by Judge Lyle T. Jacks, in a San Francisco police court. The fish had been delivered to a promi- nent San Francisco hotel and were about to be served when Deputy Earl Caldwell seized them. Two employes of the hotel declared Romeo had been ordered to bring sea bass, but brought striped bass instead. The offender admitted in court that he had been arrested four times for illegal handling of striped bass. He was warmly scored for his disregard of the law and sentenced to pay a fine of $250. The bass were turned over to the Shriners Hospital. Here they were served to the youngsters who were patients in the hospital. On January 7, 1925, Deputy Walter Sellmer seized a truck loaded with 180 dozen crabs at Sausalito as the driver was about to cross on the ferry to San Francisco. Suit was brought in the name of the Commission for illegal transporta- tion and the crabs were retained on the ground that they had been brought from Humboldt County. The decision of Superior Judge Edward Butler of Marin County rendered on October 20, 1927, is worthy of more than the brief notice space permits here, for he impressed on the offender that dealers in products of the sea must comply with the laws and rules laid down for the purpose of conserving and protecting the inhabitants of the deep. A fine of $1,000 was meted out with an alternative of one year in jail in the case of Chester Chambers of Colusa on November 13, by Judge John M. Golden of San Francisco. The offender was apprehended with 100 ducks in his posses- sion and charged with two infractions of the law : the possession of ducks dur- ing the closed season and possession of more than the limit. The maximum fine was imposed on each count. It has been suspected that market hunters have been killing ducks by the hundreds and bootlegging them in the larger cities. Judge Golden is deserv- ing of the praise of all those who appre- ciate the value of checking the ravages of the market hunter. It is only through the coordination of the courts with the work of the wardens that illegal hunting can be pared down. In commenting on the case, District Attorney Matthew T. Brady said : "With hunters and anglers increasing every year and our fish and gam'e diminishing, we must do everything in our power to protect the remaining supply if the com- ing generations are to have fish in our streams and game in our fields." Peter Balestreri, well known San Francisco fisherman and consistent viola- tor, was found guilty of illegally having striped bass in his possession early in November by Judge Lyle T. Jacks and sentenced to pay a fine of $250 and spend five days in the county jail. It was Balestreri's third offense in one year. The violator was apprehended by Deputies C. L. Bundock and Earl Cald- well on the morning of October 20 after he had been pursued for many blocks in the early morning. In attempting to elude capture the fisherman tossed out of his speeding machine the two sacks of striped bass and finally in desperation abandoned his car, with the motor run- ning, in the middle of the vacant street. He was positively identified, however, by both deputies before the gloom of the morning concealed him. Lest the educational campaign directed against the practice of "piecing out the bag limit" has failed to remedy condi- tions, deputies of the Division of Fish and Game have concentrated their attention on gun clubs. It will take gun clubs in California a long time to live down their reputation of being hoggish in the matter of exceeding the bag limit. Cer- tainly if action does not come within the CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 75 organization, the Division of Fish and Game will see to it that the law is enforced. Gun clubs have no special privileges and if they do not enjoy having deputies .search members as they leave the club, reform is necessary. The deputies patrolling the duck haunts in northern California have established a camp near Maxwell. A building of a rice grower has been fitted to serve as a dormitory and assurance thus made that deputies exposed to a night of mud and rain while watching for the flash of a pot hunter's automatic will have a warm shelter and a dry bed. Further consideration for their health and com- fort has been manifested in the employ- ing of a cook, who, it is said, serves excellent meals. The reports from the Los Banos and San Joaquin delta districts are very encouraging and market hunters are well aware that deputies are in the vicinity. So far little trouble has been experienced with violations on the part of free lances. About the only irritation with the com- mercial clubs has been the tendency of the duck clubs to oversell their blinds, and in nearly all cases of the sale of ducks, the sale has been made in the duck fields to hunters who failed to bag a limit of ducks and desired not to lose favor among those to whom they had boasted at home. It was estimated that there were 3000 duck hunters in Imperial Valley on the opening day of the duck season. Every hotel from Westmoreland to Mexicali was full and hundreds of hunters were camped along the roadside. At the first break of day it sounded like Chinese New Year. After one hour of shooting the ducks were up in the air so high they looked like small black- birds and were all headed for Mexico, never to return. Deputy E. D. Ricketts writes : "Depu- ties W. S. Talbott, R. J. Little and myself estimated that there were 250 limits of ducks killed on the opening day. These included sprig, cinnamon teal, green-wing teal and Fulvous tree-duck, a Mexican duck that very seldom goes north of the Salton Sea. There were very few geese. "The duck area of the Salton Sea ranges from 150 feet to 250 feet below sea level and in this area there are some forty-odd commercial duck clubs and private clubs that have most all the land along the sea from Mullet Island to Mecca, in Riverside County. The charge to hunt on the commercial clubs is from one to five dollars per day. It devolves upon the hunter to try and get a duck if he can. When a duck comes along everyone starts to shoot and if a duck is killed everyone runs for it, then the fight starts to see who gets it. "There are also thousands of shore birds in the rice fields and along the sea. Several hundred curlew and a few jack- snipe were seen in the rice and barley fields. "Six cases were made the first two days of the open season for shooting shore birds and four duck cases were made the night before the opening for shooting ducks in closed season. "The ducks feed mostly at night in the Imperial Valley and return to the Salton Sea at daylight, to rest. The Salton Sea is quite a large body of water some 40 miles long and from five to seven- teen miles wide. There are two rivers running into the sea, the New River and the Alamo. Most of the ducks loaf at the mouth of these streams where fresh water comes in, as the water in the Salton Sea is very salty, and these points ai'e where the most of the motor boat shooting has been going on. "The division had no motor boat patrol on the Salton Sea until this year and all the deputies could do was to stand on the shore and look on, but with the patrol boat. Ibis, which is being launched at Mecca, the deputies will be able to put a stop to the motor boat shooting on the sea." Over nineteen millions of trout fry were planted under the supervision of the deputies this season. The reports are uniform in their showing that the fish were planted with entire success. In all cases of apparent inefiiciency, further investigations disclosed that the negli- gence was unavoidable. In a few instances deputies were ill or called away unexpectedly to take care of unforeseen cases that required their immediate atten- tion. On the whole the loss of fish was slight. The planting went forward very rap- idly during August and September and then slackened considerably as the hatch- eries were emptied. By the middle of October there were but three carloads to be sent out from the Mount Shasta Hatchery and nine from the Mount Whit- ney Hatchery. These late shipments were to regions in the coast range where there was little danger of the planting crews being caught by snow. The last fry shipped from the Whitney Hatchery were large, and, though more cans were re- quired to transport them, their good size 76 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. and fitness assured better chances of survival. A study is being made by supervising captain O. P. Brownlow involving plans for the coming year and the mapping out of a definite program. The success of the new planting truck suggests a way out of many diSiculties so common in the past. If trucks could be extensively used throughout the state to convey the fry to the streams, a decided improvement would result over the pres- ent system. Captains of districts could go to the hatchery foreman and learn when their allotment would be made and then make plans accordingly so as to serve better the interests of their respec- tive districts. This plan would avoid last minute notices and work under conditions hastily planned and often very arduous because of lack of adequate preparation. If three pack trains of eight mules each could be placed in the fields with three men working on each train and each train working out from bases at concen- trated points, distribution could be made in the less accessible areas and in places not reached by trucks. The pack trains could also transport fish caught by hook and line to barren waters in the vicinity. It is suggested that the first distributing bases for pack outfits be so located as to cover eastern Fresno and Madera coun- ties, Mono County and El Dorado and Placer counties. A new location was selected for the holding pond near Cloverdale on the Rus- sian River to afford a better test of its feasibility. The pond selected last year to try out the benefits' and detriments of holding ponds in general proved unsatis- factory. The present location is shaded and the water diverted from the river constantly cooled by seepage. Squaw fish and hardheads are abund- ant in the Russian River, as well as black bass. These fishes have a great preference for trout fry and are very destructive. It is hoped to hold the trout placed in the pond near Cloverdale until they reach a size capable of holding their own against these natural enemies. Newsome, and in Tulare County super- vised by Captain E. W. Smalley. Captain J. D. Dondero has performed some very creditable work rescuing stranded fish in tributary streams of the Eel River. He estimates that he has placed some 80,000 fish in good water. Rescue work involving the saving of many thousands of bass, crappie, perch and catfish has also been in progress in the San Joaquin Valley south of New- man under the direction of Captain J. E. Captain Walter Sellmer on November 15 seized 12,090 feet of illegal nets being used by fishermen in District 2 in the mud flats between Mare Island and Sonoma Creek. These nets, nearly two miles in length, were being used in an unlawful way to block off an area in territory closed to fishing. On November 3, George Baird for- warded by parcel post an apparently innocent looking package marked "bulbs and plants" from Shasta County to a party in Ross, Marin County. The Hor- ticultural Commissioner at Ross opened the package with an eye to discover any possible introduction of plant diseases. To his amazement there were five moun- tain quail. They were turned over to Captain Sellmer who is now prosecuting the case for concealed shipment of quail shot out of season. Department of Fish Culture. The 2,350,000 quinnat salmon held in ponds at the Mount Shasta Hatchery were liberated into the Sacramento River around November 15. Distribution of trout throughout the state was made by both cars No. 01 and No. 02 until September 14, when car No. 01 was transferred to the Mount Whitney Hatchery. The last trip of the distribution car was made from the Mount Whitney Hatchery on November 9, over 2,000,000 trout being distributed from this hatchery for the season. Up to November 1, a total of 10,636,500 trout had been distributed from tho M niiit Shasta Hatchery. Spawning has been late this year and but 317,000 Loch Leven, 90,000 eastern brook and 114,000 brown trout eggs have been secured. Six hundred ninety thou- sand quinnat salmon eggs have reached the Mount Shasta Hatchery from the Klamathon station. The trout in the ponds are looking well and it is believed that a yield equal to that of previous years will be forthcoming from the pond fish. The repair work of the auxiliary stations of Camp Creek, Bogus Creek, Beaver Creek, Shackelford Creek and Hornbrook Creek has been completed. These stations are now ready for the operations of the egg collecting crews. From the Gull Lake egg collecting sta- CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 77 tion 900,000 eastern brook trout eggs were received at the Mount Whitney Hatchery on November 19. This station was forced to close and the crews to abandon their work due to the cold and storms. The snow was so deep the crew had difficulty in making their way out. The excessive fishing in June and Gull lakes will soon materially reduce the num- ber of eggs that can be collected unless conditions take a turn for the better. The Domingo Springs and Clear Creek hatcheries have been closed and repairs to Blackwood Creek where it will be set up. The Taylor Creek racks have been reinforced and the seining quarters shingled. Four large retaining tanks have been constructed at the Yosemite Hatchery. These are to be used for the purpose of holding trout fry until they reach a cer- tain size, which, it is believed, will insure a greater percentage of survival. They will also increase the capacity of the hatchery and enable certain hatcheries to serve full time. The Department of Fig. 30. A catch of golden trout from Rock Creek near Lone Pine, California. Through fi.sh distribution, streams (ionttiining golden trout are now acces- sible to all. Photograph by Burtort Frasher. made. The Warner Creek trap is ready for installation as well as the Butt Creek trap. If snow does not fall too deep, it is planned to build more troughs and tanks to increase the capacity of these hatcheries. The superintendent's and employees' cottages at the Tahoe Hatchery have been completed and furnished and are now occupied. Repairs are being made on the hatchery building. The Ward Creek trap has been dismantled and transported 7—56393 Architecture is constructing a superin- tendent's cottage and another for his assistants. I'lans have been perfected for the estab- lishment of an aquarium in a room adjoining the Yosemite Hatchery. The aquarium tanks will be in readiness by the coming tourist season. The hatchery is .so admirably serving in an educational way that this additional feature will materially aid in conveying to those who visit the hatchery a more delightful impression of fish cultural work. 78 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. The Prairie Creek egg collecting station is about complete. This station, it is hoped, will furnish at least half the supply needed for the Fort Seward Hatchery. It was established after considerable investigation. The racks were located so as to take advantage of the run of both salmon and steelhead up Lost Man Creek and Prairie Creek. Another experimental station will be located on Mill Creek, one of the main tributaries of the Smith River in Del Norte County. A tent hatchery will be set up and a trap installed, the station being ready for operation by the begin- ning of the steelhead run. Still a third station has been selected on Mormon Creek four and one-half miles from Sonora. A tent hatchery will be in place containing thirty troughs. If the site proves suitable for hatchery pur- poses a permanent hatchery will be built to supply the fish for Tuolumne County, and, possibly, Calaveras County. The Kern River station, a fourth experimental station, will be in readiness before the end of the year. Living quarters for the attendants have been built and the troughs are on their way to be installed in the tent hatchery. " Thirty-five years ago an agreement was entered into between the states of Nevada and California for joint operations on Marlette Lake. This practice had to be discontinued some years due to the short- age of fish. Happily, there were enough fish in the lake to justify a division of the eggs this season. Marlette Lake is situated at an altitude of 8000 feet and supplies from a million to a million and a half eastern brook trout eggs when weather conditions are favorable. The early fall of the year just past was un- fortunate in this regard and the Nevada Commission is not expecting to harvest the usual amount of eggs. The foreman and his assistants are rushing construction and preparation of the troughs in order to get the new Bur- ney Creek Hatchery in shape for the coming season's work. Eggs will be shipped from the Mount Shasta Hatchery as soon as possible and it is planned to have the hatchery raise enough fry to plant all of eastern Shasta and Modoc counties. Traps will be installed in the spring in the creeks tributary to Lake Britton. It will require several years, however, to establish a good run of trout in the lake. The presence of large numbers of bass in Lake Britton will probably prevent this. A hatchery on Cold Creek in Mendo- cino County, is being constructed. This new hatchery will be located about eight miles from Ukiah and will replace the old hatchery at Ukiah which has been able to supply but one-quarter of the number of fry needed for the district. The Ukiah Hatchery, however, will not be abandoned until it is certain that the Cold Creek Hatchery will be completed in time to take advantage of the steelhead run. An epidemic among chinook salmon broke out during the month of September. The biologist of the department, George A. Coleman, made a technical examina- tion of conditions prevailing on the Klamath River at the time when the epidemic was at its height. These epidemics, while known to have occurred in the past, have not been made the object of any special study. Hence, this investi- gation was" of particular value and interest. Mr. Coleman also made investigations of the Yosemite Hatchery, Lake Eleanor, and of Prairie Creek. The latter two in- vestigations were made for the purpose of determining the feasibility of estab- lishing egg taking and egg eyeing stations. Department of Commercial Fisheries. Mr. H. B. Nidever, an employee of the • Division of Fish and Game since .Tune, 1908, has been put in complete control of the Commercial Fisheries Patrol of 'x)th northern and southern California. Centering responsibility should aid greatly in law enforcement. Mr. Nidever will . stimulate better enforcement of the law protecting Pismo clams as wellas enforc- ing laws relative to fish reduction. It is expected also that the complaint that the laws were better enforced in the southern part of the state than elsewhere will be obviated. Three ships of the Scandinavian whal- ing fleet operated for some time during the fall in the vicinity of San Clemente Island. These ships were tied up by the United States marshal during October on account of debts owed a local ship chand- ler and because of noncompliance with the custom laws. Captain Peterson, a local fisherman at San Pedro, has conceived the idea of CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 79 bringing Pismo clams from Turtle Bay, Mexico, to San Pedro in several ton lots and planting them on the nearby beach and selling them to the local markets as the trade demands. In starting this new 'industry. Captain Peterson has promised to comply with all laws which apply both here and in Mexico. Having obtained a supply at Turtle Bay, the success of the new venture is awaited with interest. Mr. L. H. Kelly of the Hawaiian Divi- sion of Fish and Game has been visiting California with the purpose of securing various birds and fish for introduction into the Islands. Mr. Kelly plans to take several hundred Pismo clams and aba- lones to Hawaii and attempt their intro- duction. There have been several former attempts of this kind but they have met with failure because of the difficulty of shipment. Mr. Kelly has devised some specially designed crates which he believes will transport these shellfish satisfactorily. During the barracuda season a research assistant of the State Fisheries Labora- tory centered his attention on field work. Data as to the size measurements of the catch and observations of the spawning were gathered. Some very young fish were fortunately obtained during Septem- ber. The question of age determination through the microscopic examination of scales is to be undertaken this spring. This past fall a purse seine boat from San Pedro demonstrated that purse seines can catch sardines in steady quantity in Monterey^ Bay. However, since the lam- para fishermen were delivering all the sardines the canneries could handle, both canners and fishermen wished to cancel the contract with the purse seiner. This was finally accomplished by joining the forces of both canners and fishermen. The patrol boat Alhacqre has been over- hauled and repaired and during November and December worked over the northern end of the district. Mr. Paul Bounot continued his work of gathering knowl- edge as to the extent of damage caused by sea lions and additional data as to their life history and habits. Bureau of Education. In that the Division of Fish and Game is made responsible for the protection of song birds, it is only reasonable that depredations by such birds be investi- gated and help given the farmer. For several years complaint has been growing relative to the destruction of grapes by birds in the Porterville district of Tulare County. During the early part of No- vember, Mr. Donald McLean was detailed to find out how much damage was being done and which birds were responsible. He found that certain owners were hiring men to patrol the vineyards and shoot every small bird seen. Keason for such a procedure was shown in that late ripen- ing grapes are packed in sawdust, and if one or two grapes are broken the whole keg is likely to spoil. Each bunch of grapes has to be trimmed of the bird- picked fruit. Some of the birds killed m vineyards were sent to the San Francisco office and a study made of the stomach contents. Some were found to be grape eaters, others were apparently innocent species bent upon the destruction of in- sects rather than the destruction of fruit. Like studies were made of the damage done by quail in vineyards in San Benito County. Investigations of this sort will do much to gain the confidence of the public and at the same time will place bird protection on a sounder basis. During November the exhibit, "A Forest Tragedy," was installed at two different expositions held in the Civic Auditorium, San Francisco. Thousands viewed the exhibit and commented upon the lesson it teaches. Literature on a nearby table was furnished those inter- ested. The complete collection of birds' skins and birds' eggs has been rearranged and catalogued. In addition, a fine set of new specimens has been added to the collec- tion of bird skins. Celluloid containers are being manufactured and it will soon be possible to make loans of bird skins to teachers and to various organizations. Such containers are necessary in order to prevent deterioration of the specimens. Special attention is now being given the lecture program in the rural schools as well as the city schools. The boy with a .22 rifle who shoots everything that flics is a well-known problem in every rural school. If these school lecturers can help develop the boys in our country districts into good sportsmen and conservationists and can at the same time develop respect for the game warden of the district, splen- did fundamental work for conservation can be accomplished. 80 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Bureau of Hydraulics. The cooperation of oil companies in cleaning up their properties and in nip- ping the pollution problem in the bud, so to speak, is being secured through an earnest effort on the part of the bureau. The bad effects of pollution and its cure by effective methods is finally being heeded. There is no doubt that some of the latest examples of this cooperation will greatly increase the efficiency of the piesent program of protection for fisli and plant life. sump and the measures taken to prevent pollution. A suit against sixty-seven oil operators in the Huntington Beach field was filed early in October in the superior court of Los Angeles County. This suit was in the form of an injunction sought to pre- vent the present polluting of the Pacific Ocean with petroleum now permitted to flow into lines of drainage by the I'espec- tive defendants. The suit comes as the result of an ex- haustive investigation pursued by the bureau after an inspection of the field Fig. 31. McGillavray Dam on Canyon Creek, Trinity County, showing the new fish ladder recently completed. October, 1927. Photograph by G. O. Laws. An inspection of the Shell Oil Refinery at Martinez occasioned praise for the excellent work done by the company and in particular by G. H. Van Senden, man- ager of the refinery, for the fine results obtained in dredging the sumps, making a general cleanup and providing against possible leakage of oil in the future. At" least $20,000 was spent in carrying out the cleanup program and in precluding the possibility of further pollution. Much satisfaction also resulted from the way in which the Oil Operators, Inc., at Long Beach, are maintaining their early this summer. The inspection was extended to the premises of every offend- ing operator of oil wells in the field and conditions were summed up to be very bad. Samples of oil were taken at the time of the survey and photographs of the drainage and the polluted area were made with a view to their use in a court action. The suit will enjoin the offending com- panies from operating until such time as the areas in question are cleaned up and assurances made that the pollution will not occur again. The larger oil com- panies have always shown a willingness CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 81 to cooperate iu the utleiupL of the liuicuu to prevent and halt iwUution, but the smaller independent operators have, so far, failed to see the light. It is hoped that the filing of a suit on a wholesale scale will stop these smaller companies from operating unless the pollution is stopped and that the steps taken will have the same effect that similar action had on a large number of companies in the Long Beach field last year. A last minute report shows that the majority of the defendants named in this action are taking steps to clean up the polluted areas. The Cain Irrigation Company in Mono County will install a fish ladder on Grant Lake and four fish screens on Rush Creek as the result of a court hearing held at Bridgeport in September. Efforts to ef- fect an installation without the necessity of legal action were of no avail. A fish ladder on Ralston Dam at French Meadows, Placer County, was in- spected and found satisfactory. This ladder was installed last year in accord- ance with an agreement. The Mendocino Lumber Company com- pleted a fish ladder at Hellgate Dam on the South Fork of Big River in Mendo- cino County. An agreement was reached with the Marin Sanitary District to install a fish ladder at a place where a sewer pipe crossed San Anselmo Creek in Marin County. The Clover Valley Lumber Company in Loyalton, Sierra County, has cleaned its mill pond of bark, sawdust and other settled matter deleterious to fish life. • The State Board of Health after a hear- ing in Sacramento gave permission to the Sacramento Development Company to pass the effluent from a fifty-ton sulphide pulp mill and a 3300-pound rayon plant into the Sacramento River at Freeport. The attitude of the division in the mat- ter was presented to the board at the time of the hearing. It is believed that the permit issued will safeguard plant and fish life inasmuch as it might be affected by the effluent. The owners of the S. S. Edna Christen- sen, Sudden and Christensen, were brought into court and fined $300. They were found guilty of pumping oil in Ijilge water into the estuary at Oakland. The Pan American Petroleum Com- pany has been making experiments to ascertain the best way to prevent pollu- tion. They are constructing cooling towers at the very considerable cost of $125,000 at their Watson refinery that will cool and save about 80 per cent of the water, according to tests made. The Union Oil Company at Oleum is engaged in enclosing and filling in an area along its shore line to mitigate the unsightliness of the many scattered oil drums and to prevent oil seepage into the San Francisco Bay waters. The bulwark is of planked piling and rock fill and will cost, together ■ with dredging the old sumps, some $85,000. For twenty years the salmon and steel- head have been barred from Greenwood Creek, a fine spawning stream that empties into the Pacific near Elk in Men- docino County, but this year, due to tiie cooperation of the Goodyear Redwood Company wi*:li the Division of Fish and Game, the stream has been opened. During this long span of years the stream had been blocked by a dam main- tained by the lumber company to operate a pond for floating logs for milling pur- poses. After a series of conferences a fish ladder was devised for one end of the dam. While these negotiations were under way many difficulties cropped out and at one time it was thought that it would be necessary to tunnel through the rocky hill at the side of the dam for over one hundred feet, at an almost prohibitive cost. A ladder, however, was designed that solved the problem and the lumber company went to work on the job as soon as the plans were completed by the bureau. Reports declare that fish are making use of the ladder and are having no diffi- culty in going through the jumps. The ladder is unique and the splendid coopera- tion of the lumber company with the Division shows that there are still com- mercial concerns that want to conserve fish. Bureau of Game Farms. During September 1709 ringneck pheasants were liberated. By far the larger number of these went to Santa Barbara and Imperial counties. The fol- 82 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. lowing month, 895 birds were planted : at Red Bluff, 100 birds ; Pleasanton, 100 ; Orland, 125; Bakersfield, 150; Tulare, 150 ; Temecula, 120 ; and Crows Landing, 150. These birds made a wonderful show- ing. They were full grown and their color and beauty impressed spectators as they took to the air from the open coops. The selection of the new farm in the southern part of the state has occasioned much investigation, for many factors enter therein. Water is one of the prime requisites governing the choice of loca- tion. Avoidance of fog is another as well every day of the year and noted the whole cycle in the activities of the ringneck are now in a position to give valuable data. What is equally reassuring is the in- creased interest shown in the welfare of the introduced species in all these areas. All the plantings of last year have been carefully checked and it has been found that the pheasant is doing as well in California as in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. The state has much territory well adapted to upland game birds, furnishing cover and suitable food the year around. The greatest area suit- FiG. 32. Superintendent Bade of Yountville Game Farm discovers stolen plieasant nest. July 17, 1927. Photograph by Sidney Snow. as avoidance of heat from April to July. Further construction work at the Game Farm has involved the erection of new breeding pens. These, due to their secluded location and quiet, will insure a higher quality of eggs. Care has been expended to place the birds as near to natural conditions as permissible. All of the areas stocked last year have now been replanted. Useful and valuable information has been secured from farmers and those who have been in close touch with the progress made by the birds. Farmers who have been on the ground able is in the great interior valley of California. Both the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys are large enough to readily absorb the output of a single game farm. With the recent rains the work of renovating and cleaning up the pens was commenced. All of the pens along the main alley way have been plowed and seeded. The domestic poultry house has been rearranged and a new cooking house built to accommodate two forty-five gal- lon caldrons. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 83 Bureau of Research. A number of major problems of game diseases have been carried to the point where the full time services of a qualified pathologist are necessary. Hence, a full time pathologist has been secured. The bureau will continue to have the coopera- tion and aid of the Hooper Foundation. The tabulation and filing of over 19,000 deer tags in addition to license stubs and compilation of trapping data and case records has occasioned routine work for the department of very consider- able magnitude. The Director of the Bureau attended the Seventh Annual Convention of the Western Association of State Game Com- missioners held in Seattle on September 8 and 9. The outstanding feature of this convention was the desire of the repre- sentatives to bring about a solution of the migratory waterfowl situation in the west. As an aftermath of this meeting in Seattle, the division was cordially invited to be represented at a conference held at Klamath Falls. Here a progress report was heard on the feasibility of reflooding Lower Klamath Lake. The report pre- sented the present obstacles in the way of establishing a suitable and adequate refuge for migratory birds and summed up a survey recently made by government engineers under the auspices of the United States Biological Survey. R. J. Irvine made a series of tests in the use of thallium as a rodent poison. The experiments were made possible by the United States Biological Survey, whose agents operated recently on the property of the Moraga Land Company in Contra Costa County. Thallium salts will color the flame of an alcohol lamp green. It was at first believed that this was a certain and con- venient means of detecting the presence of the poison. After many tests, it was decided that the spectroscope, after all, was the most reliable and sure meang of discovering whether the poison was pres- ent in either animal or bird. The experiment was made to deter- mine the effect of the poison on rodents at a time of year when food is scarce and to gain some notion of the amount of poisoned grains likely to be uneaten by rodents, and left to be picked up by birds. The formula for the poison is twenty ounces of thallium sulphate to 125 pounds of potted barley. The thallium was mixed with starch and enough glycerine added to make a paste. This was placed in a copper drum and rotated until the barley was well coated with the poison. The poisoned grains were then placed in a leather bag, for wherever the poison comes into contact with the hair, it is said to cause it to fall out. The grain was scattered from a horse, the operator using a metal spoon. The experiment showed that four men could poison 1000 acres in three days at a cost of around $218. There have been few serious recur- rences of the duck disease epidemic. A slight outbreak flared up in the Tule Lake country, but an investigation proved not as alarming as at first reported. Another case of duck sickness was reported in Contra Costa County but this too was found to be not extensive. Further research on dead birds disclosed lead- poisoning and it is believed that death was occasioned by this cause rather than from sickness. Sixteen number six, chilled shot were fed to a well duck and eight to another duck. Both ducks died, revealing pathological conditions similar to the dead birds from the Contra Costa locality. COMMERCIAL FISHERY NOTES. N. B. ScoFiELD, Editor. SARDINE SCARCITY AT MONTEREY. Beginning with the second week in October, eight weeks have passed during which practically no sardines have been caught at Monterey. During September, the catch was exceptionally heavy and the ten canneries at that place were running at capacity. This long absence of sar- dines is unprecedented and is causing a ■great financial loss to the canners, the several thousand persons employed in the industry, and, in turn, to the whole Monterey community. The question arises in the minds of sardine canners and fishermen : Is this scarcity caused by overfishing, and has the supply been seriously depleted by present intensive fishing methods? 84 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. To detect depletion of our commercial fisheries is an important part of the work of the Department of Commercial Fish- eries, and for seven years now, extensive data of the sardine catch at Monterey have been gathered and analyzed by mem- bers of the State Fisheries Laboratory staff. There is no good evidence, as yet, that the fishing operations at Monterey are drawing too heavily on the sardine supply for safety of the future, or that any fluctuations in abundance are due to other than natural causes. It must be admit- ted, however, that a series of records extending over a period of seven years is hardly sufficient to show whether or not the fishing is too heavy, and we should be very cautious about any undue exploi- tation of the supply until the investiga- tions have been carried to the point where we can be certain of detecting depletion before it has advanced beyond the danger point. While there is no evidence that the fishing operations at Monterey are caus- ing any noticeable diminution of the total sardine population from which the fishery draws its supply, there is evidence that the operations temporarily exhaust the local sardine population to such an extent that fishing operations cease until fresh sardine schools are brought into the bay by storms. The supply of sardines in Monterey Bay is soon exhausted by the tremendous daily catch of a thousand tons. There is a slowing down of the fishing, and finally it ceases and the indus- try is idle until a fresh sardine supply arrives. Under these conditions, to take more sar- dines than can be put in cans, and run the surplus in the reduction plants, lengthens the time when there is an absence of local sardines and the canneries and the thou- sands of employees are idle. There is good reason to believe that if, during the time of sardine abundance in Monterey Bay during the first of the season, no sardines had been used in the reduc- tion plants, the canneries could have continued to operate for a longer time. In the meantime, there are no sardines for the Monterey canneries and gloom hangs over the historic place — and those who seldom pray are now praying for a storm or a good stiff north wind to bring the sardines in. Another thing has been noticed and spoken of by the canners, and that is that the period elapsing between the times of plentiful sardine supply is becoming increasingly longer ; and it has been noticed that not always does a storm or a favorable north wind bring the expected supply of sardines into the bay. In the light of these facts, we should be careful with the supply when the getting is easy. — N. B. Scofield. BOOTLEG BARRACUDA. Tlie barracuda is one of the most impor- tant fish in the southern district on ac- count of its abundance, its good eating and shipping qualities. The catch of bar- racuda in the state, taking an average of fish received for the past seven years, amounts to 7,000,000 pounds annually, including about 2,500,000 pounds received from Mexican waters. Practically all of the barracuda is taken in southern waters. However, some years there is a fair catch in Monterey Bay. During the flush of the season in May, .Tuue and July, the Department of Com- mercial Fisheries is actively engaged in overseeing the barracuda catch. This is necessary on account of the weight limit of three pounds imposed by law and the restricted methods of taking the fish. The numerous docks and landing places around San Pedro, Wilmington and Long Beach add another serious difficulty to the situ- ation and it has been necessary to main- tain a night and day patrol in order to stop the "bootleg" barracuda business. The regularly established wholesale markets have, in most cases, realized that the game of violating the law in the ag- gregate does not pay. Accordingly, most of them have become fairly good conserv- ators. All the wholesalers of the San Pedro district recently made what might be termed a "gentlemen's agreement"' not to handle any unlawful barracuda. It was agreed that in any case where one found the other, or anyone else, handling small or purse-seined fish, they were (0 report the violation and assist so far as possible in prosecuting the offender. Since the law prohibiting the use of purse seines and lampara nets for taking barracuda went into effect in 1925, the fish have been taken with gill nets and hook and line. The purse-seiner or lam- para net fishermen still persist in making liauls and either transfer their load to a gill or hook-and-line boat at sea or try to smuggle it into the harbor and land it on some waiting truck or wagon at night. An amendment to the net law which became effective July 29 again allows the use of purse seines and lampara nets for taking barracuda. It is still unlawful to use these nets during two and one-half months from May 15 to July 31. It is hoped this law will overcome the over- CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 85 catch condition wlii(,'li always accompa- nied spring fishing. The markctman's. as well as the fishornian's, business will be relieved of the oversupply, with the re- sultant low price which was formerly the case, when both the marketman and fisherman lost money. — IT. B. Nidevcr. DRAG-NET FISHING HAS DEPLETED HALIBUT SUPPLY. A southern California paper quotes the skipper of a local fishing fleet to the effect that the high price of 18 cents per pound for halibut is chiefly caused by the depredations on halibut and nets by seals. This is in line with the tendency of commercial fishermen to explain the scarcity of fish by attributing the cause to anything rather than to overfishing. The high price of fish is caused by a scarcity of the fish, and the scarcity of southern California halibut is due to destructive methods of fishing in the past and to a condition of depletion at the present time. There is considerable doubt as to whether seals do any appreciable damage to hali- but, but there is no doubt that the past destructive fishing of drag boats is the principal cause of the scarcity. Drag-net fishing has been prohibited south of Santa Barbara County for four years, and it remains to be seen if this great protection will cause halibut of that region to increase in numbers. It should be remembered that not many years ago, before our fisheries began to be developed, there were many more seals than at the present time and the halibut were also very abundant. The seals and sea lions have been reduced almost to the point of extermination, and coincident with this halibut have become so scarce that they bring 18 cents a pound. The cause is clearly one of overfishing. The explanations of fishermen and fish deal- ers (and fish canners, for that matter) for the scarcity of fish, whether it be salmon, sturgeon, tuna or halibut, are often weird and fantastic, and anything but the real reason — overfishing. SOUTH AFRICA WANTS HERRING. The Englishmen in South Africa have decided to improve on nature and estab- lish the herring, a fish of the northern hemisphere, in the seas of the Union of South Africa. One often hears the ex- pression "you can't improve on nature," but the fact is we are improving on nature all the time. All of the fruits, vegetables and field crops we grow in California have been improved by man from their original forms found in nature. 'IMie shad, striped bass and soft-shelled clam were not by nature placed in Cali- fornia, but they have been established here by man. Captain Lambson, the modest but efiicient superintendent of our Mount Shasta Hatchery, many years ago took king salmon eggs from California to New Zealand. There they were hatched and liberated in the streams, and now salmon are abundant in New Zealand streams where, apparently, the Lord never intended them to be. That is one of the things the genial captain will have to answer for. If salmon can be taken from the north- ern hemisphere and established in the southern half of the world, why not her- ring? Herring spawn along the shore, where their eggs adhere firmly to the rocks and seaweed. These eggs would liatch in ordinary water temperature be- fore they could be gotton to South Africa, but the hatching can be delayed by keei>- ing them at a low temperature, just above freezing. The eggs must have oxygen, for they breathe as does every other living organism. The best way to ship the eggs will be to keep them in an ice chest where they are kept moist with salt Avater, and at the same time exposed to the air. Salmon and trout eggs are shipped that way, except that they are moistened with fresh water and the temperature need not be kept so low, as their period of incubation is much longer than that of herring eggs. The problem is entirely feasible, and South African herring may some time be as famous as Norway or Alaska herring, but that will not be during our lifetime. It is also proposed to transplant the halibut from the north Atlantic to the seas of South Africa. This will be a more difficult task than transplanting the herring. The halibut inhabits deep water in the north Atlantic and the north Pa- cific. The fish are of such large size that it will be the young that will have to be used in the experiment. The young or developing eggs will be extremely hard to get, and if they are successfully gotten to South Africa and they make themselves at home, it will be a great many years before they can multiply to such an extent that they can be found or noticed, for a halibut does not mature and spawn until it is past twelve years of age. The success of the experiment would not be apparent until after several generations have been produced. — N. B. Scofield. LOUISIANA SHRIMP INDUSTRY. In the year 1921, 34,992,443 pounds of shrimps were caught in the state waters 86 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. of Louisiana — an increase of 50 per cent over the catch determined by the United States Bureau of Fisheries for the year 1916. The catch of 1921 had a value, to those engaged in the industry, of about three million dollars. The principal cause of this great in- crease in the shrimp fndustry was the introduction of the otter shrimp trawl in 1917. In that year four of the trawls operated, and by 1921 the number had increased to 983. Beach seines, the only apparatus formerly used, decreased in number 50 per cent between 1916 and 1921. The seines could be operated only along shores, while the trawls could be operated in both. shallow and deep water. Thus new fishing grounds were opened and it was found possible to avoid certain shallow waters at the times when young shrimps would be caught. There was a tendency among some of the fishermen, however, to catch young shrimps which were too small to market except they be dried, and to take them to the drying platforms. In spite of this abuse, the trawl is an improvement over the shrimp seine, from the standpoint of conservation, and in time, the catching of young shrimps can be prevented. The history of the Louisiana shrimp industry is that of nearly all the larger fisheries. Great advances are caused by the introduction of improved and more efficient fishing apparatus. It appears, from the report of the Louisiana Depart- ment of Conservation, that the otter shrimp trawl is less destructive to young shrimps and to young fish than the shrimp seines. The products of the commercial fish- eries of Louisiana amount to about one- third that of the fisheries of California. The revenue which Louisiana derives from her fisheries in the way of licenses, fisheries tax and oyster ground rentals amounted to $98,185.09 for the year end- ing December 31, 1923 — a sum greater than that received by California from her much more extensive and more valuable fisheries. — N. B. Scofield. PISMO CLAM CENSUS. Members of the staff of the California State Fisheries Laboratory made the fifth annual census of Pismo clams at Pismo Beach on November 8-10, 1927. The purpose of this census, as in previous years, was to obtain data for an estimate of the total number of clams on the beach. Three trenches, located approxi- mately a mile apart, were dug across the intertidal zone and a count made of all clams found. The results of this year's census indicated even fewer clams on the beach than did last year's findings. No clams of legal size were obtained. The largest clam was less than four and one- half inches in diameter and only 15 per cent of the total exceeded three inches. The 1927 set of clams was apparently not as successful as the 1926 set, although it exceeded some of the poor sets of pre- vious years. The very serious depletion of the clams on Pismo Beach was again demonstrated by this year's census, and unless the protective measures now in force are loyally supported by public sen- timent, Pismo clams, if not entirely elim- inated from our California beaches, will soon be practically unobtainable to both the amateur and the commercial digger. — Frances N. Clark, California State Fish- eries Laboratory. November, 1927. EUROPEAN BIOLOGICAL STATIONS. While motoring through England this summer I had the good fortune to visit two places of interest to people in fisheries work — the Plymouth Marine Biological Station and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in London. The Plymouth Marine Biological Station was on our "itinerary" through this town of such great significance to Americans. We knew we had arrived on a special holiday, as evidenced by all the populace being in costume and grotesquely masked, and the streets being gaily decorated. After threading our way through the holiday traffic, we found our way up to the top of Citadel Hill. This is a part of the Hoe, the steep hill that lies between the town and the sea. The holiday crowd seemed to consider the Aquarium a place worthy of their attention, for many were paying the "tuppence" entrance fee to see the fish. After asking to see Dr. Allen, we were courteously presented to the genial director of the Biological Station. From his evident pleasure in showing us the whole institution he was certainly the true host. I am afraid my memory of exact details may be faulty, but I believe there were individual laboratories for about forty research workers. A large aquarium room was equipped with all sorts of clever mechanical devices for duplicating ocean conditions. A separate building served as a class room for the special use of undergraduate classes that come occa- sionally from the different universities. The library, containing about ten thou- sand volumes, is rich in all the literature on fish and fisheries, besides having a good reference section in general biology. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 87 In the aquarium Dr. Allen took pride in showing us the many kinds of fish, but especially the little species in the small tanks ingeniously lighted from above. They, with their dainty shapes and colors, were fully as interesting as the great undulating eels, darting bass, decorous cod, and gracefully soaring plaice. But best of all, our genial host took us out on the Hoe to "see" Sir Francis Drake's little fleet of vessels in the inner harbor ; and the Green, a little distance away, where the admiral was playing at bowls when the Armada was first sighted. It was one of the thrills of a very interest- ing summer to stand there and look out across the sparkling bay to see in imagi- nation the Spanish galleons sailing by, and Sir Francis himself, pausing in liis game to gaze at the spectacle, for as we remember, he is said to have finished )iis game before putting out in pursuit. In London I had the opportunity of visiting the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The room in which J waited to see Dr. E. R. Russell had little in it to suggest any connection with the sea except a model of a boat hauling a special sort of drag net. I was shown up three flights of very steep and winding stairs to the oflice of Dr. E. R. Russell, who received me in the gracefully courteous English way, and expressed his regret that the building was rather out of date, and had no elevator — to be exact it was three hundred years old — but that if people had the perseverance to search liim out in his eyrie they deserved special consideration. I must confess I was too poorly in- formed about the things I might have asked to talk intelligently. But now when I see the "Journal du Conseil Permanent International pour I'Explora- tion de la Mer," edited by E. R. Russell, it recalls a very interesting half hour in a building older than our own nation and a pleasant aicquaintance with ouie of England's best known scientists. — Gene- vieve Corwin, Librarian, California State Fisheries Laboratory, October, 1927. ABALONE SAFE FROM EXTERMINATION. The laws protecting the abalone from commercial extermination are ideal, and it is not likely that the commercial aba- lone fishermen will exterminate or seriously deplete the abalone supply. The red abalone, which is the only one used commercially, is protected from amateurs by a seven-inch minimum limit. Red abalones which have reached this seven- inch limit have spawned at least three times. At the request of commerical aba- lone fishermen, the minimum commerical size limit was fixed by the legislature at eight inches, and a red abalone has spawned at least six times before it reaches this eight-inch limit. Therefore, no commercial abalones are taken until they have spawned at least six times. The red abalone is abundant in water deeper than the diver is able to go and to operate profitably. There is also an area in shallow water where the diver can not go on account of moving water which is outside the low tide line. Aba- lones in this area are not disturbed by the diver. The abalones, therefore, are protected so that they have ample oppor- tunity to seed the rocks in the neighbor- hood where they spawn. If the com- mercial divers take all of the abalones which are eight inches or larger, they can not seriously deplete the supply because the law does not permit them to take them any smaller than that, and as has been shown, none of the abalones can be taken commercially until after they have spawned six times and there are many abalones which can not be taken by divers which spawn more than six times. The seven-inch abalone produces more than a million eggs. These eggs are fertilized in the open water and become a free swimming organism for several days before they settle down and attach themselves to the rocks ; so that no matter whether the spawning aba- lones are in deep or shallow water, the young find their way to all places along the shore. There is evidence that the young aba- lones, during the first two or three years of their lives, are more numerous in the deeper water and that these abalones move inshore later, in search of places where they may attach themselves to the rocks. This movement, however, takes place several years before they are of the size that may be taken commercially. Abalones, after they get to be five or six inches long, seldom permanently leave their places of attachment. There has been a great deal of hysteria on the subject of abalone conservation. There is absolutely no reason why any region should object to taking abalones commercially. Not to take abalones for commercial purposes is wasting a valuable food supply without gaining anything. — N. B. Scofield. TO SAVE THE FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES. For a number of years the yield of the Great Lakes fisheries has been declining, and just recently the lake herring fishery 88 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 89 has failed entirely. There is but little doubt that this has been caused by in- adequate fishing regulations and wasteful fishing methods, although many of the fishermen blame the trouble on pollution of the water from cities and factories which turn their sewage and factory waste into the lakes. Besides Canada, there are eight states bordering on the lakes, and there has been poor coopera- tion between them in the way of regula- tions or investigations. Realizing that coordinated action was necessary if the important fisheries of those waters were to be saved from destruction, Governor Green of Michigan called a conference of the interested fisheries officials. Besides the represen- tatives of the eight states bordering on the lakes, there were present representa- tives of the Department of Marine and Fisheries of Canada and the Bureau of Fisheries of the United States. United States Commissioner of Fisheries Henry O'Malley was chosen chairman. The convention approved a list of regulations which are to become effective when the states and Canada adopt them. These regulations would restrict the types of nets and fishing gear which can be used, prevent pollution of the waters, save the spawn of fish, taken by commercial fishermen, for the fish hatcheries, and have each state or government concerned adopt a system of gathering fisheries statistics similar to that used by Cali- fornia. To facilitate the adoption of recommended regulations, it was urged that all the state fisheries commissions be given power by their legislatures to make and enforce fishing regulations. This getting together of these eight states, Canada and the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries for the conservation of the Great Lakes fisheries is apparently an attempt to get the coordinated action of a group of states and another government, without resorting to the usual expedient of an international treaty where the states would lose jurisdiction over their own fisheries and that jurisdiction would be assumed by the central government. Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover, under whose department comes the care of fisheries, through the Bureau of Fisheries, is on record as opposing the tendency of the states to turn over the regulation of the fisheries, electric power, etc., to the government. He states that this tendency is likely to make the central government top-heavy ; leads to bureau- cracy and tends to destroy local initia- tive. He has recommended that where a group of states have a common interest in fisheries, they form a coalition, with the sanction of congress, to handle their fisheries as a unit. This organization of the Great Lakes states is a move in this direction and it strikes us as a good move and one which may well be epoch-making. It also pleased us immensely to have this progressive group hold up our fisheries statistical program as an example to be followed.— N. B. Scofield. LIFE HISTORY NOTES. NORTHERN HALIBUT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. On November 18, 1927, the fishing boat Angel, owned by K. Kuramoto and operat- ing from San Pedro, brought into port a fourteen-pound northern halibut {Hippo- glossus hippoglossus) , which is pictured in the accompanying illustration. The specimen was caught on the southeast side of Santa Rosa Island in 100 fathoms. So far as we have been able to find from the literature, the incident is remarkable in that it is the first time a northern halibut has ever been recorded in these waters. Jordan and Evermann (1898) give the Faralloiis as the south- ern limit of this species, and Starks (California Fish and Game, 1918) gives Monterey Bay as the southernmost boundary. According to Mr. Mitchel Planchard of the Gilbert Van Camp mar- ket where the fish was delivered, this is the fourth northern halibut brought into Van Camp's in the last two yeai-s. — L. A. Walford, California State Fisheries Lab- oratory, Terminal, Califoimia. GRUNION AT LA JOLLA. The two remarkable photographs here reproduced were sent to the Division of Fish and Game by Mr. "Willis E. Zader of La JoUa. These were taken at La JoUa in April, 1927, and show grunion spawning in great numbers on the beach. Grunion, as far as known, are the only fish that come out of the water and lay their eggs on what might be termed dry land, the sand of the beaches. This occurs during the favorable tides in the spring months of each year. On certain beaches, especially at Long Beach, vast crowds of people gather when the grunion are running and take these fish in great numbers. As a result, the grunion in waters adjacent to Los Angeles have become seriously depleted. 90 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Mr. Zader writes that he has been observing the grunion at La Jolla for fifteen years, and as yet, can see little diminution in numbers, but feels that, unless protective measures are passed, these fish may be endangered. The illustrations show a much heavier run of fish than occurs at the present time on the beaches of Los Angeles County, although in past years the runs were as heavy as in the San Diego region. A closed season is now in force which prohibits the taking of grunion during the months of April, May and June. It is hoped, as a result, that the grunion runs on the beaches in the Los Angeles region will increase and that the runs at La Jolla will continue in their present magni- tude.— Frances N. Clark, California where attempts will be made to develop a pure white strain. Mr. Williams of Coalinga reports that one bird nearly white in color appeared in a litter of eight birds of normal parent- age. This bird, now two years of age, had two litters of his own this year : one of nine and another of three. The birds of both litters have white feathers on breast, wings and backs, but are not as white as the father bird. The original parents had a litter of eleven birds that are all partly white. These birds have been feeding regularly near the home of Mr. "Williams, but by the middle of November moved into the higher hills.^ H. 0. Bryant, Berkeley, California, November 23, 1927. Fig. 34. Grunion spawning on the beach at La Jolla, California, April, 1927. Photograph by Willis E. Zader. Taken at 12.30 a.m. Fisheries Laboratory, Terminal, Cali- fornia, October, 1927. ALBINO QUAIL. Albinism is likely to be found almost anywhere in animal life. Sometimes an albinistic variety can be developed by selective breeding. A pure white Java sparrow is imported in numbers ; a faded- out variety of the shell parakeet is a com- mon cage bird. Only one attempt so far as we know has been made to secure a pure white strain of the valley quail. Mr. H. R. Noack of Oakland for several years attempted to breed a pure white bird but without success. This past fall a number of albinistic valley quail have been reported near Coalinga. Two albinistic forms were captured and sent to the state game farm HUMPBACK SALMON TAKEN OFF SANTA MONICA. The round haul boat Victor Emanuel on September 12, 1927, caught an appar- ently erratically wandering specimen of humpback salmon (Oncorhynchus gor- buscha) off Santa Monica, California. The specimen, a male, measures twenty- four and one-quarter inches long and weighs five pounds. This part of California, we believe, is farther south than the humpback salmon has ever been recorded, the range as noted by Jordan and Evermann (1896), by Meek (1916) and by Messrs. Goode and Gill (1903), being the Pacific coast and rivers of North America and Asia from Oregon northward. Mr. N. B. Scofield in Califobnia Fish and Game, January, 1916, records several specimens taken CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 91 from the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz County. These fish are occasionally taken in the Sacramento River where they are known as "lost salmon." — L. A. Walford, California State Fisheries Laboratory, Terminal, California, Sep- tember 20, 1927. WHITE-TAILED KITES NEAR HOLLISTER. On November 27th, while watching a number of hawks along the dirt road be- tween Gilroy and Hollister, I noticed perched on a fence post only fifty feet or so away a pearly gray and white hawk with black shoulders. Of course there is only one such colored hawk in California, the white-tailed kite. It sat there for some time, then sailed lightly away, only The flight of this bird is very light and buoyant, but at times quite rapid. When compared with the similarly-sized prairie falcon, the flight of the kite is found to be indirect and cari'ied at many changes of grade (slope of flight), at varying levels from the ground, while that of the falcon is direct, rapid, stiff-winged and carried at a steady level above the ground. The falcon is pale clay-brown above, white beneath with dark streaks and spots. The adult male marsh hawk might be mistaken for the kite, or vice versa, but one good look at the white rump patch and bluish-gray tail with six to eight darker bands of the marsh hawk will distinguish it from the pure white tail of the kite. i^i ^ J--- •. ■-'. - ^^'^^ ^^Hft^OI •S ' 1 iai| % - ^ ► •■■. .^^^^^ ^^Sismr-M - ■^j ' f^- . r'Z.^t ■V^^ ms^^*^ ,. |Er^F^ • » -::» ■ ,^. : ' '' ... ,» rHi7Prl nnH nvp.r limit Abalones: drying, illegal ..... . ... Lobsters : closed season 25 225 330 150 70 1,000 1,000 Barracuda: undersized Black bass: undersized Illegal fishing: withing 300 feet of inlet to lake; 250 feet fishway; 150 feet lower side dam Illegal possession of fish spear Nets: illegal possession or use Pollution .. .. . . Totals 210 $6,820 78 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 99 SEIZURES OF FISH AND GAME. July, August, September, 1927. Salmon, pounds 7,000 Spot fin croaker, pounds - 620 Barracuda, pounds 5,000 Striped bass, pounds - - - .- 503 Sunfish -- - 26 Black bass - -- - 166 Trout - - 477 Perch - 15 Crabs - 48 Clanis - '55 Abalone --- - -- 1° Lobsters, pounds --- -- -- - - 50 Quail — - ---- 105 Pheasant - - - 3 Dove ""5 Sage hen .-. 27 Ducks -- 114 Band-tailed pigeons -- -- 7 Nongame birds -- -- --- -- 37 Deer meat, pounds 3,401 Deer hides and horns 5 Illegal nets and traps — 5 STATEMENT OF INCOME. For the Period July 1, 1927, to September 30, 1927, of the Seventy-ninth Fiscal Year. License sales: Detail Total Angling licenses— 1927 $61,978 00 Hunting licenses— 1926-27 -'- 11.014 70 Hunting licenses— 1927-28 43,295 00 Market fishermen's licenses— 1927-28 19,400 00 Wholesale fish packers and shell fish dealers'— 1926-27 '- ' 30 00 Wholesale fish packers and sheU fish dealers'— 1927-28 EEl 920 00 Game breeders' licenses— 1927 -^^~c ^'^ '^^ Fish breeders' licenses— 1927 f?.E 15 00 Trapping licenses— 1927-28 ^ ^ 380 00 Commercial hunting club licenses— 1927-28 3-?* 275 00 Commercial hunting club operators' licenses— 1927-28 75 00 Deer tag lioenses—1927 23,332 00 ^,„„_,, _ Total license sales ._ - ?160,754 70 Other income: Gametagsales --- ,„ ,jj 50 Court fines.. 12.12132 Fish packers tax - °.4°^ 'J, Kelp tax — — 6 26 Fish tag sales 1.^68 bl Interest on bank deposits 642 50 Total other income - 22,631 92 Total income... - $183,386 62 100 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES. For the Period July 1, 1927, to September 30, 1927, of the Seventy-ninth Fiscal Year. Function Materials and supplies Salaries and wages Service and expense Property and equipment Total Administration: Executive and legal-- - - 15 50 391 72 $3,765 00 5,145 00 $259 68 772 85 2,724 38 42 10 1,006 68 1,230 90 837 97 $1 75 447 54 $4,031 93 Clerical and office _. 6,757 11 Rent - --- 2,724 38 Automobiles 62 47 6 95 111 52 Telephone and telegraph 1,006 68 1,230 90 Freight, cartage and express -. 837 97 Printiner ----- - - 5,894 35 5,894 35 Accident and death claims 393 75 34 45 393 75 Commissioners-- - - 34 45 Total administration 16,354 04 $114 52 $8,910 00 $2,691 93 $825 00 597 50 $7,302 76 $344 73 $299 23 624 93 $456 24 $1,248 23 $23 023 04 Education: Director $4,399 41 Publicity: Director - $1,124 23 State fair - - - - -- $237 28 $18 45 1,478 16 Total publicity.- _- .- . - $237 28 Sl,422 50 $3,054 99 992 07 $924 16 $301 96 8 80 98 46 97 80 38,984 39 44 65 285 78 1,020 00 781 82 200 82 $18 45 $2,602 39 Conservation and protection: $3,356 95 Clerical and office - $39 35 $180 34 1,220 56 Rent — 98 46 Automobiles _- _ 323 76 25 50 359 20 2,736 90 379 06 3,158 46 Captains and deputies _- 43,321 07 525 00 450 00 82,710 02 Patrol launches 928 85 735 78 Lion bounties 1,020 00 Fish olantine: 102 17 98 18 1,346 00 575 48 136 49 432 27 2,366 48 Refuee Dostins. 1,306 75 Total conservation and protection _ $948 16 $14 26 7 07 534 97 4 55 181 86 $50,264 61 S2,634 99 5,338 07 1,170 00 1,395 00 8,360 48 $41,824 48 $675 57 1,217 79 132 80 68 45 1,097 12 214 50 3,750 00 57 25 $3,865 06 $12 73 $96,902 31 Conunercial fisheries: $3 337 55 Deputies -_- 6,562 93 Patrol launches 72 91 1,910 68 Statistical - _ 1,468 00 Laboratory. 266 46 9,905 92 Salmon taseins 214 50 Botulism 3,750 00 Automobiles - - 152 59 209 84 Totpl pnTnmwfiial fiRhmp.= $895 30 $18,898 54 $999 99 1,015 50 $7,213 48 $16 25 6 80 84 00 683 38 4,727 64 $352 10 $10 00 $27,359 42 Fish culture: Chief and assistant $1,026 24 Clerical and office - . - $34 36 1,056 66 Rent - 84 00 Automobiles- - 937 03 21,445 83 4,638 72 4,189 87 1,663 83 6,259 13 Hatcheries 30,708 28 61,071 62 Hatchery additions and betterments - 1,663 83 2,635 00 505 80 3,140 80 Total fish culture $22,417 22 $3 52 $1,639 55 $35,358 77 $1,305 00 $2,220 00 $6,023 87 $833 99 $571 37 $11,922 50 $182 50 $10,502 42 $74,302 28 Hydraulics: Chief and assistant $2,142 51 Game propagation: Game farm $71 05 $4,501 97 License commissions $11,922 50 Research: Director - $13 33 $1,644 00 $1,839 83 Total expenditures - - $32,622 92 $122,715 35 $77,143 84 $16,513 55 $248,995 66 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 101 CORRECTION. In the January, February and March report of the catch of fish in California, published in the July, 1927, Vol. 13, No. 3, issue of California Fish and Game, pages 229 and 230, the following corrections should be made: Alameda-Contra Costa counties should read: Perch 644 Sabnon 6,559 Shad... 894 Shad— Buck 97,138 Shad— Roe 84,802 Striped bass 110,525 Total fish 317,595 Total 326,840 San Francisco-San Mateo counties should read- Cultuscod. 76,889 Rockfish 265,399 Sablefish 80,993 Sabnon 572 Total fish 4,5.59,011 Crabs 1,026,888 Total 5,891,022 Footnote No. 4, showing number of dozens of crabs should read 42,787 dozen. To correct the total catch for the state, the following amounts should be added to the totals for California, pages 231 and 232: Cultuscod 873 Perch 11 Rockfish 1,721 Sablefish 126 Salmon .. . 643 Shad 69 Shad— Buck . . . 2,310 Shad— Roe 2,107 Striped bass . 2,544 Crabs 14,040 Footnote No. 1, page 232, should read 47,245 dozen. These corrections were made on account of delayed reports having reached this office after the original report was made up for publication. 102 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. UJ ca ui I- o. UJ 3 S 3 I o O E ^ I O = S I q: " o ■= CO £ I- i£ O II. 3 .^ Q o O = £ i ^ t i ■§ X U o < E o u Monterey. Santa Cruz. San Francisco, San Mateo. . Alameda, Contra Costa. Sacramento, San Joaquin. Solano, Yolo. Marin. Mendocino, Sonoma, Lake. Del Norte, Humboldt. CD OS J3 o 5 o O 2 03 lis COTfH COO 00(M 0-* I>- -^ CO CO 1— ( O "O (M tH 1:0 OS 00 Tfi C-1 O t^ 00 ^<*l cq t>- (C CO »0 <:© O (M lO »0 iO GO CD 00 C-^ l>. Ci '^ 10 O tO_ -^^ oq_ cO_ O^ o" ir: 00 t-S CO co" O 10 CCI iM l-HOO Ci 00 »0 CD COCD >0 UO ocoo CD Oi T-H OOCSi IW , O CO I OS 00 lO o w 00 i-^t-' CO CO 10 CO Oi CO t^ Cq Id t-- 00 CO 1— « CO CD O t^ 00 lO *— I 10 »o Oi Oi CO O O OcDC^ 0001 i-H^O_00_(N Tt<_ io"u:rc ^ I U. g O Q s ^ c — liJ 'S. X E z CO Total Mexican brought into California Mexican, brought into California via San Diego... Mexican, brought into California via San Pedro... Total. San Diego, Imperial - o < u Orange. as ^ oo CO O 00 Oi i-t CD CO CDO 00 OS w CO ICO too "oo" CO CO CM OO CO lO OCO^i-H^ i>rcjzro OS lO Ci oo tH »c COOCOi-HC5iOt^l'*CCCOiOiOCt^C*Oi— < t}h_CD_':0_I>-_-^__O^CD co ■<-^OOif£-i-^^':Sl>^OiCOOiOi':£^ o"io"i— i h-l:--0000"tpC0Oi— ( O !>• t^ CO CO CO -^ t^ O i-H CO oo O *-H l>- lO CO C<1 00 'iO 1— I 00 T-(i— I -^Olr-t T-HOCCOO(MO CO iC CO »J0 o -_^co^';D_ 1— Tt-Ti— Tio" 1— I "^ l>- CO -«** CO rH CO CO^r-t^ 00 ^H (M CO Los Angeles - San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura CV '^^ ^ '^_ ^ Tt^*" »o o'l-T lo" o ■^ (M c::i >-< c- 1-H r^ (M oo >o oco CO cq O CO *-H CO ■rH CO t-f iC c^ CO C<] CO COO lO 1— 1 ■'—1 lO (M 1-H liti Oi-H O (M -^ (M - co oo 00 ii as CO ;_, rf 03 ""P**^ 1"^ ""Q "T^ 'T3 3 ca o3 5 ^ ^ CO CO C/2 CQ CQ 03 I u:: CO i(M to I o c^ I c^ to I O If J -^ Ocooo Ttl to T-H Tt< 1— I O:: (M CD P q CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 105 OS** "* f-H as CQ CO lo "^ cc •* ci -^ o ?3 05 CO COCO coir:) o2 i-HOO^ '-H CO in* o Cs CO C^ CO cotr^ 10 C^ l-t'T-l toco CO CO CO <^ CO CD 10 cooco*— c^r^-ocoio »0 »C •-^^■'-' '"\^- CO o 00 b-' i-T cr* o" r^" c »:'^4S.;;:9iSMk>a3Sii^sS..«fe:wa«^Si^ii;;i Fig. 41. Working- the lily pads for black liass, uslns: a fly rod. Near Modesto. Photograph by Perc Meakin. ««-t*»^*-:^ J mi' Fig. 42. Landing a black bass near Modesto. Photograph by Perc Meakin. ing on various kinds of upland game birds. Mr. J. V. DeLaveaga, also of San Francisco, has interested himself in the propagation of wildfowl, not for profit but for his own pleasure. On his estate in San Mateo he now has fifty-eight dif- ferent varieties of ducks and more than been furnished, Mr. DeLaveaga can boast of splendid success. Even some of the rarities noted above have successfully reared their young. Although the rearing of wildfowl is largely a hobby with Mr. DeLaveaga, yet in reality he is contribut- ing a great deal to science. His name twenty different varieties of geese. If appears often in that monumental work, CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 145 "The Natural History of Ducks," by John Phillips. Should someone with means undertake the breeding of song birds on the same scale as that undertaken a num- ber of years ago by Judge H. W. Ilen- shaw, three fields of endeavor, rather than two, might thus be covered. ACCOMPLISHMENT OF A PRIVATE GAME FARM About five years ago, Mr. A. P. Hoff- schneider of Soulsbyville, California, became interested in the rearing of pheasants. He secured a breeding stock and about four years ago began liberating the surplus in the vicinity of his ranch. Gambel quail have been found as easy to rear as the valley quail. Mountain quail, thus far found very difficult of handling, have also produced young successfully. DESERT MOUNTAIN SHEEP Life on desert ranges is not easy. Scant food supply makes desert animals sturdy of limb; lack of suitable hiding places increases danger from predatory species and this increased danger must be cared for by keen eyesight and sense of smell. While taking motion pictures of raoimtain sheep in Inyo County, Mr. E. S. Cheney had under observation eleven ewes. By October 1, each of these had Fig. 43. The minine: drederer is a menace to fish. The oicture shows how completely the Trinity River was blocked by dredging operations in 1926. It is evident that no migratory fish could successfully pass such an obstruction during low water. Photogranh by G. O. Laws. The birds have become established and there are many reports of successful nesting. Meantime, he has continued to rear large numbers of pheasants and dur- ing the past season liberated 168 more. On this same game farm some 800 quail have been reared in the past four years. Mr. Hoifschneider attributes his success to the food furnished : weed seeds, eggs and lettuce. In one instance this past season, a bantam reared twenty-five out of thirty quail. Even bobwhite quail have been successfully reared and at least twenty-five pairs have been liberated. lost their lamb, although previous to this time, several had been followed by their young. The mountain sheep of desert ranges have not increased greatly since total protection was given them. It is difficult to determine the factors concerned which prevent increase. In the Rocky Mountain region many mountain sheep have died from "lungworm," a common ailment of domestic sheep. The main point is that after long years of protec- tion, mountain sheep are not sufficiently abundant to warrant an open season. 146 CALIFOENIA FISH AND GAME. JAPANESE SPORTSMEN ORGANIZE PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION The Japanese, more than immigrants from other foreign countries, after set- tling in California, quickly become in- terested in fish and game resources. _ A few years ago, a number of law violations were traced to the Japanese, but in more recent years most Japanese have care- fully adhered to the game laws. At Watsonville recently, the Pajaro Valley Fish and Game Protective Asso- ciation was host to the Japanese sports- men of the Pajaro Valley. This was the initial step in the formation of a Japanese fish and game protective association. More than forty Japanese sportsmen has been no evidence of a lessened supply of deer. Pennsylvania has attempted to put through a bill which would allow the killing of does. However, this met with a great deal of opposition and it failed of passage. Forced to take action of some kind to reduce the number of does, the Pennsylvania Commission proposed to send expert marksmen into the deer coun- try and permit them to kUl an unlimited number of does. As in the case of does illegally killed, the carcasses were to be turned over to hospitals. This also met with opposition on the basis that sports- men who purchased hunting licenses should be allowed to kill the does if it Fig. 44. A California deputy on patrol. JJcputy William Armstrong of Vallejo, although an old-time law enforcement oflicer, keeps abreast with the times. attended the meeting. Such an organized group is in a position to do much in the line of education and in the protection of game birds and fish. THE BUCK LAW New York has been stirred regarding the numerous reports that does are so numerous as to endanger the deer popula- tion of that state. Other states have listened to those who claim that there is danger in killing bucks only. Accurate information, however, has not yet been gathered. Until then it seems best to thoroughly test out the buck law before advocating a change. Certainly the buck law has been responsible for less hunting accidents and here in California there was intended to have a wholesale slaughter. The buck law in California has many staunch defenders. ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF A WOMAN GAME WARDEN California's only woman game warden, Mrs. Walter B. Sellmer of Fairfax, Marin County, has arrested thirteen people for the violation of the fish and game laws since she pinned a special deputy badge on her blouse, November 22. In each case a fine has been secured and this attractive protector of the state's wUd life can point with pride to a goodly sum for fines ranging from $15 to $50. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 147 It may well be said that the ink had hardly dried on Mrs. Sellmer's commission before she ai-rested a San Franciscan at Stinson Beach for shooting game from a moving automobile. Only a few days after this, her activities brought to the bar of justice another bay city law breaker with a bag of illegally taken song birds. Close on the heels of this case followed another, involving two men who had caught undersized crabs and netted undersized striped bass. Nor has Mrs. Sellmer been negligent in her attention to less spectacular viola- FiG. 45. Mrs. Walter B. Sellmer, Cali- fornia's first woman game warden. Mrs. Sellmer, as a volunteer warden, has made a number of important arrests. tions. Through her untii'ing efforts a trapper, plying his trade without a license, and five hunters, hunting without licenses, have felt the stern arm of the law. Two of these men were found within the Tamalpais Game Refuge openly violating the law of the sanctuary. Another proved to be a mere youth who is now serving a six months' probation. Mrs. Sellmer's most recent case was made in conjunction with Captain Sell- mer and resulted in the apprehension of two deer slayers who so strongly felt the urge to take life that they shot a doe in the Marin woods. Fearful of exposure, the killers cached their illegal game in a tree and wandered on in the manner of those recreation bent, awaiting the cover of darkness. Their capture came about only after a long vigil and real commend- able courage and distinguished service on the part of Mrs. Sellmer. STILL GAME TO EAT Judging by the last report of the New York Conservation Commission, the taste for game is being at least partially sup- plied by importation. During 1927, im- portation asents handled and tagged in tlie port of New York, 133,900 pieces of domestic and imported game. Game tags li> the number of 2.5,200 were sold to private game preserves of the state. The game tagsed consisted of deer. elk. partridge, pheasant, quail, mallards and ducks, together with certain game species from South America. WILD QUESTIONS (Questions on the wild) 1. What rodent in California rears the smallest number of young? 2. What California fish is con- sidered the largest member of the minnow family? 3. What large game mammal most successfully withstands open des- cri renditions? 4. Which of the following are typical diving ducks: canvasback, baldpate, pintail, ruddy duck, mal- lard, lesser scaup, surf scoter, red- head, shcveiier, cinnamon teal? 5. Where may one find muskrats in California? 6. Are wood rats good to eat? 7. What kind of aoose has been found nesting at Lake Tahoe and other mountain lakes? 8. Where may California's larg- est kind of deer be found? 9. What is the proper common name of "black-spotted trout"? 10. Did the buffalo ever range into California? BOUNTY PAID ON MUSKRATS TO SAVE IRRIGATION DITCHES The Imperial Valley Irrigation District in Imperial County, which controls and maintains 2400 miles of highline canals distributing water used for irrigation purposes in Imperial Valley, reports that over $10,000 has been paid in bounties for muskrats taken during the twelve- 148 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. month period ending March 1, 1928. Owing to damage to levees and loss of water resulting from the habits of these rodents, constant warfare is being waged by trappers employed by thisi irrigation district, which offers 25 cents per tail taken from each muskrat killed. VIEWPOINT CHANGES ON ROUTE TAKEN BY DUCKS In some manner or other most of us have believed that ducks fly north and south on their migrations. Ever since banding was instituted, it has been known that ducks and geese from central Canada sometimes winter in the great valleys of California. Numerous ducks banded on the Bear River marshes in Utah have been taken in California. Now comes additional dependable evidence of this kind. Technical Bulletin No. 32, U. S. Department of Agriculture, is devoted to "Returns from Banded Birds, 1923-1926." A glance over the returns of various ducks again shows a criss-cross rather than a direct north and south flight. At least six pintail ducks banded in the middle west in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri have been taken in California. P"'our green-winged teal ducks banded on Avery Island, Louisiana, in 1922 and 1923 were taken as follows : Alvarado, Butte Creek. Dos Palos, Yolo County, all statidus in Califoi-nia. These birds may well have returned to breeding grounds in the north and taken a west- Avard flight the following year. In three of the four instances, however, they were taken the following winter in California, and the exception two years later. Two shoveller ducks banded at Klamath Falls, Oregon, were retaken in the Sacra- mento Valley ; in one instance, three months later, and in the other, one year later. Nineteen mallard ducks banded at Irvington, California, were retaken at the same location a year or two later. One only, of twenty-nine banded, made a long distance flight. This one was taken over a year later at Walla Walla, Washington. A pintail duck banded at Ii-vington. January 27, 1926, was taken May 9, 1926, at Rampart, Alaska. Other birds banded at the same location were taken scatter- ingly over the southern half of the state. Several pintail ducks banded on Lake Merritt, Oakland, were recovered in the Sacramento Valley the following winter. One was taken east of the Sierra in Honey Lake Valley, and one at Ocean Park, Washington. SCHOOLS TAKE INTEREST IN CONSERVATION A few months ago a leaflet was pre- pared giving salient facts regarding the administration of fish and game resources in California. Given out at the State Fair, it proved effective in stirring inter- est in the reader. After a lecture at Fortuna High School some of these leaf- lets were left with the principal. An interesting test was arranged by the principal covering the facts in the leaflet and those furnished by the lecturer of the Division of Fish and Game. Believing that readers might be interested in both the leaflet and the list of questions, they are both appended. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL. RESOURCES Division of Fish and Game Pointed Paragraphs on Fish and Game Administration In the reorganization of the State gov- ernment, the Fish and Game Commission now becomes a Division of the Depart- ment of Natural Resources, which Department also has jurisdiction over three other divisions — Forests, Parks, and Mining. The Division of Fish and Game is administered by a Fish and Game Commission of tliree non-salaried members appointed by the Governor. The Fish and Game Commission appoints an executive officer who liandles all of the activities of the Division of Fish and Game under the direction of the Com- mission. All of the work of the Division in ad- ministering and protecting wild life re- sources of the State is supported solely liy hunting and angling licenses, fines imposed by the courts for violations of the fish and game laws, and the licenses and privilege taxes paid by commerical fishermen and fish canners. The Division of Fish and Game now owns and operates 18 hatcheries and 20 egg-collecting stations. It has under con- struction at the present time four new hatcheries. The hatchery at Mt. Shasta is the largest in the world. It has 56 ponds and .5 hatchery buildings and is equipped to handle over 20,000,000 trout and salmon. The egg supply of trout is taken partially from brood fish reared and held at the Mt. Shasta Hatchery and partially from artificial traps set in streams and lakes in which mature wild fish are taken and spawned. The Division of Fish and Game has a patrol force of 125 regular deputies and about 400 special deputies, in addition to the Commercial Fisheries patrol. These deputies work under the direction of Cap- tains. The Captains report to Assistant Patrol Chiefs— one each in the northern and southern districts of the State. The Assistant Patrol Chiefs report to a Chief of Patrol. The Division has launches and speed boats for patrol on the waters of the bays and rivers of the State and is in- creasing their numbers as funds permit. This year, for the first time, the Divi- sion is doing its own planting of young fish under the direction of a Supervising Captain. The fish are now consigned from the hatcheries to the Captains of Patrol throughout the State who meet the shipments and see that they are properly planted. The lakes and streams to be planted were determined In advance CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 149 by the patrol force, acting In conjunction with the Department of Fishculture. By next fish planting season the Divi- sion hopes that it will be able to elimi- nate to a very great degree the move- ment of small fish by fish "cars and plant directly from adjacent hatcheries by truck. Serious effort is being made to survey both from physical and biological stand- points all lakes and streams of the State with a view of determining what waters, barren at present, will sustain fish life. If the biological survey shows these waters to be devoid of food for fish, the food will be furnished and in a few years many extra lakes and waters will be added to our angling area. It is esti- mated that there are 2000 barren lakes in California at present. The Commercial Fisheries Department of the Division has charge of all affairs relating to commercial fishing operations in the state. The magnitude of its work can be judged from the fact that San Pedro is now the largest fishing port in the United States and Monterey the third largest. This Department has two patrol boats — one at San Pedro and one in Monterey Bay. It has a force of deputies patrolling the coast and cannery inspec- tors checking canning operations. In addition, this Department maintains at San Pedro a laboratory for research where it is doing constructive work of tlie most advanced kind to make deter- minations as to the suppl>' of fish and to aid in framing legislation to prevent depletion. The Division has recently inaugurated a Bureau of Research which handles all problems of bird and animal diseases and .statistics. The statistical operation of the new deer tag law comes under this Bureau and for the first time California, at the close of this present season, will have available full statistics as to the total number of deer killed, their clas- sification and abundance. Scientists are being added to the Bureau as fast as pos- sible. We now hope to be able to cope successfully with any form of disease which breaks out among our wild life. The Bureau of Education has been greatly augmented by added lecturers, moving pictures and other methods of disseminating information on our wild life. It is planned to carry this message to the schools and to adults under the maxim that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." In this con- nection it might be well to emphasize the thought that the Division of Fish and Game frowns upon any technical cases made for violation of the law, but be- lieves in educating the public so they will not violate the law. This theory, first put in practice about a year and a half ago, has proven that the people of the State as a whole are certainly back of the new thought. The Bureau of Hydraulics handles the question of the installation of fish ladders over dams to aid migratory fish in going up-stream for spawning purposes and the installation of screens in irrigation ditches and canals to prevent our game fish from being stranded. This Bureau also has charge of pollution matters. Strenuous efforts are now being made along all three of these lines for the Division realizes fully that it is a waste of money to propagate our fish and plant them unless proper safeguards are main- tained to rear them to maturity. The Division maintains at Yountville, in Napa County, one of the largest single game farms in the world, the construc- tion of which was completed in the sum- mer of 1926. There are eight acres under wire, covering 580 pens. There the Divi- sion raises pheasants, quail and part- ridges and is experimenting with other wild game birds. Last year over 3,000 pheasants were distributed throughout the state and this year approximately 9,000 will be liberated. The first brood stock of Hungarian partridges has been reared. The Division has inaugurated a system of planting game birds unique in the United States in that the liberat- ing is done by our own men by the use of our own trucks, and only on areas set aside as sanctuaries on which all hunting is prohibited until such time as the Legislature shall declare an open season. Plants are made in numbers of not less than 100 birds and the areas contain not less than 10,000 acres. A second game farm is now proposed for Southern California and will be built as soon as a site is selected and in time for next year's operations. Next year should see the liberation of approximately 24.000 pheasants. Following are a few statistics relating to fish and game in California: Tn 1926, there were 2.'5fi,fi29 angling licenses sold. In 1926. there were 2.'S2,01T hunting licenses sold. California has 27 state game refuges containing about 2,000,000 acres of land. Another million acres are contained in National Parks, Monuments and Federal Bird Reserves. Hunting is prohil^ited on all game refuges. A crew of engineers has just commenced to survey and post all of these refuges. In the last biennial period. 1924-26. there were planted in our streams from our hatcheries 59,000,000 trout and 14,000- 000 salmon. It is estimated that there are -26,000 miles of fishing streams in California and 10,000 lakes, with an area of over 800,000 acres. Tlie new hunting license act provides that one-third of all revenue from hunt- ing licenses must be spent in the acqui- sition of land for game refuges and public shooting grounds. This will give us a chance to obtain refuges for migra- tory waterfowl to offset the drastic loss of loafing grounds caused by reclamation projects and the drying up of former flooded areas. It is estimated that there are at present 150,000 square miles on which hunting is permitted. Test Given to Fortuna Union High School Students Test on Visual Instruction and Division of Fish and Game Circular. If the statement is true place a (-I-) sign after it. If it is wrong place a ( — ) sign after it. 1. The members of the Fish and Game Commission are elected by the people of the state at a regular election. ( ) 2. The legislature makes an annual ap- propriation to support the activities of the Fish and Game Commission. ( ) 3. The Mt. Shasta Hatchery which is owned and operated by the Division of 150 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Fish and Game is the largest hatchery in the world. ( ) 4. Some of the egg supply comes from fish reared for this purpose by the hatchery experts at the hatchery. ( ) 5. The Division of Fish and Game is attempting to have a survey made from physical and biological standpoints to determine what bodies of water contain fish food at the present time. ( ) 6. A Bureau of Research which handles all problems of bird and animal diseases and statistics has its headquarters at San Pedro where the Department has established a laboratory for this work. 7. The Division of Fish and Game be- lieves in educating the public so that they will not violate the law. ( ) 8. The Fish and Game Commission is a Division of the Department of Natural Resources. ( ) 9. The Bureau of Education also handles the question of the installation of fish ladders over dams to aid ^migra- tory fish in going upstream for spawning purposes. ( ) 10. A second game fann has been built and is now operating in Southern Cali- fornia. ( ) Underscore the correct answer. 1. The Fish and Game Commission of California is composed of 2, 3, 5, 7 memliers. 2. The Division of Fish and Game now owns and operates 12, 14, 16, IS hatch- eries. .•). The Division of Fish and. Game operates 10, 1.5, 20, 25 egg-collecting .siations. 4. In 102r> there were more (angling) (liuntinar) licenses sold in California. ,5. California has 9, IS, 27, 36 state game refuges. 6. In the last biennial period, 1924-26 there were planted in out streams from our hatcheries (14 million) (-59 million) trout and (14 million) (59 million) salmon. 7. The new hunting license act pro- vides that 4, I, i, I of all revenue from hunting licenses must be spent in the acauisition of land for game refuges and public shooting grounds. 8. Through scientific management by experts at Napa the production of game birds is 2, 3. 4. 5 times greater than it would be if these birds were left to nature. 9. It has been estimated that there are (10,000) (26,000) miles of fishing streams in California and (10,000) (26,000) lakes. 10. The construction of the game farm in Napa County which is one of the largest single game farms in the world and contains eight acres under wire, covering 580 pens was completed in 1916, 1921, 1926. DANGERS ATTENDANT UPON INTRO- DUCTIONS OF FOREIGN BIRDS Success in the acclimatization of various game birds is leading to numerous attempts at supplying a substitute for native species. The average sportsman becomes enthusiastic at the mere mention of bringing in some famous game bird of Europe or Asia. Seldom does he stop to listen to the warning issued by biologists that introductions are always dangerous ; first, because of resultant competition with native species ; and second, because of the danger of introducing disease. Though in California a policy has been decided upon, yet it is fair that the oppo- site point of view be recognized. Even if committed to introduction of worth-while species, assembling of all facts bearing on this mooted question is desirable. A recent article by P. A. Taverner which appeared in The Canadian Field Naturalist, October, 1927, discusses the first of these dangers as applied to the competition between the Hungarian par- tridge and the sharp-tailed grouse. In several of the provinces of Canada, the Hungarian partridge has become well established ; whereas, the sharp-tailed grouse seems to disappear in these areas. Mr. Taverner ends his discussion with the following paragraphs : "Of course all this discussion is now purely academic. The Hungarian Par- tridge is with us, probably to stay, juid it will spread just as far as ecological conditions are favorable, whether we like it or not. If it has introduced dis(>Mse into native stock, that mischief is done, and is ineradicable now and even tlio total extermination of the original host would do no good now or at any succeed- ing date. However, the sub.'ect is of great interest and should be closely watched as a guide to policies of the future if for no other reason. "The disturbing thought is, that no ex- perience of this sort in the now is of much lielp in the future. Warnings of evil become buried in past literature and unknown to succeeding advisors who have most v/eight in such matters. In spite of all the disastrous results of introductions in the past, the EnsUsh Sparrow and the two Starlings in this country, the rabbit in Australia, the Minah in Hawaii and the dozens of other cases that could be cited, attempts at acclimatization and introduction go merrily on by local organ- izations who know not the dangers and pitfalls that the past has demonstrated. It is well that control of such work be con- siderably strengthened. There are un- doubtedly forms of life to be found else- where in the world that would be valuable acquisitions to this country, but the danger of their introduction is great and should not be entered upon without careful con- sideration as to whether the probable advantage is worth the risk." In the same number of The Canadian Field Naturalist, is an article by L. B. Potter on "The Partridge Versus the Sharptail," in which he cites at least four observers who report conflict between these two species in which the Hungarian partridge was always a winner. He sums up his evidence by saying : CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 151 "As a game bird no doubt the Hun- garian Partridge is all that its advocates claim it to be. But there is a large, and I believe increasing number of farmers, the writer included, who regard the prairie chicken with special affection, to be encouraged to come around the farm buildings, especially in winter when so few of our birds are with us." FUR RESEARCH AT UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA With Minnesota one of the leaders in the fur industry, the University of Min- nesota has established a research station to further the project in the state. The station, established at the univer- sity by the Bureau of Biological Survey of the United States, will study the dis- eases of fur-bearing animals, pi'incipally those in captivity on fur farms. Dr. Winford P. Larson, head of the department of bacteriology, says the university was chosen as a site for the station because of the success of inde- pendent investigation on animal distem- pers that had been made by scientists in the medical school. In establishing the station at the uni- versity, the federal government has pro- vided an annual budget of $7,500 for five >ears. — The Fur Journal, January, 1928. COYOTE NOT STRICTLY CAR- NIVOROUS The examination of the stomach con- tents of carnivorous animals often dispels existing conceptions as to their food habits, as well as proving beyond doubt that a certain animal does cei'tain things that popular opinion does not credit him with doing. The coyote is an outstanding example of this fact. Classed as carnivor- ous, and generally presumed by the major- ity of people who are interested in the animal to be all that the name carnivore stands for, it is far from being strictly a flesh eater. As a matter of fact, during the proper season in certain localities, coyotes may abstain from seeking a diet of flesh and subsist, if not entirely, at least nearly so, upon grapes, melons, figs, prunes, dates and manzanita berries. The fact of the matter is that a coyote may, and often does, constitute as great an economic menace to the vineyardist, melon and prune raiser as he does to the sheep and poultry man, because of his fondness for this sort of food. There is abundant and unquestionable proof that such is the case, in the form of records of the stom- ach contents of every coyote that is cap- tured by the predatory animal control forces of the federal and State Department of Agriculture. These records show that at certain times of the year the animal in question feeds entirely upon grapes in one locality, melons in another, figs in another and prunes in another. In the Impei'ial and Coachella valleys, for ex- ample, there are instances where ripe dates form the chief article of diet, and frequently somewhat elaborate precau- tions have to be taken to prevent serious losses from this source. Manzanita ber- ries are sometimes the principal article of food of this animal in localities where the shrub abounds. Coyotes have been captured which were consuming entire grape crops, and the same holds true with prunes ; entire crops have been destroyed in some small orchards. The same also is true with melons, of which they appear to be very fond. Figs also appeal strongly to coyotes, and are eaten with avidity. Oft- times one or more fig trees are found on abandoned land holdings in the mountains or foothills, and in all cases, if there are coyotes in the locality, evidence will show- that they have been feeding upon the fruit as fast as it falls from the trees. A place of this kind is one of the best loca- tions for trap settings or poison work. In addition to feeding upon fresh prunes and figs, coyotes will at times readily take the dried pi'oduct, though not in as large quantities as the fresh. As additional proof that coyotes were the offenders in many depredations on vineyards, orchards and melon patches, when the coyotes were eliminated losses ceased entirely. After all, the coyote is not so much different from a dog in his food habits. After he has been in touch with man and his customs for some time, he adapts him- self readly to the prevailing conditions, especially relating to food. To anyone familiar with the coyote, there is nothing strange or unusual in the fact that fruits and many other things which have not been mentioned are included in his menu. — Charles G. Poole, in Monthly Bulletin, Department of Agri- culture, January, 1928. CALIFORNIA'S KILL OF FUR- BEARERS Fur trapping, one of the oldest indus- tries in the United States, is holding its own in California. This statement is substantiated by the statistics just com- piled by the Division of Fish and Game, which show that a total of 278,202 skins netted the commercial trappers licensed by the Division .*P743,211.52 during the three-year period that ended February 28, 1927 (see table, p. 180). The figures compiled by the research department of the Division are estimates based on reports of the licensed trappers and do not include animals trapped by 152 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. miuors imder 18 years of age, who are uot required to secure a license, or those taken in predatory animal control. ■Raccoon skins brought the most money, 39,891 of these pelts bringing the trappers $182,324.45. Skunk finished in second place, 86,273 skins netting $123,244.96. Third comes the much maligned coyote, with 26,183 hides furnishing a revenue of $118,762.41. Mink ranks fourth, the 11,337 skins being sold by the trappers for $67,487.10, while 26,677 gray fox pelts brough $50,608.34. The most valuable fur trapped was that of the fisher, the skins of this animal averaging $34.75 each for the period, and the 130 that were caught brought the lucky trappers $4,612.34. Next to the fisher the red fox brought the largest price per skin, averaging $18.31, a total of $1,598.87 for the 86 that were trapped. The take of muskrat quadrupled and the value nearly doubled. After the season on beaver had been closed for several years, it was opened in 1925 and 4019 skins brought the trappers $49,698.95. It is interesting to note that serious inroads were made on the beaver (luring this period, as the next season's i-eport shows only 692 were trapped and the skins brought $9,530.26. The average price of beaver pelts increased -from $12.36 in 1925 to $12.90 in 1927. During the three-year period three wolverines were taken and the skins sold for $30. None of these animals have been trapped since 1925, according to the reports filed with the Division of Fish and Game. Twenty-one species are shown in the reports used in compiling the statistics. In addition to those mentioned, the follow- ing are included: 18,535 wildcats, 12,495 civet cats, 22.588 muskrats, 8479 ringtail cats, 3578 kit fox, 2050 marten, 1695 badgers, 2033 opossums, 912 weasels, 810 bears, 441 river otter, and 130 mountain lions. The lion pelts averaged $15.80 each, the total bringing in $3,418.80. During the 1924-25 period 2984 licenses were issued and 77,787 skins brought the trappers $181,215.13. In the 1925-26 period, the licenses increased to 3530 and 88,185 skins sold for $257,711.42. Another increase was noted in the 1926-27 period when the licenses in- creased to 3790 and 112,230 skins were taken, bringing the trappers $304,284.97. COUNTY WARDENS HELP ENFORCE GAME LAWS Los Angeles County forestry officers, who were recently appointed special deputy wardens, were very active recently along the south coast. They arrested for the state, nine people for having under- sized abalones, four for over-the-limit abalones, two for undersized lobsters, and one for shooting ducks at sunrise. An average fine of $25 each was paid. These cases were mostly tried before Justice of the Peace Billings at Sherman. Three Japanese were convicted for destruction of evidence and fined $500 each at Sherman Court. These men saw the officers coming and threw the abalones in the ocean. Upon their promise of good behavior and evidence submitted to the court of their past record, the fines were all suspended except $25. A rather lengthy article appeared in the Japanese newspapers relative to this case and it is hoped some good was accomplished, as the Japanese for some time have made every effort to dispose of evidence by throwing it into the ocean and have made it very hard for law enforcement officers to apprehend them. If this practice con- tinues, the Japanese will enrich the State Fish and Game coffers to the extent of many dollars, as these officers are very familiar with the law and will make it interesting for anyone who endeavors to destroy any evidence. THE LECTURE PROGRAM An educational program inaugurated to stir interest in conservation should make contact with various groups of people. Although emphasis in the past has been placed upon work in the public schools, yet adults have not been overlooked. Through the months, as a result of demand, emphasis has been swung from srvice clubs to lodges and from lodges to fish and game protective associations. During the months of December, January and February, nineteen lectures have been given before fish and game protective associations. The demand from this source shows that, as never before, these organizations are supporting conservation work and are lending definite aid to the conservation program. MAJOR CONSERVATION PROJECTS A number of major conservation proj- ects were stressed at the fourteenth annual National Game Conference, held in New York City, December 5 and 6, 1927. These projects are as follows : 1. Federal legislation. Support of the pending Migratory Bird Conservation bill, known in the seventieth congress as the Anthony-Norbeck bill, H. R. 5467 and S. 1271, and of the McNary- Woodruff forestry bill was urged. Both these meas- ures have been pending in several sessions of Congress, but final action on them has never been obtained. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 153 2. Bear River marshes. Passage of the appropriation bill pending in Congress, providing for reclamation of areas in Utah, in which heavy losses of waterfowl have occurred, was urged. 3. Cheyenne bottoms. Permanent main- tenance of this important waterfowl resort in Kansas was advocated. 4. International boundary waters. The Conference declared for the protection of the international watershed between Min- nesota and Ontario for perpetual recrea- tional use and protested its exploitation for commercial purposes in such a way as to injure its wilderness value. 5. Cooperation of sportsmen and land- owners. The Conference declared that the basis of good will between sportsmen and landowners must be a recognition of the farmer's rights and drastic suppres- sion of the lawless, marauding element which has become so obnoxious. On the other hand, the farmer should recognize a distinct advantage to him in the coopera- tion of the decent, respectable sportsmen whose license fees pay for patrol and protection of both game and insectivorous birds, and who assist the farmers in preventing depredations of the lawless. 6. Chesapeake-Albemarle Canal. The Conference declared in favor of recon- struction of locks in this canal to prevent destruction of feeding areas of vast num- bers of waterfowl by salt water. 7. Coyotes in Alaska. Encouragement was offered the government of Alaska in its efforts to control the invasion of the game fields of that territory by the west- ern coyote. 8. Pollution of waters. Action by the federal and state governments to elimi- nate and prevent everywhere pollution of lakes and streams, which constitutes a growing menace to finish life, waterfowl and public health, was strongly urged. 9. Importation of game birds. More favorable conditions for importation and transportation of game birds for stocking purposes, by removal of import duties and reduction of transportation rates, was approved by the Conference. 10. Species destructive to game. A study of the vermin question has dis- closed the fact that local conditions must be intensively studied and that abundance of game often depends more on keeping destructive species under control than on any other one factor. 11. Scientific research. Investigations, such as the Grouse Inquiry and the Coop- erative Quail Investigation, were approv- ed and declared to be the proper basis for conservation methods. 12. Cooperative Game Breeding and Fish Culture. This subject was stressed at the Conference and advocated as a necessary complement to the work of the states and the federal government, in which sportsmen's clubs may help augment the game and fish supply. — Field (Did Stream, February, ]028. WHAT IS A FORKED HORN? The article under the above caption in the last number of California Fish and Game called attention to the ambiguity of the law in that spike bucks are defined, and forked horns are defined by using the tei-m "on both sides." Unfortunately, it did not make clear that the discussion had to do with the situation in Modoc and Lassen counties. THE WEALTH OF THE SEA Several years ago there was reviewed in these columns a book designed to meet the needs of the fishing industry, entitled, "Marine Products of Commerce," by Donald K. Tressler of the Mellon Insti- tute of Industrial Research (Califoenia Fish and Game, Vol. 11, pp. 87-S9). Dr. Tressler has now issued a more jwpu- lar volume under the title "The Wealth of the Sea." In this volume the author has attempted to furnish both infonnation and entertainment in the hope that the book will be of interest not only to those who are primarily interested in marine products, but also to the general reader and to students of commercial geography, biology, geology, chemistry, oceanography and navigation. Descriptions of technical processes are simple and brief. The scientific names and technical terms have been largely omitted. The first chapter deals with the area and depth of the ocean, temperature, salinity, pressure, movements and life of the sea. One learns that the extejit of the sea is 139,000,000 square miles ; that the average salt content of a gallon of sea water is about a quarter of a pound, and that surface fishes down to seventy- five fathoms are colorless. From 150 to 250 fathoms, they are silvery or gray in color, and at depths where little light penetrates they are black or at least dark colored. The next chapter cleverly shows how the sea and its products enter into our daily life. It is surprising to learn how many household articles have been finished with fish oils. "When we rise in the morning we may use a soap made from fish or whale oil for our bath. The razor we shave with was tempered in fish oil. The cold cream or other toilet preparation used after we shave contains glycerin which may have been obtained ' from menhaden or some other fish. We put on shoes which were finished with menha- den oil. 154 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. "We go to our door, painted perhaps with a salmon-oil paint, and get a news- paper printed with ink made from fish oil and lampblack. If we eat herring or mackerel for our breakfast, we obtain much nutriment from the fat and vita- mines of the herring or mackerel oil. "We may ride to work in an automobile painted with a baking japan containing fish oil, and sit on imitation leather seats prepared by the use of menhaden or other fish oil. Even if the car has real leather upholstery, fish and fish-liver oil were used in the final tanning and finishing processes. "We enter our oiEce building painted perhaps with menhadden oil paint, con- taining driers made from fish oils. The linoleum on the fioor may have been made with fish oil. The greases used in the lubrication of the elevator machinery probably contain fish oil. "If it is raining when we come from work in the evening, we put on a raincoat which may have been made from cloth covered with many coats of a fish oil varnish. "Our feet may get wet on the way home. To prevent catching cold we take a tonic. One of the best we may choose is cod-liver oil, which contains the fat- soluble vitamines needed to build up vitality and resistance to disease. "Perhaps we shall have candles on our dinner table; if so, it is likely that they were made from stearin obtained from fish or whale oil. Our furniture may be finished with a menhaden oil varnish. And the oilcloth which covers the kitchen table was probably made by painting cloth with special menhaden oil paints. "When we prepare for bed we put on slippers made soft and comfortable by treatment with fish and fish-liver oils, and as we switch off the electric light we may touch an imitation rubber knob of fish oil composition." Other chapters deal with the manufac- ture of salt from sea water, iodine and other chemicals from seaweed. A chapter each is devoted to pearls and imitation pearls and to precious corals ; a discussion of fishes and their preservation and of America's fisheries follow; and chapters on various mollusks, crustaceans, whales, fur seals and sponges conclude the volume. Dr. Tressler has furnished a 340-page illustrated volume which gives a compi'e- hensive and fascinating story of the nature, uses and economic importance of the various products which come from the sea. The information is authentic and the story of whale hunts, pearl diving and deep sea fishing makes the book attractive to everyone. — H. C. Bryant. CALIFORNIA HUMMINGBIRDS A most enlightening and interesting article bearing on the hummingbirds of California, which are among the smallest in size of one of our large American bird families, is that by Mr. Robert S. Woods, appearing in a late issue of the Auk (Vol. XLIV, No. 3). Mr. Wood prefaces his very full report with the statement that, although the hummingbirds "include some 500 species, but nineteen have been found within the United States, and of these only one occurs east of Texas and the Rocky Mountains. Of the nineteen, two species, both of which are taken in California, are thought to have been mere adventitious hybrids, while nine are re- stricted to within 100 miles of the Mexi- can border in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas * * * of the remaining eight, which may be considered more definitely a part of our fauna, six species are of common occurrence over large portions of California, while the seventh has also been found within the borders of the state." The fact is brought out that, although green is the prevailing color on the throats or other luminous parts of the plumage of the Mexican, Central Ameri- can and West Indian species, this color is not found on the throat of any of the eight hummingbirds whose range is largely within the United States. The gorget is red in four of these ; in two it is reddish or rose pink and in the remaining two, violet, and note is made of the fact that in the 140 species listed in Mr. Ridge- way's "Birds of North and Middle Amer- ica," the red color appears in only five or six species, and does not appear in any of the thirty species living in or near the Panama Canal Zone. The impression is thus obtained that northern latitudes are in some way conducive to the development of the red areas in the plumage of this bird family and "this impression is strengthened when we consider that the Rufous and the Ruby-throated humming- birds, which reach the highest latitudes in summer, and likewise Anna's and Allen's hummingbirds, which winter farthest north, all have red gorgets, while the Rufous hummingbird, the hardiest pioneer of all, is unique in the reddish color of its back as well. Despite the predomi- nance of yellow flowers, pure yellow is entirely lacking in the plumage of North American hummingbirds." The brilliancy and variation of the coloring in the two California species of the genus Calypte, Costa and Anna hum- minabirds, overshadows the scarcity in numbers of this family in California, com- pared with the many in South and Central American countries. The changing hues. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 155 Hll'ected aud reflected by vuryiug coudi- tions of light ; the brilliant rose-pink gorget, enhanced by a border of rich gold of the Anna ; the wide variation in the coloring of the Costa ; the burnished gold of the rufous aud the reddish-purple of the calliope, coupled with the interest which attaches to this particular bird from its being the smallest of our birds, make one who possesses an appreciation for color, ever sensible to the wonders of this species. Several pages are devoted to description of the flight of the different species; the elaborate nuptial flight of the Anna, that of the Allen ; the shuttling of the black- chinned, which follows the path of a narrow figure 8 lying on one side ; the hovering of Anna's "motionless in the air with body nearly horizontal, suddenly rise rapidly and vertically, as if by a reversal of the force of gravity, is to obtain some idea of the bird's remarkable mystery of the air." The occurrence of the species in Cali- fornia is given and Mr. Wood's particu- lar observations of the birds in San Gabriel Valley are cited. Intimate and full life histoi-y details are given, with more especial note to the "family life" of the Costa, which Mr. Wood simply disposes of by saying that "he has none," because his experience has shown that the male Costa has never shown enough interest in family affairs to indicate his relationship with any par- ticular brood, "his mate, however, making up his deficiencies and finding no difii- culty in managing the household without his aid." INIuch study has been given to the loca- tion and construction of the nest of these birds ; their eggs and behavior of the various individuals while brooding. The mentality of the hummingbird, a much mooted question, is discussed at length, Mr. Wood quoting largely from Mr. W. W. Hudson in his comparison of the bird with insects and dragon flies, all of which Mr. Wood has not found to be convincing, and, although he, too, has not been able to detect any indication of the hummingbird possessing any reasoning power — "an accomplishment which, after all, is rarely enough displayed even by the human race — and that it may be lacking in some of those finer emotions which make many of the birds seem so akin to mankind, nevertheless its actions and attitude, its alert interest in its surround- ings, its apparent love of sport and its ability to recognize those who befriend it, certainly furnish competent evidence of an acutely conscious intelligence." The article is amply illustrated with excellent photographs. — B. W. Kibbe. 4—58645 CANADA LEADS IN BUFFALO CONSERVATION The preservation of the American buffalo has been undertaken naturally by tlie two govei-nments and peoples most interested, that is, the United States and Canada, but the latter from the begin- ning of the work has been in the lead. Of the 16,000 buffalo now existing, there are 12,000 in Canada and some 4000 in the United States. In all the history of animal life, there has been none as extraordinary as that of the American bison and its near ex- tinction in a short period of years. It numbered nearly fifty million head, which far exceeded that of any known species of large quadruped. Its range was practi- cally from the Atlantic to the Pacific and north to the barren grounds of the Arctic aud south to the twenty-fifth degree of north latitude, being nearly to the Tropic of Cancer. The animal authority. Dr. Edward W. Nelson of the United States Biological Survey, in his book "Wild Animals of North America" (p. 461), writes: "When the American continent was first discovered (1492), their numbers were from thirty to sixty million. In 1870 there were still about five and one- half million ; these were practically all exterminated by 1890, there remaining in all about 800 buffalo in private hands." Some have questioned how could any- one know that the above figures of mil- lions were anywhere near correct. In the book "Reminiscences of a Sportsman," by J. Parker Whitney (p. 162), he writes as follows : "A competent authority has estimated that between the years of 1868 and 1880, two and one-half million dollars were paid out in the three states mentioned (Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri) for Buffalo Bones gathered on the prairies at $8 per ton, and if the estimate of 100 buffalo to one ton of bones has been correctly calculated, it will be observed that the bones of over thirty millions of buffalo would be required to furnish the amount purchased." If three states fur- nished thirty million head, then another twenty million for all remaining territory is conservative. The estimate of twenty pounds of bones to each animal, being ten for the skull and ten for the rest of the animal, is also reasonable. The range of the buffalo to the south being nearly to the tropics, is proved by a book, "Sport with the Rod and Gun," published by The Century Company in New York, 1883, in which is an article by General Lew Wallace, author of "Ben Hur," who took part in a hunt. He reported a herd of several hundred ani- 156 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. mals aud they bagged seven buffalo in one morning's hunt. It was in the year 1867 just after the Civil War, and he was making- a horseback journey across Mexico from Monterey, the hunt being near the town of Hornos, State of Coa- huila, about 500 miles southeast of El Paso, Texas, the latitude being about twenty-five degrees north, about ninety miles from the Tropic of Cancer. To tell now what Canada has done for this great animal. In 1907 the Canadian government bought the Michael Pablo herd in Montana and moved the 709 buffalo to their new park at Wainwright, Alberta, by railroad. This took three years and it was not until 1910 that the last were transferred. In sixteen years these 700 head in- creased to 12,000, of which some liOOO annually have been disposed of commer- cially in order to offset the increase. Wainwright Park can not reasonably support a larger number than 5000 animals. During the last three years the Cana- dian government has moved about 2000 animals some 700 miles to their uew Wood Buffalo Park, which is on the Slave River, being a tract of some 100 miles square which has been occupied by the original herd of about 1500 of the "Wood buffalo." The transfer was started in 1925. Move- ment during June to August amounted to seven loads aud it took about one week of rail and steamer on the Peace River to make the transit. About 2000 were trans- ferred each year in 1925 and 1926. The experiment was most successful. The history of the original herd of Peace River Wood buffalo is most inter- esting, as this is the only remaining wild herd ; except a small remnant in the Yelhnvstone National Park, Wyoming. The first authentic report was about forty years ago by the Canadian explorer, Warburton Pike, who saw the herd on his trip after musk-ox in 1890. Various I'eports are as follows : Estimate 1890 Warburton Pike 100 1894 Casper Whitney 150 1907 Ernest Seton Thompson—. 625 1920 C. Gordon Hewitt 2,000 1922 FuUerton Waldo 2,500 1924 Royal Geographical Society 2,000 1926 American Bison Society--. 1,500 The above, of course, are only the esti- mates of casual visitors based on the reports of the guardians or custodians of the herd. A few years will probably show a herd of 10,000 buffalo in Wood Buffalo Park, on Slave River, Canada, which will become a valuable basis of supply for meat, hides and other products. In the United States the American Bison Society was organized in 1906 aud has done splendid work, though on a smaller scale. The first annual report of buft'alo was compiled by Dr. W. T. Horn- aday in 190.3. The totals of all the pure- bred American bison in the world are as follows : 1903— 1,753 buffalo in the United States and Canada. 1921— 9,311 buffalo in the United States and Canada. 1923—12,521 buffalo in the United States and Canada. 1927 — 16,417 buffalo in the United States and Canada. There are seven of the small eastern states which have no herds of buft'alo on exhibition, but othenvise this animal is well distributed throughout the United States.— M. Hall McAllister, San Fran- cisco, California. THE IRISH ELK Through the generosity of Mr. 'VMUiam ^I. Fitzhugh, a trustee of the academy, the Museum of the California Academy of Sciences, in Golden Gate Park, has acquired a head of the gigantic extinct Fallow deer {Cernis giganteus) , com- monly known as "Irish elk." This pre- historic animal was one of the largest of the deer, standing six feet or more in height at the shoulder, and second in size only to the moose, among present-day species. In spread of antlers it even ex- ceeded the moose, some skulls having been found with antlers that wei'e twelve feet across ; six feet is an exceptionally wide spread for a moose. The Irish elk lived ages ago in western Europe, in England and in Ireland. Most of the specimens in museums were found in peat bogs in Ireland, where the cai-- casses happened to sink and the skeletons thus became more or less perfectly pre- served. The academy specimen from Ireland is a fine example of the species in excellent condition and with antlers that spread more than eight feet across. It is now on exhibition on the wall of the Mammal Hall in the Museum. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, A PROCLA- MATION For several years a special week has been set apart for public discussion of our forests and of what must be done to safe- guard and restore them. Among the agencies making for progress in this direc- tion, American Forest Week has proved its usefulness and I am glad to proclaim it again and to announce that Canada is CALIFORNIA FIS?T AND GAME. 157 again cniicui reiitly observing a similar Tlie ivhabilitation of our t'orosts (Icmands first of all that the forest fire evil be suppressed. Many of the forested States, with the iooi)ei'ation of timber huul owners, have undertaken oi'Ranized pro- tection against forest tires ; and in recent years, under the Clarke-McNary law, the Federal Covcrnment has siven its support to the movement. This great cooperative euterpris(> must be extended and strength- ened until every forested <-ounty in the Thiited States is safeguarded against for- est fires. But we are still far from the goal of complete protection. Every year, on the average. SO.OOO fires .scourge our wood- lands, steadily undermining their vitality. For this bad situation, the blame falls e(inally on us all. Public agencies rarely pravide ade(iuate protection against fire, the timber land owner is too often indif- ferent to his property, the forest woi'ker is too often neglectful of the future forest, the average citizen is too often t'areless with fire in the woods. We must all gain such respect for the forest that its destruc- tion through indifference or carelessness shall be unthinkable. We can not permanently abuse our forests with impunity. The soil is the ultimate source of all our wealth and of life itself. One-fourth of our Anierican soil is best suited for forests. Much of this land is already idle. ^Nlore of it is being made idle by destructive logging and fire. Yet we can not safely permit our forest land to lie fallow and useless any more than we can permit our farms and fact(U'ies to lie idle. To make our vast empii'e of forest land fully productive of continuous crops of limber will have momentous consequences in our national life. It will give agricul- ture the advantage of a new and valuable crop. It will afford permanent employ- ment to millions of men in the forest industries. It will provide raw materials for many industries. It will furnish traffic for our railroads. It will maintain foreign and domestic commerce. It will restore ouv forests as conservers of soil and water, and as givers of health and pleasure to our people. We alre:idy have made a beginning in forest renewal ; but the task is stupendous and we should permit no satisfaction over what has been done to blind us to the magnitude of what remains to be done. Now. tiierp:fore. I. Cavin Coolidge. President of the United States of America, do hereby designate and set aside as American Forest Week the week begin- ning April 22 and ending April 2S, in this year nf t'.fJS. I recominciHJ tn the (Jox-crnors of llic \-ariiius Slates that they also designate this week for special observ- ance by all our people ; and that, where practicable and not in conflict with law or custom. Arbor Day be observed during the course of the same week. I urge that during that week all citizens and aijpro- priate organizations — including i)ublic offi- cials, legislators, business organizations, educators, editors, <-lergymen, landowners and others — give thought to the preserva- tion and wise use of our forests, to the end that energetic forest ixdicies will be adopted in all communities. In witness wiiereoI''. I havt' hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washin.iiton this twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hun- dred and twenty-eight, and of the Inde- pendence of the United States of America the one hundred and fifty-second. By the President : Cai.vin Coolidge. Frank B. Kellocu. Secretary of State. PUBLIC WARNED TO GUARD AGAINST TULAREMIA Tularemia, a serious and often fatal disease, known also as "rabbit fever" or "deer-fiy fever," has spread so widely that Paul (i. Redington, Chief of the Biologi- cal Survey of the United States Depart- ment of Agriculture, has issued a warning to all field men of the department to be on guard against it. The department is making public this warning for the bene- fit of sportsmen, lumbermen, catth- ami sheep tenders, farmers and others of the general public who may come in contact with the disease. Mr. Rediugton's warn- ing has been end(used by the United States Public Health Service. "Tularemia," Mr. Redington explains, "is a plague-like disease of rodents trans- missible to niiin. Of nOO human cases reported in the United States, 20 have terminated in death." Cases of tularemia have been discovered in all states except Washington, Wiscon- sin, New York. Delaware and the New England States. It has been established definitely that the disease is caused by an organism, Bacterium tulurense. In na- ture the disease affects jack rabbits, snow- shoe rabbits and cottontail rabbits. This provides a reservoir for infection of both wild animals and human beings. No cases have yet been recognized in com- mercial rabbitries, and care should be exercised to avoid the introduction of 158 CALIFORNIA FISH ANt) GAME. tularemia into such places. Tkere is no danger of contracting the disease from eating rabbit meat if it is thoroughly cooked, even though the animal may have been infected. In the vi^estern states the disease is carried from animal to animal and from animal to man by the bites of infected deer flies and ticks. Ticks also act as carriers in the southern states. Men also become infected by handling rabbit car- casses, as in dressing them for the table or cutting them up to use as food for animals or bait in fishing or trapping. In the east, such direct contact is the common means of infection. For protection against tularemia the best knovpn precaution is the use of rub- ber gloves when handling or dressing rabbits, or when skinning other animals that may be infected with the disease. In the open it is wise to exercise care in avoiding the bites of deer flies, ticks or other possible carriers. Wearing rubber gloves is not an absolute protection, for skilled laboratory workers who are scrupulously careful because they are aware of the dangers, often contract in- fection. Rubber gloves should be worn in handling fresh skins. Dried skins are not likely to carry infection. One attack of tularemia confers immunity to man, hence those who have recovered from the disease should be employed, wherever possible, in occupations where there is risk of infection. No protective vaccine has been developed as yet. In addition to the wild rabbits most affected by tularemia, and man who may contract the disease, scientists have dis- covered cases of tularemia in California ground squirrels, Columbia ground squir- rels, Utah ground squirrels, desert ground squirrels, pine squirrels, yellow-bellied chipmunks, pocket gophers, woodchucks, opossums, cats, porcupines, house mice, deer mice, meadow mice, wood rats and coyotes, and susceptibility is being investi- gated in other animals. All possible carriers of the disease should be handled with care. Mr. Redington also warns of the danger of liberating wild rabbits trapped in one locality for the restocking of hunting areas. When restocking seems desirable, a quarantine should be maintained and no rabbits should be liberated for about ten days, to give the disease time to develop in the imported rabbits, which it will do usually in five or six days if they are infected. Otherwise the diseased rab- bits are likely to cause a rabbit epizootic, reduce the game available for hunting, and create a center of infection from which human beings may contract the disease. In man tularemia is likely to manifest itself first by pain, tenderness and a swell- ing of the lymph glands draining the region where the infection occurs, as those of the elbow or armpit when infec- tion has occurred on the finger. These symptoms are likely to develop within two to five days after infection. An inflamed and painful ulcer may soon appear where the insect bite occurred, although in some cases this does not happen. The development of the disease is likely to be accompanied by sudden onsets of headache, aching pains, chUls, prostration, general weakness and fever. DENMEAD AND GOLDMAN DISCUSS PROBLEMS OF GAME PRESERVA- TION The comparative merits of restocking hunting areas with imported game and the protection of game already in the area, were discussed by Talbott Den- mead, Deputy Chief United States Game Warden, at the Fourteenth National Game Conference held in New York eai'ly in December, and E. A. Goldman, also of the Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture, explained to the conference members some of the fac- tors leading to the numerical fluctuations of game. Mr. Denmead particularly emphasized that his remarks should not be taken as a criticism of state conservation com- missioners and others who have been active in importing game for restocking purposes, but rather to emphasize the need of keeping account of the results of importations to decide whether the prac- tice pays. As a result of his experience, he was inclined to the opinion that fur- ther protection of existing game should be paramount and importation secondary. He noted that game brought from a dis- tance is liable to injury in transit, is more susceptible to disease, or because of conditions of transit and unfamiliarity with the country may die or be killed after liberation. Even if animals stand ship- ment in good condition, "there still remains the doubt whether they will become acclimatized and adapt themselves to weather and food conditions ; and there is still further danger that they may be entirely wiped out by reason of their unfamiliarity with the country and lack of knowledge of their enemies known as vermin." The warden I'ecounted several unsuc- cessful importations, and stressed the additional danger of introduction of fatal disease by imported birds and animals. He quoted with approval M. D. Hart's statement of conditions in Virginia : "We have the ruffed grouse, the wild turkey CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 159 and the quail— three of the finest game birds on earth. It will pay us to take care of them and not import foreign birds." Protection instead of importation "may make the State game officer's account look like too much ov^erhead if more money is expended on game wardens and the destruction of vermin and less on birds and animals for liberation, but results are what count in the long run and are what the hunters are looking for and expect. Large numbers of animals and birds imported and released may look good in annual reports, but the question to be answered by every State game authority is, does it pay?" Instead, Mr. Denmead recommended a more thorough and intelligent control of vermin and the establishment of penna- nent game sanctuaries, with restocking of depleted covers with imported game only when and where it can be done success- fully. Mr. Golden, in charge of the Division of Game and Bird Reservations of the Biological Survey, in discussing fluctua- tion in the numbers of birds and animals as one of the most pressing problems of wild-life administration, said that some of the factors were easily understood and could be controlled, but that other factors that may depend on the weather and those that are involved in biological relation- ships are often baffling in their complexity. He mentioned various studies of num- bers of game and thought it doubtful that a stabilized balance under natural condi- tions was ever attained for a long period. Records of abundance in furs delivered to the Hudson's Bay Company for a hundred years show cycles of abundance and scarcity. Whatever other effects there may be on the numbers of game, the presence of man has disturbed the former balance, and as an offset "suitable areas must be set aside or created for the benefit of game, in which all breeding stocks are preserved, if game is to be maintained on anything like a satisfactory scale, and a surplus provided for sportsmen." The speaker gave consideration to damage done by predatory animals and vermin, the extent of which is not gener- ally realized, and also discussed some of the reasons for the wide fluctuations in the numbers of such well-known herds as the Yellowstone elk and the Kaibab deer, and for the increase of mountain sheep on the National Bison Range, in Montana. "Sufficient food and water and adequate protection from enemies are essential," Mr. Goldman remarked, "if game is to thrive and be maintained on a satisfactory scale, but freedom from parasites and diseases, especially those that become periodically epizootic, and, in waterfowl, freedom from maladies believed to be due to mineral poisons, is of vital importance. Parasitism may account for the compara- tive rarity of some animals, including various members of the weasel family that, especially in the warmer regions, apparently are able to obtain abundant food, and, so far as known, have few natural enemies. Epizootics evidently provide the final cheek to overabundance in all wild life, and correspond to epi- demics in man." TERN BANDED IN LABRADOR FOUND DEAD IN FRANCE Another trans-Atlantic flight — and prob- ably a "nonstop" one — has come to light. A communication received by the Biologi- cal Sui-vey of the United States Depart- ment of Agriculture from Prof. Robert Poncy of Geneva, Switzerland, incloses a clipping from Le Chasseur Francais to the effect that M. Robert Pradier, of Port- Dauphine, La Rochelle, France, found, on October 1, 1927. on the Greve de Marsilly, near La Rochelle, "a kind of black-headed gull, known in the region as 'hirondelle de mer,' or sea swallow," and carrying on its right foot an aluminum ring with the inscription, "Notify Biol. Surv.," and the number 548656. M. Pradier would be glad to learn, the account said, the habitat and name of this bird, as well as the date on which it was banded. The Biological Survey, which super- vises the bird-banding work in the United States and Canada, finds in its records that band No. 548656 was that of an Arctic tern {Sterna paradisaea) banded when it was between 1 and 5 days old at the Red Islands, Turnevick, Labrador, on July 22, 1927. by Oliver L. Austin, of Tuckahoe, N. Y., who at the time was on an expedition to Baffin Island in connec- tion with which he was banding birds on their northern breeding grounds for the Biological Survey. The straight distance from Labrador to the coast of France is about 4200 miles, a remarkable travel record for so young a bird. This is the second transoceanic bird return in the records of the survey, the fii-st being that of a common tern (Sterna hirundo) banded as a nestling on the coast of Maine in 1913, and recovered four years later in the delta of the Niger River, on the west coast of Africa. Sev- eral other remarkable distances have been traveled by birds recovered from South America. The Biological Survey has about 1000 volunteer cooperators scattered throughout the United States and Canada 160 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. who are helping in the bird-banding work, by means of which valuable data are being collected for the solution of problems regarding the migratory and other habits of wild birds. NEW LEAFLET TELLS HOW TO RAISE MINKS IN CAPTIVITY Comparatively few persons are raising minks in captivity, even though the fur has sold for high prices during the past ten years, according to Frank G. Ash- brook, biologist of the Biological Survey, in a leaflet on "Mink Raising," just issued by the United States Department of Agri- culture. A keen interest has been mani- fested in mink farming, he says, since the beginning of the present century, but it has been spasmodic rather than sustained. Mink farming i« not altogether in the experimental stage, however, for minks have been raised successfully in captivity, and the quality of fur produced on farms is in no way inferior to that trapped in the Avild. Minks are very prolific, and when fed and handled properly they breed and pro- duce young regularly, their litters number- ing usually six, seven or eight. Young minks born in captivity are much superior for breeding stock, and consequently the prices asked for ranch-raised minks are often higher than prospective mink farm- ers care to pay. Those who have made money in mink raising thus far have sold the animals chiefly for breeding purposes. Further experiments will be required before it can be determined whether rais- ing these animals in captivity as fur producers can be made profitable. The new leaflet No. 8-L describes minks and their habits and gives information on selecting a ranch site, making pens and dens, breeding, mating, feeding, and kill- ing and pelting. Copies may be had free upon request addressed to the United States Department of Agriculture. Wash- ington. D. C. BIRD-CENSUS TAKERS WANTED Bird students are invited this year, as in the past, to assist the Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agri- culture in taking censuses of breeding birds on tracts convenient to their homes. Such a census of birds means an exact and complete enumeration, by species, of the birds that actually nest within the boundaries of a selected area. It does not include birds that merely visit the tract, birds that nest near but outside the boundaries, and migrants. It will be seen that a thorough familiarity with the birds of the region is needed to take a successful census. Bird censuses become particularly valuable when the volunteer enumerator counts the birds making their homes in the area for five or more years in succession. In the latitude of Wash- ington. D. C, and St. Louis, Mo., the count should be made about June 1. and correspondingly earlier or later south or north of this line. A suggestion as to the most effective way to take the census is that a count be made of the singing birds very early in the morning, with a recount on one or more mornings in the course of the uext few days. Bird-census reports are desired on many types of land, such as farm lands, woodlands and forests, near irriga- tion projects, in marshlands, and on the shores of rivers, lakes and the sea. and in special areas such as city parks, ceme- teries, bird sanctuaries and other spots having a dense population of birds. Anyone interested in the taking of a bird census may write to the Biological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C for direc- tions, census blanks, and a return envel- ope that requires no postage for mailing the reports. ANSWERS (Questions on page 147) ■1 1 • The porcupine. 2. Squawfish or "Sacramento pike." 1 3. Prong-horned antelope. 4. Canvasback, ruddy duck, lesser scaup, surf scoter, redhead. | 5. Eastern Modoc County and Eag le Lake, Lassen County; Im- perial County; Buena Vista Lake, | Ke r n County (probably intro- duced). 1 6. Yes. In Mexico they are sold for food. 7. Canada goose or "honker." 8. Modoc County. 9. Cutthroat trout. 1C 1. Yes. Eastern Modoc and Lassen counties. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, 161 COMMISSION ACTIVITIES Department of Patrol The old adage of a man in-otitinj^ by another's loss was well exhibited in !Sau Francisco on Saturday, January 21, when a systematic raid on the ice boxes of clubs and markets resulted in a collection of lioO ducks and 50 geese. In order to enfoi'ce the closed season and prevent the nonsale of Avild game, it is imperative that a time limit must be set within which birds taken in open season must be consumed. In the case of ducks and geese, five days are imposed by law as the limit of grace. Search of the numerous storehouses of ducks and geese throughout the city, five days after the close of the season, dis- closed many limits, all properly tagged, some bearing the names of well-known sportsmen whose good sportsmanship has never been questioned. As soon, however, as the respective owners found that they had forgotten to remove their game from storage before the deadline, they all, with one accord, manifested a spirit of charita- ble sportsmanship when they learned that the birds were turned over to the San Francisco Relief Home. At their expense the patients enjoyed a real feast, for wild game is seldom on the menu. The revival of the old sport of trapping game birds is being met with determined resistance whenever practiced in the state. Hulbert Toole, a resident of Santa Paula, Ventura County, persisted in trap- ping quail, carefully cared for by inter- ested residents, until their dwindling numbers caused suspicion that they were being trapi>ed. A plan of capture was de\ised by Deputy Walter Emerick, assisted by volunteer deputies Walter Claberg and Lawrence Gardner, which lead to the arrest of the offender. .Judge Hawthorne's court at Fillmore imposed a severe fine of .$150, with the view of discouraging such operations in the future. The efforts of Deputy .J. W. Thornburg to check the trapping of quail in River- side County resulted in the discovery of an extensive system of traps. These were made of one-inch mesh chicken wire attached to old iron tires of .a spring wagon, once a familiar vehicle. The approaches were covered with dirt and leaves and corn was used as bait. In one trap, Deputy Thornburg found twenty- five birds making a fruitless effort to escape. The diligence and vigilance exercised in minimizing this illegal method of taking game is worthy of the highest praise. Two Los Bauos citizens, one a hotel proprietor, the other a special deputy sheriff and former employee of Miller and Lux, were arrested early in January as a result of the persistent efforts of the Division to prevent the selling of wild game. Jiick Twigli and Curry Anderson were apprehended, following information that they were selling ducks, and the raid systematically made on their establish- ments revealed a large number of birds in their possession. Previous to this raid, an investigator of the Division had l)urchased ducks from both of the offenders. ,Judge D. E. Hales, of Gustine, imposed a fine of $100 on each offender. It is hoped that such sure and swift justice will deter others from engaging in this pernicious practice. The versatility of deputies was again shown in the recent installation of a "duck hospital" on Buena Vista Lake. Captain M. S. Clark, together with dep- uties L. Arnold, A. R. Ainsworth and Ray Ellis, in three days caught some 200 ducks suffering from disease. The sick ducks were then placed in an enclosure, where good care, abundance of fi*esh water and a changed diet resulted in the recovery of about 90 per cent of tho.se affected. All of the surviving birds were banded with Biological Survey markers and lib- erated. Thus, not only were a large number of birds saved by reason of the energy and promptness of the field forces, but another splendid opportunity was aft'(U-ded to advance the knowledge of bird migration. "The ways of man are wonderful and sometimes past finding out." This was admirably illustrated in a letter received recently by J. S. Hunter. The letter stated that the writer had violated the game laws of California over a consider- able period of time and now wished to make amends. He was advised of the minimum fine for hunting without a license. In paying this "conscience money'' the reformed violatoi- expressed the wish that it be donated to a specific charitable organization, "as they are the 162 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. people that told me how to be saved and keep saved." Efforts to preserve Pismo clams from reaching depletion have met with such success that the outlook for the future of this important bivalve fishery is encour- aging. Not many years ago, commercial diggers used horses and plows on Pismo Beach, and great waste attended this method. Signs of depletion soon became evident. Even at the time when the present law stopped the shipment of clams from Pismo and Morro beaches, 274,317 pounds were exported annually. Much special attention has been given to the enforcement of the present law. Warnings were issued concerning the pro- cedure that would be followed in case of violation. As a result of this, a much better feeling among the local residents has been brought about. Judges, too, have manifested a better spirit and shown greater willingness to cooperate. There yet remains considerable indifference on the part of small colonies of clam diggers on Pismo and Morro beaches, who persist in digging over the limit. The apprehension of these violators has been vigorously carried on by Special Commercial Fisheries Deputy Ross W. Markley and Deputy H. E. Black. As these deputies are known to the clam diggers, their endeavors are rewarded only after long hours of watchful waiting and persistent efforts to outwit the dig- gers. For instance, Deputy Black apprehended Pete Lee, whose left foot had only four toes, by tracking his foot- prints to a cache where he had buried several overlimits of clams. Again, after patient watching with glasses from a vantage point. Deputy Black witnessed C. E. McDonald take two limits of clams and then conceal them in the false bottom of an automobile. The arrest of another clam digger at Morro Bay by Deputy Markley came about only because Markley was mistaken for a tourist by the look- out of the colony, "One-eye Ellis." Efforts to restore the depleted covers of San Diego County are encouraging. Some 400 valley quail were trapped at the Point Loma Homestead by A. W. Elder of the Game Farm, assisted by deputies Webb Toms and E. H. Glidden. The San Diego Zoological Society and the San Diego Fish and Game Protective Association aided materially in making this work successful. the duck fields with sixty-seven ducks. After hiring an attorney and using all the influence that could be brought to bear to be absolved from his act, and failing to secure the sympathy of the Division, the violator plead guilty and was fined $250 by Judge Colthurst of Vallejo. Snow and ice in the northern regions of the state have caused many hardships in law enforcement. Deputy Brice Ham- mack of Fort Jones, for example, was under the necessity of making a trip by way of Oregon to catch G. B. Crabtree, who had on hand a considerable store of deer meat. Deputy Walter I. Long of Westwood made four deer cases in the vicinity of Loyalton and Calpine. Later, in coopera- tion with Deputy Barnes, he arrested two Indians for the killing of a forked-horn. The carcass was skilfully hidden and the Indians made the two wardens pay a heavy price in the expenditure of physical energy to effect their capture. A splendid fine of $150 was secured by Deputy A. D. Miner of Quincy for deer meat which was held in possession out of season. Judge Taylor of Taylorville im- posed the fine. Judge Rohrback assessed a fine of $100 for a similar offense. The arrest was made by Deputy F. H. Post of Salinas. Deputy V. E. Von Arx, Sebastopol, caught a man in the act of using a salmon as a target for pistol practice. This cost the violator $100. Deputies C. M. Bouton and C. F. Eng- land, operating with the launch Quinnat, caught a violator using small mesh nat, and secured a fine of $100. Volunteer Deputy Otto Broeker caught a member of the Alameda Duck Club in KMN, the Division's radio, contributed materially to the arrest of a commercial duck club operator shortly after the close of the duck season. Rumors, crystallizing into reliable reports, reached the ears of Captain S. J. Carpenter, at Maxwell, that Vencel Novotny was operating the Heffelsteine and Gordon Duck Club, near Williams, in open violation of the game laws. Such turned out to be the case, for Novotny was caught with more than the legal limit of geese in his possession. Hailed into the court of Judge George B. Reckers, at Williams, he was fined $50 and his permit and license canceled. Unfortunately, this fine failed to heighten the offender's respect for the law. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 163 oflice that Novotny was trying to secure another license and attempting to have a Radiograms informed the San Francisco friend secure a permit. Search of the records revealed the application and its issuance was held up. Meanwhile, oper- ators of the Division, suspicious of Novotny's character, applied to him for a "shoot." Their desire to have a duck hunt out of season met with ready encouragement and they were told to call the next day. They did so, and a fee was accepted. All this time, radio messages filling the air between Maxwell and the central office, were quietly, yet quickly and surely, exposing all of Novotny's pretty schemes. On January 11, he found himself again facing Judge Reckers, charged with operating without a permit. In addition ot a fine of $200, Judge Reckers imposed the injunction that should Novotny violate the law within the next six months, he would find himself serving a 200-day jail sentence. which fish are planted and consideration must be had for a fair and equal distribu- tion. The supply of fish forthcoming from the hatcheries is not sufficiently abundant to allow overstocking. Department of Fish Culture The launch patrol, which is made up of five men, have to their credit seventy-five cases covering the period of October 17, 1927, to March 1, 1928, which netted $2,350 in fines. Six cases are still pend- ing. Twenty-four nets were seized with a total footage of 21,952. The longest net, of 10,000 feet, was taken by deputies William Armstrong and C. F. England. The number of trout eggs taken during the fall spawn totals well over eleven millions. By species these eggs taken at egg collecting stations from wild trout in racks or traps, and at hatcheries from brood fish are as follows : Eastern brook, 3,375,500 ; brown trout, 2,434,000 ; and Loch Leven, 5,558,000. These figures also include eggs recently purchased in the east. Deputies S. H. Lyons and Frank E. Dunne, Santa Barbara County, on reliable information furnished early in September that H. W. Waldbillig had killed a deer before the season, secured a conviction and a fine of $100. On December 8, 1927, volunteer depu- ties Louis Cardinalli and R. M. Grose were tempted to try a "special dinner" at the Commission Cafe in San Francisco when told by the waiter that the special feature of the meal comprised "wild sprig duck." Later, on December 17, the oper- ators of the cafe found themselves before Judge J. M. Golden, who imposed a fine of $200. The spawning season at the Mount Shasta Hatchery is over and the spawn- ing crew, so active in sorting the trout to size and sex, in cleaning the ponds and transferring the trout to various pools, are turning to other duties. Some of the eggs of the first spawners have been hatched and so far the loss during the hatching period has been below normal. It is believed that this is due to the excellent condition of the trout at the time they were spawned. During December, 1,945,000 Loch Leven, 595,000 German brown and 304,- 000 eastern brook trout eggs were taken, while a total of 128,000 eggs were secured during the month of January. In addi- tion to these eggs, 750,000 eastern brook eggs have been secured from Cresco, Pennsylvania, and 50,000 of the same variety from Massachusetts. These sev- eral lots of eggs are being distributed to the various hatcheries throughout the state. The 3,251,000 Quinnat salmon eggs at the Fall Creek Hatchery are in excellent condition. Already the first lot of eggs taken are hatched and the balance are developing. Allotment blanks listing numbers of fish desired and kinds preferred for plant- ing the net work of streams and lake bodies of California have been filled out by captains and unattached deputies and returned to Captain O. P. Brownlow. Care has been exercised in most cases in the composition of these allotments to avoid exaggerated needs. There are about fifty counties having streams and lakes in During the winter the Klamath River stations were placed in readiness for the spring run of trout. At some stations new concrete piers, racks, holding tanks and traps have been constructed, and at all stations equipment has been repaired. The run was late this year, since the seasonal rainfall and snowfall, with the exception of San Diego County, was below normal. Some 950,000 eastern brook trout eggs taken at Gull Lake during the fall spawn- 164 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. ing are in the process of -hatching at the Mount Whitney Hatchery. During Jan- uary. 100,000 of these eggs were shipped to the Mount Shasta Hatchery and 200,- 000 to the Burney Creek Hatchery in Shasta County. A storm the latter part of November caused the water in Prairie Creek to rise to such a height as to wash out the racks. As a result of this new racks have been built fourteen feet long and placed in the main channel and the old racks placed in the newly created stream channel ; hence the station is now in condition to cope with heavy floods. The first steelhead and cutthroat trout taken at the Prairie Creek Station proved to be too green for spawning and the crew was forced to prepare a place to hold them. By placing a set of low racks below those in the new channel a suitable pond was made which will serve a similar purpose in the future. Thirty more troughs have been added to the original eight at this station. Several million steelhead trout eggs can be eyed now and suflicieut number of eggs hatched to meet local demands if Prairie Creek enjoys this year the good runs that have attended it in the past. The channel from the spring to the hatchery at Bear Lake has been cleaned out and the sides of the stream walled up with rock to prevent the water washing the banks. This will insure a cleaner water supply for the hatchery and be a great aid when the hatchery season is at its height. The winter has been mild at Bear Lake, but the permanent traps are in place in the event a good fall of snow makes assurance of an increased water supply. The Loch Leven trout in holding tanks at the Yoseraite Hatchery have had a difficult time clinging to life dunng the winter on account of the considerable amount of ice foitned in the tanks. An investigation by the biologist of the department showed the water was so cold that the fish were not eating as they should and sour stomachs caused them to develop internal bacterial infection. Hatchery operations at this hatchery have started for the season with a ship- ment of 100,000 Loch Leven and 100,000 eastern brook eggs from the Mount Shasta Hatchery. placed in charge. It was necessary to fence the premises to keep stock from interfering with the hatchery water sup- ply and to build ditches and levees to turn away the surplus water and keep the ponds uncontaminated. Attention to other details has rendered the site habitable and convenient for the season's operations. In December Loch Leven eggs were shipped from the ^Nlount Shasta Hatchery to the number of 300,000. In January, 50,000 more Loch Leven eggs were placed in the hatchery troughs and 100,000 brown trout eggs. The experimental hatchery at Mormon Creek has been completed and an expe- rienced fishculturalist, F. A. Hamor, It is planned to open the Tallac Hatch- ery earlier than usual this season in order to receive a larger shipment of rainbow trout eggs so that the resulting fry can be removed to the fly-casting club nurs- eries on the Truckee River. The Lake Tahoe Hatchery has 200,000 Loch Leven and 380,000 eastern brook eggs in the process of hatching. Of the eastern brook eggs 80,000 were supplied from a take at Marlette Lake, Nevada. The Department of Architecture is rushing the work on the new Kaweah Hatchery building, with the object in view of having the hatchery in shape to receive the eggs from spring spawners. For preparedness sake, in case the new building is not completed, the old troughs are being placed under a temporary shed. It is planned to stock the streams and lakes in Sequoia National Park and the surrounding high, Sierra as well as the streams in the Tule River drainage basin from this hatchery. Two hundred thousand eastern brook eggs were placed in the troughs at the Kern River Hatchery on January 17. These eggs were received from the Para- dise Brook Trout Company at Cresco, Pennsylvania. The Loch Leven eggs from the Mount Shasta Hatchery are hatching slowly, due to the extreme coldness of the water. The water in Lake Pillsbury is very low and a storm of thirty-six hours dura- tion is necessary to cause the water to flow over the spillway of the Snow Moun- tain Water and Power Company. Repairs, however, have been made at the Snow Mountain Egg Collecting Station and everything is in readiness for the steel- head run. If a rainstorm does not raise the waters of the lake, little hope is enter- tained that the power company can be CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 165 iiiduct'd to allow sufficient water to escape to bring the fish up to the egg-collecting station. Bureau of Game Farms Bureau of Education The Bureau of Education has received a legacy of historical value. An exhibi- tion case from California's first museum of natiu-al history — Woodward's Gardens, San Francisco — has been donated by the Golden (iate Park Museum, together with a fine series of mounted specimens of birds and mammals. Some of the speci- mens were promptly used at the Clover- dale Citrtis Show where an exhibit was installed. MAuited specimens, as well as study skins, are now available for school use as a result of this donation. Reports of damage to deciduous fruit trees as a result of bird-cutting activities of linnets and other birds have been investigated and means are being devised to solve this economic problem. In east- ern Tulare County the damage is real and the rancher needs some means of pro- tecting his crop against depredations by birds. The lectiu'c program has increased to such an extent that the attendance record for the past few months shows an average of about 10.(M)0 persons i)er month. Bureau of Research Ileports of duck sickness on Buena Vista Lake led to an investigation. Chemical analyses were made of the water, birds were examined for blood and other parasites and an earnest endeavor made to locate the ca\ise. Efforts made to salvage sick ducks were successful, uearly a thousand birds having been liberated after recovery. Numerous miscellaneous autopsies have been performed, including a study of three quail apparently i)oisoned in Berke- ley and two (piail from Catalina Island which disclosed no reason for their death. Parasitologist O'Roke has been gather- ing data on normal conditions in ducks and quail. A series of blood slides has been prepared and a number of internal pai'asitfs isolated. A study of the litera- ture rel.-iting to animal disease is being made. The first pheasant egg was laid on the morning of February 24. This event was heralded as a token of spring's arrival. The winter season has been devoted largely to preparations for the approach- ing hatching period at the (Jame Farm. New breeding pens have been erected, a few decidedly larger than any heretofore used. The ground in the pens has been seeded to suitable cover crops which are now well up and in flourishing condition. The work of picking the breeding stock has been completed, and, by a process of eliminating the less fit, some 800 Chinese ring-necked pheasants have been selected. One hundred and fifty more bantams and their crosses have been hatched in order to increase the stock of this class of birds and to facilitate propagation of greater numbers of pheasants. Among the latest additions to the (Jame Farm ai'e nine wild turkeys — seven hens and two toms. These noble birds have been brought from Arizona and are a loan of Mr. (Jeorge O'Connor. Half of each year's increase is to remain the property of the state and it is anticipated that this arrangement will at least furnish the basis for operations to stock suitable covers with this famous American game bird. For the purpose of introducing new blood and virility into the brood stock, an exchange of twenty-four male ring-necked pheasants has been effected with another game farm. Three male versicolor pheasants have also been secured for the purpose of obtaining a cross between this variety of pheasant and the ringneck. Many game breeders consider this cross advantageous, claiming that the new strain produces birds more alert and swift of wing. It is expected to secure about 600 eggs from the three breeding pens in which the three versicolor males will be placed. Negotiations have been under way with the end in view of making a further exchange of birds wanted by the San Diego Zoological Society for other game birds desired for propagation studies at the Game Farm. The equipment specially designed to lirop(>rly handle and ])ropagate the new lot of Hungarian partridges has been productive of good results. C Hfif8B nt 'IZrr-~ ^HhUHUH Ml Pk. ^HiiBil IHIIHiPN" ^ ^^^^K^^H^^^I 5S ^.^Mi^^ HB'S w^nB^^ ^^^^^M n 'i^^ Pi»^^M K^ F .^i , -^'^hHHH HB 1 ■ <• ^^i ''^«^^H Fig. 48. Mormon Creek experimental hatchery, near Sonoma, Tuloumne County. One of the newest hatcheries. Photograph by Fred Leighton, February, 1928. COMMERCIAL FISHERY NOTES N. B. ScoFiELD^ Editor. UNTANGLING THE NAMES OF FISHES When is a herring not a herring? The answer to this one is simple ; when it is a queenfish. The reason for this flat joke is that along the southern California coast a small member of the croaker family, the queenfish, is caught and much of the time called (especially by sport fishermen) a "herring." Since this fish does not in any way resemble a herring, which is a member of the same family as the sardine, this misnaming makes a con- fusion of terms. Unfortunately, we have many such common name tangles among our salt water fishes in this state. Most of these have come about by people labeling a fish with a name that belongs to some other species with which they are familiar and imagine it resembles. Also, fishermen and dealers sometimes like to call local fish by the names of fish which have excellent reputations for food qualities elsewhere, thus making it easier to sell the species in question on the reputation of another. Then some of our fish are wrongly labeled for no good reason at all. One of the worst of these confusions is the "bluefish" caught chiefly around Monterey. This is a species of rock fish and, probably because it has a blue tint CALIFORNIA FTSTT AND GAME. 169 in its cnlni'atiuu. is callfel flattered by having its name tacked onto our rock fish. Just to make matters a little worse, there is a croaker which is occasionally taken in southern California, which is also called "California bluefish." .Vnother perplexity is the young white sea bass, which is called "sea trout." It is not a relative of a trout and, besides, there is no sense in having a fish start out a trout and end up a bass. Inciden- tally, the white sea bass is not a bass, but a croaker. A member of the Hexagrami- dae family, common around San Fran- cisco, is also called "sea trout." The only resemblance it bears to a trout is that it has spots — but so has a setter pup. Besides these cases, we have the south- ern halibut, which is a flounder : several so-called soles, all of which are flounders ; a rock fish called a "salmon grouper" and several more tangles of names. There- fore, iti is wise to look with skepticism upon any individual who catches a fish out of the Pacific Ocean and says, "I know what it is. I used to catch the same fish out of a creek back in Nebraska." However, by means of the knowledge of local names that the Depart- ment of Commercial Fisheries has col- lected, the catches of the various species are correctly tabulated and published. Also, it is hoped that the bulletin which the laboratory plans to ])ublish within the next year, showing photographs and accepted common names of all our com- mercial fishes, will help to standardize the correct names. — J. A. Craig. State Fisheries Laboratory. FISH CANNERS ORGANIZE The resignation of B. D. Marx Greene as attorney for the Commercial Fisheries Department became effective ]March 1, 1928. Mr. Greene has held this position since resigning as executive ofiicer. In addition to resuming his private practice, Mr. Greene will act as attorney for the IMonterey Sardine Canners Association and other canners in southern California. These concerns have retained him in a movement which it is hoped will lead to an organization of the entire industry upon a more profitable basis. His investi- gation will have as its objective the work- ing out of a system which will mean an export corporation under the Webb Ijaw and, among other things, a closer coopera- tion with the Fish and Game Commission along law enforcement, legislative and constructive lines. Mr. I. Zellerbach, president of the Fish and Game Commission, commented on Mr. (ireene's resignation as follows : "Mr. (ireene has served the Commission faithfully and efficiently for four years. During two of these years he held three combined positions — -e x e c u ti v e ofiicer, attorney for the Commission and attorney for the Commercial Fisheries. It pleases me greatly to learn that he has accepted a retainer to make this extensive survey for what promises to be a real organiza- tion of fish canners. "Had such an organization been formed years ago in this great industry, many bitter legal battles would have been avoided. I understand this will mean a much closer cooperation with the Fish and (iame Commission, and this attitude on the part of the canners is one which I have urged ever since becoming a mem- ber of the Fish and Game Commission. It appears that a new day has dawned for the packers and the Commission." LIFE HISTORY NOTES A PLEA FOR THE WHITE-TAILED KITE One of our most beautiful birds that is nearing extinction in California is the white-tailed kite, Elanus leiicunis. This bird is most apt to be met with flying over swamps or marshy river bottoms, and can be recognized by its white tail, black shoulders, and its silvery wings and light underparts. It is the size of a small gull and has the habit of slowly flying back and forth over damp ground, hovering at times almost stationary with beating wings just before dropping upon its prey. Small rodents, such as mice and shrews, with insects, compose the greater part of its food. Thus it is of economic value to the farmer besides adding a touch of won- derful beauty to the landscape. To anyone who has seen this bird in flight, especially when it is going through these falling and hovering antics, which it accomplishes with utmost grace, tiiere is a charm supreme. The kite's note is a soft whistle with an occasional low cackle and is heard most often when one is near its nest. It is also at this season that the bird gives its best demonstration of turning, tumbling and diving through the air, an exhibition of rare charm and beauty that will never be forgotten by one who has witnessed it. 170 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. One must not forget that the kite is a rare bird in California and that it is protected at all times by our laws ; even scientific collectors are forbidden to harm the bird or molest its nest. Those huntei's who frequent marshes, swamps or river bottoms should be very careful not to shoot this small gull-like hawk. It is not a destroyer of game birds and harms not your sport in the least. Leave them alone, as there are all too few left and they must not go the way of our passenger pigeons and buffalo. Let these harmless creatures remain so that their beauty can add its charm to our already beautiful California landscape. — Wright M. Pierce, Claremont, California, January 6, 1928. back. It is entirely white below except for brownish flecking on the throat and breast. In spring and summer the entire underparts are solid black, with a white border over the forehead and down the sides of the neck. Since we see this bird mostly in fall and winter, we are not familiar with the black-bellied plumage. Some birds are in the process of changing to summer plumage before they leave this latitude in the spring. The spotted sandpiper also changes to a considerable extent in spring and fall. If one goes to the Sierra Nevada Moun- tains in summer they will see this bird in its breeding plumage with its white belly and throat, spotted with large, round, black spots and grayish, black flecked Fig. 49. White-tailed kite from a mounted specimen. Society of Natural History. Courtesy of San Diego IMISLEADING NAIMES IN VARIOUS COMMON BIRDS Quite often there are questions forth- coming by people in the field with regard to birds with descriptive names that do not match their actual plumage colora- tion, as we see it. Some of these are as follows : Red-tailed hawk. Black-bellied plover. Spotted sandpiper. Red-backed sandpiper. Red phalarope. The red-tailed hawk does not acquire its russet tail until it is several years old. The tail previous to that time is barred with gray and black. The black-bellied plover is a bird which changes its plumage in the fall to a mod- est dark gray flecked with white on the back. In the winter this bird is white beneath and grayish above, with a few fine brownish lines on the back feathers. The red-backed sandpiper is another bird which has entirely different plumages for summer and winter. In spring and summer the top of the head and the back are a bright chestnut brown with black streaks on the back. The throat and breast are white, streaked with dusky and a black patch on the belly. The rest of the underparts are white. In the fall and winter, the upper parts are ashy gray, underparts mostly white with brownish band across the breast. We see but very few birds in the spring and summer plumage. The red phalarope in spring and sum- mer has the top of its head black, with the sides of the head white. The upper- CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 171 parts are biiffy brown streaked with black. Underparts are entirely deep chestnut. The bill is yellow with a dusky tip ; feet yellowish. lu winter the forehead is white, back bluish gray with but few acquire their adult plumage until after several years in the immature plumages and intermediate stages have been gone through.— D. D. McLean, 711 Postal Tel- egraph Bldg., San Francisco. Fig. 50. White-tailed kite in flight. Copyrighted photograph by Wright M. Pierce. streaks. The underparts are pure white. The bill is black with yellowish base. Feet bluish gray. This will, I hope, help ■- to clear up some of the identification troubles of some of the deputies and people working in the field. Shorebirds are hard enough to identify without their going through a complete change of plumage in spring and fall. ]Many hawks and gulls do not 5—58645 THE PIGEON HAWK'S BILL OF FARE Although the northern pigeon hawk {Falco columharius) is never common in California, it might be well to note some of its food habits during its stay with us during the winter months. ]Most of my experience with this species has been in the lower edge of the yellow pine belt (Transition life zone) of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 172 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. During the winter months, the pigeon hawk is rather locally distributed. Of the nine specimens I have taken, eight have come from the same locality in Mariposa County. The ninth was taken between Hollister and Gilroy, in San Benito County. Its favorite prey seems to be shorebirds, robins, pipits and Savannah sparrows, while that of the sparrow hawk is almost entirely insects. A female bird, taken in Mariposa County, had eaten a junco and a pipit with the remains of two other pipits in Fig. 51. White-tailed kite hovering in air. Copyrighted photograph by Wright M. Pierce. In flight, this species shows the same dash and spirit as does the duck hawk, but is so small that it is not capable of coping with such large prey. The bird is only slightly larger than the sparrow hawk. The food of this species is a noticeable contrast to that of the sparrow hawk. the stomach which were nearly digested. An immature male from near the same place had eaten a robin and could scarcely fly, due to the added weight. Still another immature bird had parts of a robin and had a meadowlark in its stomach. The meadowlark was nearly digested. An adult male was eating a CALIFORNIA FISH AXD GAME. 173 robin when shot and another had just killed a red-shafted flicker. Another adult male had a California jay in its possession, while another had eaten a robin. A young male bird that seemed droopy had eaten a junco, a pipit and an unidentified bird, presumably an Audubon warbler. The one collected near Gilroy had eaten four Savannah sparrows. All of their food seems to be plucked to a considerable extent, but none of the flesh is discarded unless possibly some of the entrails. Wings, feet and bills were found in- the stomachs. Birds are generally knocked down in a cloud of feathers, then picked up and carried away to be eaten in some secluded spot.— D. D. McLean, 711 Postal Tele- graph Bldg., San Francisco. brant. Bninta nigricans. At times several hundred birds were present. The brant has not been pi'esent on the bay for a number of years, due, probably to the fact, that the increased habitation and consequent building on Mission Beach strand, separating the bay from the ocean, has frightened the bird. It is hoped it will become accustomed to the improve- ments and continue to make this bay its habitat during the winter months, as in former years. The brant has been observed also in large numbers on San Quentin and Magdalena bays to the southward. — Ad B. Pearson, San Diego, California. A NOTE ON THE FOOD OF THE LONG-BILLED CURLEW On examining the stomach and gullet Fig. 52. Large wildcat taken near Verdi, Nevada, by S. M. Wiley, Weight nearly 60 pounds. UNUSUALLY LARGE WILD CAT CAPTURED In September, 1927, I trapped a very large wildcat near Verdi, on the Cali- fornia-Nevada line. It weighed nearly sixty pounds and the skin stretched on a board measured five feet. It was the finest pelt I ever saw. The accompany- ing photograph gives a good idea of its large size and perfect spotting. — S. M. Wiley, Verdi, Nevada. BLACK SEA BRANT ON MISSION BAY In addition to pintail and widgeon ducks being more abundant this year than for several years past on Mission Bay, four miles north of San Diego Bay, we have seen several flocks of black sea of a long-billed curlew, sent in for prep- aration into a study specimen. I discov- ered seven large sand fleas {Orchestoidea calif orniana?). Several of them were in the gullet and the remainder were in the stomach in varying stages of decomposi- tion, due to the process of digestion in the curlew. No other species was found in the digestive tract. The bird was taken on ^lorro Beach, San Luis Obispo Countv. California, January 20, 1928.— D. D. JNIcLean, 711 Postal Telegraph Bldg., San Francisco. NOTES ON A CAPTIVE TURKEY VULTURE On January 10, 1928, a turkey vulture {Cathartes aura septentrionalis) was brought to me. It had been shot thi-ough the right wing, but the bones were not 174 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. broken, and it seemed to be otherwise uninjured, except for the loss of the right foot, an injui-y of long standing, since the stump of the tarsus was healed and enlarged on the end from being used in place of the missing foot. It appeared to be an immature bird from the absence of red skin about the head. I put it in the stable for the night and the next day made a pen of chicken netting in a corner of the upper floor of the barn, where it would get the sun in the afternoon. I got some beef liver for it, but it paid no attention to this food, which remained in the pen and dried up, and was not eaten at all. The bird had nothing to eat until canvas to watch developments. The vulture stood in the far corner of the pen for several minutes without moving, then started preening its feathers and shaking itself and eyeing the gopher. At 2.56 it came over to the gopher, nibbled at it, picked it up by a leg and dropped it several times, then left it and spent sev- eral minutes trying to get out of the pen. At 3 it was back in the comer preening its back and breast feathers. Standing on the one foot, only using the stump when moving about, at 3.03, ran a pri- mary covert through the beak, twice, turned head on side and looked up at the roof several times, as if expecting others of its kind to come to the feast, and at Fig. 53. Captive one-legged turkey vulture. Photograph by J. A. Calder. Januai"y 13, when a mouse and a pocket gopher were given it. and the mouse was gone about an hour later and the gopher was eaten the next day. From then until February 2, the bird ate one pocket gopher a day. On January 18, I put band No. 421544 on the bird and turned it loose, but it could not fly, so I put it back in the pen. On January 21, Mr. James A. Calder took some pictures of it, and it was still unable to fly. Being anxious to see how a vulture with only one foot could hold a gopher to tear it. I put up a blind of canvas about eight feet from the center of the pen, and on January 24, at 2.47 p.m., I put a gopher, that had been dead twenty-four hours, in the pen, and retired behind the 3.05 yawned. At 3.10 stood with feathers fluffed out, occasionally preening feathers of lower back or breast, seemed suspicious of movements of the canvas caused by the wind. It stood almost motionless until 3.16 when I left the blind. I was nearby until 3.43, when I left the bam and did not return until 5.05 ; by that time the gopher was gone except for the head and the stomach. On January 25, at 2.50 p.m., I put a gopher in the pen and went into the blind. The vulture moved to the sunny side of the pen, stood on its one foot with the stump drawn up close to its body, peering around suspiciously, preen- ing, and once rubbing its head on its back. At 2.57 it approached the gopher. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 175 picked it up by a leg and dropped it, several times, and nibbled at it, and then, trying several times to hold it with the stump, hopped about until the claw of the long middle toe of the left foot held the gopher down, and then tore it open, starting just back of the ribs, on the side. The intestines and all the other organs were' eaten, except the stomach, which was pulled out and dropped to one side. Still holding the carcass with the middle toe, pieces were torn off and swallowed, bones and all ; then the hind quarters were torn from the rest of the body, and both hind legs, the tail and part of the spine were swallowed in one chunk with much gulping and straining. A large piece of skin from the back was discarded, and. then, trying to hold it down with the stump, but being unsuccessful and resort- ing to the middle toe again, the fore part of the body was torn off and swallowed in small bits until at 3.10 only the skull and the skin on top of it remained. Then the bird turned its attention to the dis- carded piece of skin and ate most of it ; then the stomach was torn apart and eaten, only part of the contents, a mass of green vegetable matter being discarded. At 3.19 the vulture retired to the corner of the pen, the meal finished. This was a small gopher, and with some larger ones more skin and some bones besides the skull were left: in several cases the front legs were pulled back through the skin and the bones picked clean, and in some cases the skull was skinned out and picked clean, the lower jaw being torn loose from the skull. With one extra large gopher several inches of the spine was left attached to the skull. Pellets were ejected which were composed almost entirely of fur, only small frag- ments of bone were found in some of them. A can of water was kept in the pen, but I saw no evidence that the bird drank any of it. On January 31, the vulture was out of the pen and roosting on a timber over the open barn door, and was put back in the pen, and on February 2, when I got back from work, it was gone and has not been seen since. It shed many white, downy feathers, and several flight feathers while in captivity. When our dog came near the pen, it usually made a loud hissing sound, if I was not in sight, but was silent when I was nearby. It did not require its food to be ripe, as it sometimes ate gophers before the blood heat was out of them.^ — John McB. Robertson, Buena Park, Cali- fornia. MUSKRATS AND BEAVER IN IMPERIAL COUNTY A recent investigation of the activities of trappers in the southeastern portion of Imperial County disclosed a considerable number of operators. In the main, the catches comprise muskrat, fox, skunk and coj'ote. Of these the muskrat appears to be preferred. One trapper told us he had caught 130 muskrats in nine days along the banks of the Imperial Valley levee. As the muskrats were much easier to skin and handle than any other fur animal, their popularity with the trappers is obvi- ous. This trapper stated he could skin ten "rats" to one coyote. The majority of the muskrats are caught in the tules bordering the canals of the Imperial Valley proper. A number are also trapped around the potholes near the Colorado River. These potholes are formed by the receding waters of the river and are sometimes miniature lakes, being a mile in length and one-half mile in width. The water in these lakelets offers a decided contrast to the muddy appeai'ance of the turbulent river and is quite clear and placid. Willows and eottonwoods grow in abundance about their margins and offer attractive food for colonies of beaver. Most of them exhibit "beaver sign" by the numbers of trees felled into the water. Beaver "slides" — avenues in and out the lakelets — are other evidence of their presence. As a rule, the trappers set their traps in these places. Happily, beaver appear to be on the increase. This is no doubt due to the closed season and the resulting protection afforded. The Arizona season, too, has been closed for a number of years, but at the time it was open it was common prac- tice for Arizona trappers to cross the river at night and return before morning with a few California beaver. The state of Arizona employs two wardens to patrol the Arizona side of the Colorado and protect these beaver. — E. H. Glidden, San Diego, January, 1927. 176 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. CONSERVATION IN OTHER STATES NEW YORK INTRODUCES VARYING HARES Like many an eastern state, New York has been lamenting the disappearance of rabbits. As a consequence, the Depart- ment of Conservation recently purchased 700 pairs from Maine. These were all wild hares trapped in their native haunts. After holding the shipment so that the animals might be examined for traces of disease, they were liberated in suitable covers, particularly in the Adirondacks in brush marshes and ravines. There is a chance to reestablish this game mammal. Some seven counties were thus stocked. NEW YORK PLANS SERIES OF REFUGES Recently the state of New York pro- vided for funds to be used in the acquiring of more agriculture areas for establishing fish and game refuges. It has been found that one-half the moneys received from the sale of licenses would amount to about $350,000 per year. The Department of Conservation is now starting out on a program to furnish a fish and game refuge in evei*y county of the state that is suitable for one. The plan includes the placing of these refuges in such situations that every hunting ground in the state will be benefited by the overflow from the refuges. The first refuge of more than 3800 acres has been purchased. Other proposals are being considered. NEW YORK SUCCEEDS IN STOCKING AREA WITH MALLARDS Several years ago the New York Game Farm at Sherburne secured a setting of mallard eggs. From year to year, the breeding stock has been increased and at the same time the surplus have been liberated. Now for miles surrounding the game farm, mallard ducks are permanent residents. For thirty to forty miles both up and down the river which borders the game farm may be found mallard ducks which are the direct descendants of those propagated on the game farm. NOVA SCOTIA CREATES SANCTUARY A splendid stretch of 200 square miles of virgin territory, including numerous lakes and streams, has been set aside as a game sanctuary in Nova Scotia. There are natural boundaries which are well defined. The sanctuai-y is particularly adapted to the conservation of game as it forms a natural breeding ground already inhabited by a large number of game animals. It will be easy to admin- ister as it is far removed from settle- ments and from territory ordinarily used by the hunter and trapper. YELLOWSTONE ELK THRIVE IN CANADA According to an article by Hoyes Lloyd appearing in the Canadian Field Natural- ist (September, 1927), the Canadian National Parks branch has stocked vari- ous areas in Canada with Yellowstone elk which were furnished by the United States Department of Agriculture. In exchange Canada furnished mountain goat and sheep. One of the first intro- ductions was thatl of sixty-three elk, yearlings and two-year-olds, which were shipped to Banff on February 20, 1917. Later in December, 1919, another ship- ment of 194 was made. The animals have increased and have spread widely over the entire park. A shipment of nearly 100 elk was sent to Jaspar National Park in British Columbia on March 13, 1920. This herd has increased rapidly and a census in 1926 showed about 1200 head in the park. They are now found in practically every valley. Active interest in saving the buffalo brought worthwhile results and it appears that the North American elk can be han- dled as successfully. Th&re yet remains the successful solu- tion of California's elk problem. Cut down to some 400 head of wild animals at the lower end of the San Joaquin Valley, there is needed at least two well fenced areas where these remaining animals can find a suitable food supply and where they can be kept for enjoy- ment of future generations. Depredations in cultivated fields continue to warn con- servationists of the need for early action in this regard. REARING vs. PURCHASING GAME Mr. H. J. Burlington, president of the New Jersey Board of Game and Fish Commissioners, concerning the wisdom of operating state-owned game farms as against purchasing game in the open market, stated that the cost of rearing ring-neck pheasants in his state has been brought down to $2.28 per bird, and they hope to do considerably better. Last year they reared 8000 ringnecks and purchased 10,000 birds in the open market. They also distributed about 40,000 eggs to interested sportsmen and farmers for hatching purposes. New Jersey has found it unwise to release rin.2necks before they are fourteen weeks old. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 177 REPORTS STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES For the Period October 1, 1927, to December 31, 1927, of the Seventy-ninth Fiscal Year Function Materials and supplies Salaries and wages Service and expense Property and equipment Total Admimstration: Executive and legal,. SI 92 169 64 $4,215 00 4,039 75 $458 25 466 00 2,960 81 167 72 1,443 34 765 78 452 86 $8 75 18 15 $4,683 92 Clerical and office . 4 693 54 Rent 2 960 81 Automobiles 94 12 13 80 275 64 Telephone and telegraph 1,443 34 Postage ._ __ 765 78 Freight, cartage and express 452 86 Printing 4,155 80 4,155 80 Accident and death claims 280 06 345 11 280 06 Commissioners, 345 11 Total admimstration . $4,421 48 ?97 55 $8,254 75 $3,660 17 $825 00 $7,339 93 $906 34 $244 57 50 00 $40 70 $3,013 35 $20,056 86 Education: Director and assistants $7,677 41 Publicity: Director $1 069 57 State Fair.,. 50 00 Total publicity $825 00 $3,580 03 818 67 $294 57 $803 87 1 00 116 46 193 25 37,992 95 165 25 187 32 1,670 00 194 94 154 67 $1,119 57 Conservation and protection: Chief and assistants ... $87 00 $4,470 90 Clerical and office. %n 89 837 56 Rent 116 46 Automobiles . . . 619 77 105 83 400 09 44 40 3,255 52 602 25 857 42 Captains and deputies 49,567 27 520 00 450 00 90,921 57 Patrol launches 1 687 59 Lion hunting 637 32 Lion bounties. _ 1,670 00 Fish planting 665 00 495 81 121 91 20 65 981 85 Refuge posting 75 02 746 15 Total conservation and protection Commercial fisheries: Chief and assistants . _ $1,218 60 $69 40 11 61 465 47 1 25 339 97 $56,096 78 $2,410 03 7,743 02 1,188 17 1,395 00 7,847 58 $41,479 71 $603 53 2,203 59 773 96 99 44 1,681 77 22 50 3,750 00 62 55 $4,131 73 $127 95 43 09 2 76 150 00 923 15 $102,926 82 $3,210 91 Deputies 10.001 22 Patrol launches. 2,430 36 Statistical 1,645 69 Laboratory 10,792 47 Salmon tagging 22 50 Botulism _. 3,750 00 Automobiles _ 217 21 279 76 Total commercial fisheries $1,104 91 $20,583 80 $1,000 03 941 33 $9,197 25 $19 35 6 30 108 00 270 29 4,165 36 $1,246 95 $32,132 91 Fish culture: Chief and assistants $1 019 38 Clerical and office . $44 24 991 87 Rent 108 00 Automobiles. . 1,253 07 6,436 11 $98 92 6,423 75 16,612 51 1.622 28 Hatcheries . . 29,735 69 46,760 91 Hatcheries, additions and betterments 16,612 51 Special field investigation... 6 85 2,775 00 529 97 3 311 82 Total fish culture $7,740 27 $11 82 99 79 $34,452 05 $1,305 00 491 67 $5,099 27 $304 20 32 50 $23,135 18 $70 426 77 Hydraulics: Chief and assistants $1 621 02 Cooperative research work 623 96 Total hydraulics $111 61 $1,796 67 $336 70 $6 50 1,199 02 $2 244 98 Game propagation: Automobiles $6 50 Game farm — Yountville $1,397 09 $2,010 00 $997 28 5 603 39 Total game propagation... $1,397 09 $2 77 $2,010 00 $2,362 50 $1,205 52 $830 40 $13,619 85 $997 28 $5 609 89 Research: Chief and assistants $3 195 67 License commissions .. $13 619 85 Total Division of Fish and Game $16,094 28 $130,041 72 $80,309 54 $32,565 19 $259 010 73 178 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. STATEMENT OF INCOME For the Period October 1, 1927, to December 31, 1927, of the Seventy-ninth Fiscal Year Detail Total License sales: Angling, 1927. S39,156 10 Angling, 1928 69 00 Hunting, 1927-1928 99,081 40 Hunting, 1928 16 00 Market fishermen's licenses, 1927-1928 5,820 00 Wholesale fish packers' and shell fish dealers' licenses — 1927-1928 215 00 Game breeders' licenses, 1927 52 50 Fish breeders' licenses, 1927 5 00 Trapping licenses, 1927-1928 3,413 00 Commercial hunting club licenses, 1927-1928 1,185 00 Commercial hunting club operators' licenses, 1927-1928 350 00 Deer tag licenses, 1927 73,302 50 Kelp licenses 10 00 Totallicense sales - ---- 8222,675 50 Other income: Game tag sales SU 43 Court fines 20,794 08 Fish packers' tax 24,706 85 Kelp tax 1 31 Fish tag sales 1,037 04 Miscellaneous sales _20 00 Interest on bank deposits 738 87 Total other income 47,309 58 Totalincome— — $269,985 08 SEIZURES OF FISH AND GAME October, November, December, 1927 Salmon, pounds - 128 Barracuda, pounds.. 9,935 Striped bass, pounds 372 Spot-fin croaker - 20 Black bass --- 15 Trout ---- --- 348 White fish - 2 Crappie 39 Perch - 1 Catfish, pounds 90 Crawfish 140 Crabs 301 Clams -- --- l,7ff0 Abalone --- 145 Lobster, pounds — — 522 Quail 295 Pheasant - - 11 Doves - 21 Geese --- - - - 118 Ducks - -- 225 Mudhens 1 Shore Dirds 49 Non-game birds 57 Deer meat, pounds _- 1,418 Deer hides and horns '- 3 Rabbits, cottontail, brush and Sierra hare --- 59 Hides of fur bearing mammals 22 Illegal nets and traps 4 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 179 GAME CASES October, November, December, 1927 Violation Number arrests Fines imposed Jail sentences (days) Hunting License Act Deer Tag License Act Commercial Gun Club License Act Deer: closed season or district Deer: does, fawns, sciked bucks, or forked horn in District 1% Deer: running with dogs, closed season Deer: illegal sale of meat Ducks: closed season Ducks: over limit Swan: closed season Geese: over limit Shore birds: closed season Doves: closed season. Quail: closed season Quail: over limit Pheasants: closed season Non-game birds Rabbits: cottontail and brush, closed season. Squirrels, tree: closed season Shooting game trom automobile, power boat, etc Game refuges : hunting or possession ot firearms in Night hunting- Trespass Illegal trapping of birds Illegal shipping oi game Illegal sale of game.. Fur trapping regulations Totals 104 8 1 24 11 1 1 11 10 4 8 30 10 34 3 7 32 31 2 9 12 55 4 1 3 4 11 431 $2,240 250 1,425 675 25 25 150 525 100 200 785 350 1,250 150 450 740 760 50 205 275 1,440 200 75 325 240 112,910 62 '"§6 "150 115 5 '150 50 90 10 662 FISH CASES October, November, December, 1927 Violation Number arrests Fines imposed Jail sentences (days) Angling License Act . . . 23 9 7 3 23 2 4 2 1 2 1 2 3 2 6 1 43 37 11 1 1 19 20 4 1 3 $570 80 100 100 905 225 100 100 100 50 25 50 100 100 135 20 1,775 1,085 275 25 50 625 600 75 25 700 Commercial Fishing License Act Trout: over limit Trout: closed season . Striped bass: undersize or over limit . . 5 Striped bass: sale of, in closed season Salmon: overlimit . ... Salmon: closed season or district Salmon: illegal sale of Salmon: illegal taking of on spawning beds ....... .. Black bass: illegal sale of Crappie: overlimit 180 Barracuda: undersize Crawfish: undersize 50 Crabs: undersize and females Crabs: closed season Clams: undersize and overlimit 60 Abalones: undersize and overlimit ... 5 Lobsters: under or oversize ..... _ 10 Illegal fishing: within 300 feet ofinlet to lake; 250 feetfishway; 150 feet lower sideofdam Illegal fishing: more than one rod or line in trout fishing Nets; illegal possession or use Illegal possession of fish spear 65 Illegal night fishing Illegal shipping of fish ... Pollution Totals 231 $7,995 375 180 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. o u:5 1— ' GO i>- --H wo oq_co i— > "^^.o (M^oo cm ■^_c.I>-»oa5(M'^l>-i-tOO.Cqa;CO'-HirOOiCDcDI>-'^l>.-^CD"^OilOCOCDC^ OiO-^^DOOOCOdOO -^^i— I -^ t>- 0_CO d r-^ ci"io oo^oCr^'Tt^' co'TtTco'of <--*' CO i-i »-H K t~-0000dt-O105r--rti00-C^T-iOi000 Oior-oooa5i-(OGTsoit-i>.Oi'-H(MaiTj^cot^»-i 1— "C000t0OC-CDOOI>-iMOOW3»OCO (NC0Oc000»0»OC0(N'^:CicD'^ ^^O^CO^CM^O^'* CO CO iM r-l co*"co*cq"i-H"i-r a 'S o ai O OS 05 Oi 1-H CO t^ CO OOO CO CO CO CO lO CO -*co-^ OO CO CO Oi OS .2 bo . en c bo .2 OJ Q. p.ag -4J ■*-' ,^ o o a a 3 3 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 181 DEER KILLED IN 1927, BY COUNTIES County Deer kiUed Land area, square miles Siskiyou 1,665 1,475 921 901 821 799 757 751 744 669 623 612 592 551 535 510 442 425 397 394 367 341 323 296 274 263 260 228 220 218 217 213 173 169 149 125 115 101 95 91 78 77 74 67 67 59 56 53 45 42 36 21 5 3 1 1 6,256 Mendocino. ... ..... 3 539 Trinity 3,096 Lake 1,238 3 575 Humboldt ........ .... Tehama 2,925 3 330 Monterev-.i.. ..... Sonoma . _ . . . . 1,582 4,856 2,740 1,337 3 858 Tulare . Santa Barbara.. . .. .. .. Glenn _ . Shasta.. .... Fresno 6 950 Plumas 2,593 1,737 3,823 783 El Dorado .... .. Modoc.- . . . . _ Napa Los Angeles ...... .. 4 115 Santa Clara 1,328 San Luis Obispo _ . 3 334 Marin .. 529 Placer. _ 1,411 Riverside 7,223 Lassen.. ......... 4,531 Ventura. . . 1878 Colusa ..... 1,140 Madera . 2,112 Butte... 1,698 732 Alameda .... Kern .. .. 8,003 1392 San Benito Tuolumne _ 2,190 Inyo 9,991 4 221 San Diego .... . . Calaveras _ . 1027 Nevada . 974 Yolo... 1,014 923 Sierra ....... Mariposa 1463 Stanislaus ...... ... 1450 Santa Cruz. ... 435 San Mateo . . 447 San Bernardino 20 175 Alpine.. 776 Merced 1995 Amador . . 601 Orange 795 'Vuba 632 Solano.. 822 DelNort* 1,024 3,030 1,448 714 Mono . SanJoaquin Contra Costa . . Kings.. 1,159 4,089 608 Imperial . Sutter Sacramento 983 San Francisco 42 Totals 19,507 155 672 182 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. To better compare the 1927 kill of deer in the several counties, the following chart shows the average number killed per 100 square miles of area: County Average per 100 square miles of area Deer kiUed Land area, square miles Lake - - - 75 69 57 48 47 42 31 31 30 30 28 27 25 24 23 23 23 21 18 17 17 16 16 15 15 15 13 13 12 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 9 8 7 7 7 6 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 1 1 1 901 367 442 623 751 1,475 535 397 220 921 799 1,665 669 341 263 757 821 551 78 77 228 612 217 744 274 149 510 125 394 115 101 260 42o 592 213 59 67 53 56 296 95 91 45 323 169 42 67 218 173 21 36 5 74 3 1 1 1,238 529 Napa 783 Glenn 1,337 1,582 Mendocino 3,539 El Dorado 1,737 1,328 Alameda 732 Trinity 3,096 Tehama - . . 2,925 Siskiyou - - 6,256 2,740 Placer 1,411 Colusa - 1,140 3,330 Humboldt 3,575 Plumas - - - 2,593 Santa Cruz _ 435 447 1,698 Shasta . 3,858 1,392 Tulare 4,856 1,878 Calaveras - . 1,027 3,823 Nevada - . . 974 3,334 Yolo --- 1,014 923 2,112 4,115 Fresno - . 5,950 i,190 Amador. . . 601 776 Yuba -. 632 795 Lassen .__ 4,531 1,463 Stanislaus . -- 1,450 822 Riverside - - - 7,223 4,221 Del Norte - - --- 1,024 1,995 Kern 8,003 9,991 San Joaq din . 1,448 3,030 Contra Costa 714 20,175 1,159 608 Imperial . 4,089 983 San Francisco 42 19,507 155,672 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 183 HUNTERS KILLING TWO DEER. County of residence of hunter — Alameda 112 Alpine ... Amador. 7 Butte.. 50 Calaveras 8 Colusa 45 Contra Costa _ ._ 28 Del Norte 6 El Dorado 29 Fresno.. 66 Glenn.. _ 34 Humboldt _ 96 Imperial Inyo 23 Kern.. 40 Kings 7 Lake 33 Lassen ._ 8 Los Angeles 166 Madera 13 Marin 43 Mariposa 2 Mendocino 89 Merced 9 Modoe 4 Mono.. Monterey..- 72 Napa 34 Nevada. 4 Orange 34 Placer 19 Humas _. 13 Riverside. 25 Sacramento 44 San Benito 23 San Bernardino 18 San Diego 21 San Francisco 100 San Joaquin 42 San Luis Obispo 78 San Mateo 15 Santa Barbara 83 Santa Clara 67 Santa Cruz 20 Shasta. 57 Sierra. 4 Siskiyou 142 Solano 25 Sonoma.. 93 Stanislaus 28 Sutter 16 Tehama. 45 Trinity 31 Tulare.... 65 Tuolumne 17 Ventura... _ 28 Yolo 29 Yuba 8 Arizona, State of 1 Nevada, State of 1 Oregon, State of 3 Total 2,223 184 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. STATISTICS ON DEER KILL, SEASON 1927 5 N I I I I 5 cocurr o^ Ail ■S/i OS, ^C £ or f^i/Tvrsje ^- 1 \ \ \ \ \ 1 \ \ k 1 1 \ 1 ^ 1 \ 1 I \ \ 1 \ 1 \ \ \ /fl^MED^ /i7 /2 2 /?LP/A/S /O / 1 /? 1 / /fAf/?O0R S 21 4 / 1 3l/TT£ s .66 1 4 z " / s ir^L/fy^/?/?s 3 // 60 4 / / z ' COL us/! 3 6 M/ 7 8 / 7 1 / 4 ra/vn'/f cosr/f 4 JS/. /VO/f'T£' 38 / z /Z DO/?f1DO 2/ 2 3/ 3 / 6 223 Z z 78 / .f 3 r,'?£-s^/o 3 377 II /s zo 77 £ 1 4 4 ffir.v/v 3/ 4i'7 78 3 / 7^6 z 0 / J 6 / 4 /^C/AfBOLVr 3S Z /jT 3 Z SO/ 1 ,? Z 36 / 76 3Z / 7 6 /AfA'fA'//^L 7 /A^yo ICS 7 SO /ff-/?^ 3 34 66 7 /r/r/r/f 4 8/ / /7 99 6 8 / M/f/?/^/ /s a Z 209 Af/ffi'/f'OS/f ^ a Z 1 / 6 76 3Z 37 /^£yv^oc//vo /67 3 /3 40 2 ZO /z 4 9 9 32 / 46 494 S 2 78 A^£-/?crD / / / 7 4Z Z Afoaoc /e 20 74 7 / 8 ^ 3 / Z 7Z 78 7 2S / 4 S S /03 4 70 A70/V0 / /a 7 7 // Afo/^re'A'f-y' /z 4 9 1 7 37 Z 7 4^6 7 /t^/=?^ /s 3 S Z 1 7 / 3 7 iZ6 /V^i/^^/f e / / / 3 7 7 7 1 o/?/j/vaf 3 ^:!./fCS/? 2/ 3 /3 /6 / Z 4 Z 78 /^/.i/Af/fS 2B 77 •f J 6 9 / 7 36 4Z / 4 z 3 6 /?/l/S/FS/0£ 1 6 / / ^ swr/F/fA/^^ro S/7A/ ^SA^/ro 4 // Z 6 7 Z 76 J?i'//Sf/PAM/?D/A/0 /S S^// si/ssa ZZ S/fA" y^/f/f/V^/SCO J-/r'/Vyo/f / 4 3 S 2 8 7 '2S S2 / S6 124 so 27 /4 / /O 4 / s- 8 3 3 /O 1 3^7 / S 20 n? 7 28 / / /s 9 Z Z // / 8 s 7 / 30 /2 2 20 8 7 SS/ 2-^ //(^ 70 // / ?23 .? /3Z Z s 2 Z Z /Z // 4 2/7 /? 4 \4o 74 /;' Z 3 /Zl / 763 /7 / 2/ Z P 2 268 2 46 / / 2 4 / 394 3 .f/ 7 9 / 7,T 1 2 z 4 37 433 8 / Z 33 ££9 13 /7 / 20 m // / 997 / / / fi 7 fl S3 7S .? /ff / / /3 /i / / / S 4 ^3 /; /I /Z 4 8 79 6 7 4 6'Z // z fl 3 fl / fl / / 27 3 / 9 3/0/ /^ 7 •<■ 47 M / a JS // / 7 3 2^ 2 4.6 99i 1 /z /Z 7 ,'Z ZO S 8 3/7 4 30 /^'i / / 1 1 Z /4 1 74 1 4S 3 7 / //o\ 4 4 7 Z S 3 48c ' / / 2 Z 7SI ' / /\ 3 3 / S3 a/ 7 7 /s /f 9 28 / 2 Z3- 2, 7 / 13 / /Z S 7t ! /6 77 26 234 8 3 /S 70 79S / J Z 6 /3 3 4 f 69 S < ? 7f ■ r, 4a 1 M /! 4i ! Zi ■ 4 /3 ,'96 S" / 7 7 / 92/ 32 / /i - z ■ / 6 t; Z .? / 3/4 S 7^)4 3 \3l Z6 r S /O 7 2/3 3 4 / / 1 A 799 274 /2 3 Z 6 / 2 Z 7S 7/S- 2 -? 2 S 37 33 SS 2-4 A'f '/^4Z ^ /e; 'S3 ^ S6 '23, ? 47Z\ 3. r ^06 C 2^ 0 98, ' 22 9 7ai 342 209 446 i.U 9 223 337 722 SS '?3/>? 186 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 1 § N s ^ ") 1 ^ 1 ^ 15 1 ^^ -1^^^^^ 5S!| ^ 5? K 1 1 K 1 ^ N ^ ^ ^ ^ 5j -^ ^ ^ !^ •« > SS '^ N \ ^ 5; >V V N^ > ■ll 1 ^ "is ^ ■>! ^ tti S 1 S; X ^ ^^ X §; 1 V -^ ^ ^ W > \ S 1 \ ^ \ ^ \ ^ s N 1 S^ x5;! 5J X 1 55 X i^ 0> ^l- ''1 ^ 1 ^ ^ iR Vi ^ «J !$> (v,5; X ^^>1 '<5 ^ ^; M? ^ 55 > X s N ^ ^5 ^ M !i >» IJI 1 ^ t^ IX Ol X 1 ^ "^ ^^) ^ • »! S \ \ ~) 1 ^5 ?; ^ N ^ ^ ^1 V K 'm!?^^^ ^ •" '^v ^ <*! ■^ \ 1 >C 1 ^ M S) 1 K >« M 1 V 1 ^ S 1 1^1 N 1 «5 N •-1 Vl ^i >. 1 *; '>:i ^ 1 ^ t^ N ■^ •« ^ •nVl 1 1 N "- 1 xS^ <« 1 ^ X K 1 :x s ^ 1 5^ 1 > 1 IV, 1 V) ^^ X 1 « \ ^ ^ V 1 ^ X >t ^ ■*> 1 ^ M S! ^ ^ N ^ ^ ^ • 55 ^^■^s N^ > ^^^ ^ ■n S '« \ > 1 ^ ■o ^ \ ^ > «^ 1 ^ V^ ^ X 1 !? X ^.V^ J '^^ V <^ f^ s \ w\ 'n ^ 1 ^ K ^^ XV 1 "» ^ "n 1 Vi X r^ \ ^ 1 1 1 X fM t? 1 K S 5;; 1 Vl ■^ s rsi N 1 K S X 1 5^ X ><^ 1 ^ .^ Si X \ 1 \ 1 >^ '^l !^ 1 ^ Vi M x^ M M N 1 1 Vi 1 ■^ 1 ^^ ^ ^ ■N ■^ 1 s \ >t ■"o ^ 1 ^ ^ W 1 0, ' ^ .^ ^ X 'M N rx \ tj <>. 5: ^ !? ■* X 1 > < > ^ N ■^ "^l X > Vi tri t\j X i;; 1 1 1 ^ :^ s S 1 '^ > X ' ><. "^ S X X >i \ N 1 § ^ X ■^ 1 s 1 K Vs ^ W ^ t^ X V ■^ w 1 1 ^ X 1 1 R ^1 ^ 1 s 1 s 1 > > ^ 1 s \ X ^ ^ X X 1 1^ X •>\ § tM ^ 1 \ ' 1 ^ 1 ^ ^1 ^ \ "«s X X S t-l r^ X X N, X 1 1 ?; 1? *i =^ '^ ^ ^ \ 'Q !? "> ^ ^ >o 1 §^ r, ^ X <\J 1\ ^ V Si-«§ ^ ^ 'n s 1 ^ 1 ^ !? ^ X ^ N «^ N ^ ^is M 1 5 IN r^M| ^ \ ^ IN s X 5: \ "^ <« ^ X t\ K tM >5 vi X X ! ;; 1 Nt-S 5 M 5 1 "^ 1 ^ 1 N. s ^ 1 >"- 1 <<>\ \ ^1 ^ ^ !i \ s 1 S 1 ^ K ^ X ■« > S S^ ■- ^ M 1 1 ^ V » I SJ Q ^ fn >!■ X ^ ^l K 1 5* 1 > > \ ^-■ "0 \ 1 1 <>) tNj ^,i^ ^ N >>. X. K 1 K '-i ^ N. <0 N "l N >3<^ X 1 "ft 1 ^ > 1 ^ ^ % ^ '^ ^ ^ \ ^ ^ ^ ■=«- ^ ^ ^5 ^ <^ ^"i "n S^ > ^v.^ ?i ^ "1 > 1 <6 N K N 5i i!^ X !^ ^ s ^ :§> W X ^ <\' x~,^ ^ ^ •^ ^ \ N 1 ^ -^ ■? X 5; s ^> > 1 Is "1 1 1 ■*) IN 1 1 s 5; tM t^i X ^ N •^ 5; S ^ X <^ X M X N ■^s '^ 1 1 ^i X 1 >3 M 5 ^ ^ •^ "^ 'IS 1 ^ S ^ 1 S V ■^ ^ >< ^<^ V 1 X X t^^^ xtn g !>. ~1 ■o N ^ 1 ^ s CM 1 ^ > X -^^ -^ ^ 1 1 "<1 1 \ ■^l tN <<> \ <<1 (M ^ > ^ X ^ ^ ^ N -S 1 ^ sc^^ > Vl <^> ^ J5 1 !^ "^ ^ 1 ^ M N =5 1 S; "ij 'v, M ^ \ ^ »x ^ -. ■ X s; -. ; ^I'ss !i! 1 ^ X ^ ^ ^ ■N t <^ 1 ^ ? ^ ^ N ^-^ |^5t^^^ 5 ^'qI ! 1 1 1 1 ? 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1^ i^^ii ^ 1 ^ S;^ ^^ •i;^^ ^ 1 \^55 5il ^^!^ ^ 1 ^ ^S; ^\^^5$ »> 1 !^n!^ '*\!:^S?^ ^ 1 \^^ ■c V ^ ^^ s -^ ^5;^ >» 1 »^^^ -11 \' ^ ^ ■^ \ 5) ^5; i5 1 1 ^ !? ^ 55 ^ \^^!^ ^ Si 1 !5^^ ^ ^ \ =5 5?^ V ^i V »>, ^ Si 5j ^ N 5^ 1^ 1 !5^^^^ ^ !5 M !?5$_^ !^ fj 1 'viQ fQ SJ 1 •<>^SJ ^^ ^ i ^ ^ §! j^ ^<^'>,i^!^ ^ ^ 1 S?;^ ^ 55 O,?;^^ ^ ^ N'^^i^ ^ >? 1 !) SiSi ^ 5^ r "Ji ^ R ^ ^-W^?;K; ^ ^ -« J5 ^ ^ 5i ^ 5 !5 ;^^ ■^ ^ "^{:;5;S ^ 1 ^^§ '^ 1 ^^^ -^i v;^ ^ § ^- 1 SJ S; ^ -0 1 ^ S5 ;^ ^ x^^^ > ^. ^^ § ■^ . ^§§ ". s^$ 5 |^i«^ dp CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 187 N ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ ^ X X is 1 ^ 1 ^ ^ S ? ^ ^ !^ ^ i§ ? ^ 1 ^ ^ ^1 \ 1 1 !^ 1 ^ 1 1 ^ iti ^ ^ ^ >t ^1 ^ ^ ^ '^ X ^ S ^ \ ^ ^ ^ ^ Vi i ^ ^ ^ V 1 1 ^ \ X ^ k) ^ ^ s ^ IX 5} ^ > ^ \ S X ^ ^ i^ \ ^ ^ h ^ ^ ^ '^ S 5j 1 X s N ^ ^ ^l \ <:; ^<) ^ \ ^ \ "^ <^ '^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ «^ 1 Xl ^ 1 X K '^ ^ ^ >> <^j K ^ aQ "^ ^1 \ f^j X ^ ^ Vi INj tx ^ \ ^ ^ "^ 'M f^ ^ X X ^ 1 ^ N '^ X Hi ^ '^ \ ^ 1 ■^ fM ^J V» \ 1 ^1 ^ X ^ ^ 1 ttv 1 ^ 1 1 S N ^ ^ \ ^ ^^ > ^^ 1 ^ \ \ \ ■^ ^ "^ 1 ^) ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ \ ^ 1 «^ \ X ^ H^ ^^ ^ s ^ "^ •^ ^ N ^ \ ^ N ^ ^ ^ N ^ £< % X ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ >M N ^ 1 ^^ ^ N ^ ^ ^ ^ N ^ X ■^ 1 S ^ ^ X '^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ >* \ ^ N 1 X ^ W ^ ^ ^ ^ > ^ \ ^ ^ X X 1 % ^ \ N > ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ N 1 ^ \ 'M V ■^ N '^ ^ ^ ^ K > X ^ 1 X X S ^ s I •N ^ X ^ 5^ >^ 1 ^ s <^ \ \ v 1 X ^ 1 "S, > 1 \ ^ S S N V, X ■^ N ^ '^ ^M X > ^ X X ^ ^ 'S^ S 1 ^ \ 1 1 N (M 1 N ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 1 \ X 1 f^ ^ N «M N ^, ^ M N. ^ -^ ^ '^ 1 ^ ^4 \ rsi ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ s ^ N ^ ^ X ^ N 'J. ^ ^ ^ ^ H> ^^ ^ '^ ^ -^ ^ ^ v& ^ & 1 I ^> V ^ ^ ^l '^ '^i ^ ''I X "^ 1 Hi 1 s ^ X ^A '^ ^ \ ^ ^ X ^J X ^^ ^ 1 X ^4 X IX ^ «M '^l N ^ ^ 1 ^ \ ^ X N ^ > X Vi ^ > -^ ^ f^ ^1 X ^ ^ 1 1 1 IM ^ ^ X ^ \ s N ^j V ^ X 'n 1 '') \ >) X N ^ 1 ^ ^ ^ •^ ^l ^ ^ X 1 X 1 > ^ ^ ^ ^ Vo X N ^ -M s \ s 5§ s \ N X N ^ ;^ "^ X 1 ^ ^ X N <<) 1 ^ s > s ^ ^ V ■M ^ 1 1 X \ '^i \ ^ ^ \ '^ \ ^ ^ N M "^i ^ ^ ^ 5:^ ^ ^ N ^ ^ X 1 > ^ ^> ^ \ X tx 'S^ s 1 "^ 1 X X ^ ^ ^ X S ^ ^1 ^ ^^ \ \ X 'n \ "^ ^ ^ ' ^1 '^l Hi ^ ^ ^ ^ 1 '^^ \ s ^ ^ X ■^ ^ \ ^ ^ ^ '^ ^ ^ \ 1 X X ^ ^ \ "N X -^ > '^ ^ 1 ^ 1 ^ ^ '^ N > ^ X ^ ^ ^ *'^ X ^ ^ 1 ^ > 1 S "^ !5 ^ \ 'M N N ''^ N ^ X S X '^ ^ \ \ X ^ \ \ ^ ^ ^ \ 1 ^ ^ S '^ \ ^ ^ '^ ^ ^ ^ > X :q X ^ 1 S ^ ^ ■n X ^ 'n X ^ f.^ X ^ ^ ^ 1 X '^ ^ ^ ^ ■^i 5^ •n ^ N ^ J \ <\ ■^ ^ ^ "■n \ ^ X ^ •^ ^ ^ ^' 1 ^ V ^ ^^. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ "^ ! ^ Si " K IX ;^ X X ^ ^ ^ ^ '^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ;^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ X ^ \ S '^^ ^ ^ ^ X, '^ 1 ^ ^ ^ \ ^ ^ f5! 1 X N ^ 1 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^. ^ !^ '^ ^ •<^ ^ "^l § ^ ^ ^^ ^ § K "^ ^ § ^ ^ > 1 1 _ ! 1 1 1 1 8; 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I ? ^ 1 ! J 1 1 1 1 ^ ^ ^ ! 1 1 1 \ 1 1 i 1 I ! ^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1^ 6 — 58645 188 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, to. Ui CO LJ O Ui a cc •— UJ Od CO UJ > CI o u z , a. -o >. "o K :^ UJ O. i J u. I C/) UJ cc GC O Solano, Yolo- Marin. < MendociBO. Sonoma, Lake- Del Norte, Hamboldt- &2 cc oo CO o CO OS oo =o oooo 1— < r IC »0 00 t>. t^ co lo c:^ lO r* CO I>. Cd t-- C^ lO -*' i-To'ccfM' oo CO t- o jC o o S o E c :=; G rt o coo CD -r OO c; cio C^l oo CD cc 00 oooo ^ 1-1 • "Tt* I>. O ^H ^__cc_^ lo'iVo" (M OS lO g-ija^ o CO a: cc ira 00 O! coo t^o ct3 c3 fl -^ -S -^ S ^^ -T3 Js '^ i-^ nd -a o -u Q.'Ti COM t'-Oi Oi cc coc^ ccoo PQ " ^oj^ iZ c3 c3 c3 cj.;:5>j "^ Sri o o o-^^-s ::i ^ ?< g S_cJ^_£i2:3 S'o CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 189 o ^o ^ CD CO COOOiO I CO I o II GO t^ s « « ace O 3 3 3 o c -- ^ « ^ - CO lO o -a T3 CO o ;_j t^-^oc *-H ^J < « « •» •• M M 10 r> CO 190 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Total. 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Streams Closed on Recommendation OF Sportsmen's Organizations and Interested Citizens. Tulare County : Mclntyre, Boulder, Bear, Coy, Lost Meadow creeks, North Pork of Middle Fork of Tule River above Redwood Crossing, Aider Creek, Deer Creek above its Junction with Tyler Creek. Sonoma County : Santa Rosa, Mark West and Salmon creeks. Siskiyou County : Soda Creek. Shasta County : Hazel Creek and Shot- gun Creek. Plumas County : Thompson, Tollgate, Black Hawk, Clear and Rock creeks, all tributary to Spanish Creek. Also, Red Clover Creek, tributary to Indian Creek. Placer County : Martis Creek and tribu- taries to Lake Tahoe, including Griff's Creek, Slim Jim, Burton, Ward, Black- wood, Madden and McKinney creeks. Trout Creek, Cold Creek and all tribu- taries of the above named creeks. I'lumas County : Butt Creek. 'I'ulare County : Big Kern Lake, Tobias and Brush creeks. Santa Cruz County : All streams after August 1, each year to May 1 of the year following. STATE PAKKS AND GAME PROPAGATION Our forefathers, in landing and settling these United States, found the Indians to be true sportsmen as they positively would only kill what game they needed for food. I am very sorry indeed, our people, who love the chase and great outdoors, have not followed the example 220 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. set by the North American Indians, who ■were, and what few remain today are the most sincere conservationists of this great continent. The forests of any state are one of their most valuable assets. Without for- ests the human race would suffer a great loss and Avithout forests our wild life would be destroyed almost entirely. The stately trees with the accumulated under- growth and the mossy floors furnish very excellent protection and food to a certain extent for wild life of practically all species. Therefore it is very essential that in the establishment of state parks, the commissions, departments, or under whosoever's supervision this come s. should by all meaps establish game ref- uges thereon. On said areas there posi- tively should not be any hunting of game or insectivorous birds at any season of the year. Of course, vermin should be controlled rather than eliminated, as it is very essential in the propagation of game of any species that vermin should be controlled in a manner whereby any species of vermin should not become plentiful enough to be detrimental to the game on the area in question. The establishment of game refuges on these areas is very essential for the assurance of the continuation of wild life on this continent, whereby future genera- tions will have some of the enjoyment of their forefathers from the great outdoor life, and especially the chase. — E. Lee Le Compte, State Game Warden of Mary- land. BOY SCOUTS AND CONSERVATION Considerable newspaper publicity was recently given to the successful efforts of Boy Scouts of Great Falls, Montana, on behalf of thousands of game and song birds. A copper mining company nightly turned flashlights on its smokestacks, which caused a heavy toll of death among migratory birds who, blinded by the lights, collided with the stacks. The Scouts were 'successful in having the lights turned off during the flight season. This was a fine good turn to wild life, and it is gratifying to realize that it is only one among thousands of such good turns that Scout troops are system- atically practicing. In the Report of the National Court of Honor, the records of the three awards of the Honor Badge of the Wild Life Protection Fund art published. This fine type of service is particularly Scout-like and should be encouraged. Here are other good turns to wild life reported to the National Office: Connellsville, Pa., Troop 6. Fed wild game. Springville, N. Y., Troop 24. Conserva- tion wild life, building bird houses, etc. Rutland, Vt., Troop 1. Regular bird feeding. vVindsor, N. Y., Troop 1. Land posting campaign for wild life. Lancaster, Mass., Troop 1. Maintained Ijird feeding stations. Oak Park, 111., Troop .32. Troop had a b'rd observation contest in the spring. Hamburg-, N. Y., Troop 6. Conducted bird house contest. Lowe'l, Mass., Troop 33. Fed birds and placed bird feeding stations in wood dur- ing winter. Woonsncket, R. I., Troop 1. Entire troop turned out to feed birds in woods last winter. Toluca, 111., Troop 1. Taught other boys o stop killing birds. — Boy Scouts of America, Report of Chief Executive for 1927. ASSOCIATION STATES AIMS Tlie aims of the American Wild Fowl- -^rs concisely given are as follows : 1. To interest all persons or groups of persons in the intelligent preservation ind increase of migratory wild fowl in order that legitimate sport and a supidy ">f game food may be permanently in- sured. 2. To assist the Biological Survey in those of its policies approved by the Executive Committee of the American Wild Fowlers, and resist legislative ef- forts designed to impede or cancel the functional authority of the Biological Survey to administer the migratory bird life of the nation. 3. To cooperate with all state game departments, state sportsmen's associa- tions and organized wild fowl interests in legislation consistent with policies of the American Wild Fowlers. 4. To demonstrate to the public that the active efforts and interest of sports- men in the principal element of insurance 'o the future safety of wild fowl. 5. To study and assist in more intel- ligently demonstrating conditions looking toward an increase in wild fowl life and to remedy conditions adversely affecting them. G. To urge upon congress legislation necessary in behalf of wild life habitats which can, by national and state super- vision, be relieved of conditions adversely affecting their wild fowl, by restoring or creating drainage areas suitable to at- tract, harbor and feed an increased sup- ply of wild fowl. — Nash Buckingham, Executive Secretary. DESTRUCTION OF DUCKS' NESTS BY IRRIGATION WATER Reports have come in from reliable sources that there is about seventy-five per cent loss of ducks and geese on the CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 221 marshes of lloiic.v Lake and in IIoiK'y Lake Valley lands for irrigation at (he time I he ducks and geese start setting. This increased water floods the nests, iircv<'nting the eggs from hatching. The count of ducks and geese for May 12 in this district showed 2420 hirds. The seventy-five per cent loss of half this numher multiplied by eight will show a loss of 7203 birds. This is based on the average of eight eggs to the nest. This loss is appalling and it is a question whether or not is occurring all over northern California where ducks and geese are nesting in irrigated districts. Motion pictures were obtained of this destruction and it is hoped that by show- ing these pictures at the farm centers ahmg with a lecture, it will be possible to induce the farmers to turn on the irri- gation water early enough .so as to catch the birds building their nests and make them move to higher grounds. This loss must be curbed and in so doing the cooperation of the farmer is essential. — C. O. Fisher, Susanville. PROTECTING ORCHARDS FROM DEER Soaking strips of woolen cloth in sheep dip and hanging these strips by means of wire in trees has been found a succes- ful means of keeping deer away from orchards. One strip of cloth saturated in sheep dip to each tree is sufficient. The cloth should be so placed that it does not come in contact with the bark of the tree. At the end of six weeks it is neces- sary to resoak the cloths, but this is a simple matter. This method is not only cheaper than spraying, but more effective. In spray- ing, evaporation takes place. Conse- quently, the trees must be sprayed fre- quently.— J. D. Dondero, Lakeport. CAUSE OF RUFFED GROUSE EPI- DEMICS STILL UNKNOWN Attempts to rear ruffed grouse in cap- tivity on a practical scale have met with uniform failure according to a report made by Dr. A. A. Allen who has con- ducted the investigation for the American Game Protective Association in coopera- tion with three eminent eastern para- sitologists. Eight different methods, each given a fair trial, have been disappoint- ing. Now no hope of success is enter- tained by the investigators until further understanding is gained of tlie diseases or other causes for the disappearance of grouse periodically from their native covers. 5—60529 It was believiMl in 1!>24 thai jieriddic ei)id(Mnics were due to the stomach worm. l)ispliai-ynx. a parasite? which proved especially deadly to pen reared birds. However, cooperative experiments and investigations showed that this parasite r-ould not be the sole cause as the organ- ism was not found out of New York and .'he New England states. Over 1500 specimens have so far been xamined and some twenty different para- ■lites identified. Yet to use the words of Dr. Allen, "The work has been discourag- ing. I am frank to admit ; we have ADrked for a good many years and have lot gotten very far, except that I think low we do know about what the normal ■oiidition of the grouse is, and if we should get into an epidemic year we night be able to determine the organism. Whether or not we would be able to do luything about it is open to conjecture. We can make no promises ; all we can ;romise is that nothing can be done until ve know something about it." A SOLUTION SUGGESTED The opening of the trout season in Los Angeles County saw thousands of men aid women in the far reaches of our mountain streams. Many limits were taken. Very few trout were over six or seven inches. The water in the San Gabriel and its tributaries, which are the )nly important streams in Los Angeles County, is very low at this time of the year. I have spent many days along these streams since the trout season opened and I do not hesitate to say that it would be a tine thing to close part of these streams for at least two years. I have noted the small fish. Men and women may be seen in the streams using very small bait and very small hooks, jerking out the little two- and three-inch trout. By closing a part of these streams for a couple of years, we would again have some real trout, if we could give our fish time to grow to a fair size. I feel sure that the limit could be reduced to fifteen instead of twenty-five. As a matter of fact, I have checked several catches since the opening day and in some instances, the limit was found and not one fish over six inches long. It would be more sport and assuredly more merit to catch fifteen trout twelve to fourteen inches long than to catch twenty-five trout, six inches long. — R. E. .Teffries, Monrovia, California. WHAT DEER EAT A recent article by Joseph Dixon has contributed many valuable facts as a di- rect result of careful observation of the 222 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. food habits of deer in Yosemite Valley.* Material was gathered in preparation for a more extended investigation of the sub- ject and the study of competition between deer, cattle and sheep on the grazing lands of the national forests in California. The Forest Service estimated 227,145 deer, 414,199 sheep and goats, and 108,455 cattle and horses grazed in the national forests of California in 1925. The Forest Service estimates 605,964 deer in the national forests of twenty- six states, one-third of which are found in California. Full knowledge of the grazing require- ments vident that California does not stress nature education as do many eastern states. Various societies and character building organizations report on their contributions to the subject. Four pages are devoted to the science museums of the United States. The subject of nature guiding and of nature education in sum- mer camps is also discussed. After a review of work accomplished in the vari- ous states, a school nature outline gives many helpful suggestions to teachers. In each case references to Nature Magazine are indicated. Suggestions are grouped for the first two grades, third and fourth grades, and fifth and sixth grades, each with enlarged scope. The book ends with an up-to-date bibliography grouped under the headings of : texts, bird study, earth and weather study, fungi, ferns and other flowering plants, flowering herbs, insects and their kin, mammals, reptiles, stars, trees and forestry. There are but four illustrations contained in the book all in the forms of cartoons. Here, then, is a compendium of in- formation of just the kind which the average nature study teacher needs to have in order to keep abreast of the times, know what other people are doing, and have at hand the materials suitable for use in furthering nature education. — H. C. Bryant. GAMEKEEPERS' SCHOOL ESTABLISHED A gamekeepers' school for the purpose of training men who can take charge of game bird raising and game restoration work for state commissions, agricultural colleges, private estates, and sportsmen's organizations is being established in an appropriate location of 1400 acres near Clinton, New Jersey, by the Game Con- servation Society of New York City. It is believed that the time has come when the country needs men who are specially trained along this line. It is now impos- sible to fill the demands for gamekeepers from clubs and private estates and trained men are often imported from Europe to take charge of such work. The school is being established in the east where there is greater need for game restoration than in any other part of the country. It is directed by men who have demon- strated their ability to build up i)reserves and put them on a profitable basis. The school is open to men over eighteen years of age who desire theoretical and practical education in the production of game. The full course of the school, according to present plans, is two years. This period, however, will undoubtedly be con- siderably modified and eventually become dependent upon the ground work that each individual has had before entering the school. There is no charge for tuition, books or practical equipment, but the indi- vidual is expected to pay his board, lodg- ing and laundry, which, it is stated, can be had on the preserve at an expense not to exceed .$410 a year. Sixteen states are represented in the first class which began April 15. A num- ber are college graduates and have an excellent foundation on which to build. An appreciation of the economic value of game has spread to colleges. Several states are seriously considering making it a ijart of their regular agricultural course. Quoting from June, 1928, Forest and Stream : "The course in practical game breeding covers the quail and its propa- gation both by hand rearing and semi- wild rearing ; practical experience in the handling and breeding of stock, the preparation of grounds, the control of natural enemies, food problems and the adaptation of the successful English Eaus- ton System to American conditions. "There will be a similar course de- voted to the wild turkey, the Hungarian partridge, the pheasant and the more im- portant varieties of waterfowl — ducks, geese, swans, etc. "The student at this school will re- ceive careful instruction in natural his- tory, a comprehensive training and ex- perience in the practical side of game breeding — covering the construction of pens, box traps, nest boxes, and other im- plements used in the production of game. In addition, they will be thoroughly trained in the art of trapping and the general control of vermin, the handling and training of dogs and the use of sport- ing weapons." NESTING HABITS OF BAND-TAILED PIGEON* An interesting account of the personal observations of the nesting habits of the band-tailed pigeon is given by Mr. Albert * Stillman, Albert E. 1928. Nesting of the Band-tailed Pigeon. American For- ests and Forest Life, vol. ?,i, no. 413, May, 1928. pp. 267-268, 300, illus. 226 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. B. Stillman in the May, 1928, issue of American Forests and Forest Life. Ac- cording to the author, while the pigeon breeds in small numbers in southern California, not much has been written on its nesting habits. Location of the nests is difficult and observation even more so, as the birds are careful not to betray their location. The male does not perch too near it, and the female does not flush from it unless danger threatens. Mr. Stillman's observations were made while residing several summers in a cabin on the top of Bushnell Mountain, in the coast range, near Mesa Grande, Cali- fornia. The cabin was surrounded with white oaks in which were many western gnatcatchers and California woodpeckers, together with band-tailed pigeons, "that roosted in the lonely oaks, even homing high on the mountains." It is interesting to note Mr. Stillman's account of his first seeing the female pigeon early in July with nest building material fly into a manzanita bush across the canyon, followed shortly by the male, and the difliculty that Mr. Stillman had in locating the nest, together with the unique experience that eventually led to its discovery : "We explored the woods for more than two weeks before it was discovered by mere chance. We were collecting pine cones in a tree about twenty feet high. It happened that my belt caught on a dead limb, and as I gave the limb a shake, a band-tailed pigeon left her nest on the horizontal branch of a black oak, several feet away, and alighted in the top of a nearby pine tree. A moment later we were looking at our first band-tailed pigeon nest. We never would have seen it had the bird kept her place. The nest was no more than fifteen feet from the ground and about twenty-five feet from the trail." The nest is described as being rather bulky, a mere pile of about one hundred and fifty oak and squaw-bush twigs, ranging from a sixteenth to a quarter of an inch in diameter. jNIuch time was spent in trying to ob- tain the birds' confidence, in which Mr. Stillman was finally successful, enabling him to approach as close as two feet and to make some of his notes from a camp stool within three feet, and eventually, within one week, the author sat at the foot of the tree and watched the mother bird's operations. "In September the baby pigeon was in the nest ; its dark skin covered with soft, cottony yellow down, gave it the appear- ance of a gosling. As I watched, the mother bird flew to a pine tree on the other side of the trail. Then, with a loud clapping of wings, she darted to a branch, beside her nest. Frequently I saw her stretch herself out so as to ob- tain a better view of the nestling. Pres- ently she entered the nest and gave the food to her young." Not wishing to disturb the pigeons, the next visit to the nest was made after four days, shortly after sunup, and the pigeon was found beside her nest directly overhead. "The baby bird was strong and active. An adventuresome little fel- low he was, wriggling to the nest-edge to be fed. Later, undisturbed by our presence, he huddled down among the small twigs, closed his eyes, and dropped off to sleep." "When the baby pigeon was small, the mother stayed near the nest, often shelter- ing it with her wings during the midday heat ; but when it was about ten days old she remained away from the nest for hours at a time. The male was observed about the nest only twice." When the young bird was two weeks old the nest was visited by the author and Mr. Clinton G. Abbott of the Natural History Museum of San Diego, who after making friends with the nest- ling succeeded in photographing same. "The following day the old pigeon left the oak tree in the early morning and re- turned at twilight. Next day she left at daybreak and returned at sundown. For more than a week after that she was not observed at the nest except in the late afternoon * * *. Early in Octo- ber the young bird left the nest. With folded wings it sat on a small branch of the oak, where it remained until late in the afternoon. That night it roosted on the high limb of a nearby pine tree. The following day it left the neighborhood and I did not see it again." A short time later Mr. Stillman dis- covered another band-tailed pigeon sitting on her nest about ten feet above the ground in a live oak tree near a country road. This nest was remarkably well constructed of oak twigs and had a thick lining of pine needles and contained one Mr. Stillman was imable to make con- tinuous observations of this nest for more than one week, but from data gathered from another source, it is reported that a severe thunder storm swept across the mountain and on the day after the storm the mother bird was seen brooding but that she left the nest and did not return to it. It is understood that it is not the ordinary habit of the bird to brood so late in the season, and "that the date of CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 227 my finding, October twelfth, established a new late nesting record of forty-eight days for the band-tailed pigeon in Cali- fornia."— Bessie AV. Kibbe. CARP CATCH INCREASED BY NOVEL METHOD The German carp has gained a bad reputation and Is suspected as a de- stroyer of the spawn of game fishes. For this reason any method devised which will greatly deplete the numbers of these "rough" fish at once wins the approba- tion of those who would conserve the more desired species. The Minnesota Fish Commission permits seining in carp infested lakes during the winter months and carefully supervises the operations to prevent game fish from being removed. The carp taken are shipped to the larger eastern cities where they are in con- siderable demand during Jewish holidays. In an article in the Fishing Gazette (vol. 45, no. 5, p. 18), George Roger Chute tells of the innovation in the meth- od of seining which resulted in such a phenomenal catch during the past winter. "The belief has always been prevalent that in winter the carp gather in the deepest parts of the lakes, and can there be seined. But this year it has beea leameu that a high percentage of the fish of the lake actually are to be found close under the ice, at the very edges of the water. Whether the fish are feeding there or are seeking air is a matter of conjecture, but the seiners have found that by the old process of p..t.sin::i uieir nets, a great proportion of the fish escaped by never being within it. "Cultivating an ice field may seem a strange farming operation, but in Minne- sota it has been found productive of a bounteous crop of carp. The fisherman there mounts to the driver's seat of a big disc harrow, whips up his horses shod with ice calks, and proceeds around the perimeter of the water-body to be seined. The cutting discs of the steel harrow chisel and grind against the ice, grooving the surface, gouging out ir- regularities, and creating withal a rattle and chop which must be most confounding and frightful to the fish just beneath. At all events, we are assured by the seiners that the stampede of the strayed fish is as precipitous as their terror is complete, and that by the time the howling harrow has made the rounds of the lake shore once or twice, every carp capable of locomotion has fled to the central depths of the pond, there to huddle with his fellows, seeking gre- garious protection, and witlessly laying himself directly in the path of the seine's deep bunt as the gear is circled about. "The discovery of this novel method of fish-driving has resulted in great gratification to everyone connected with the business. It has literally netted a greatly increased catch with a corre- spondingly enlarged return to the seiner and to the state ; it has caused a far more efficient and thorough ridding of the lakes of undesired species." WOOD DUCKS INCREASING Since the wood duck has been accorded complete protection, it has been slowly but steadily increasing and a few definite notes may be of interest. In talking with Dr. Robert Cushman Murphy at the meet- of the American Ornithologists' Union he said that wood ducks Avere the most abundant ducks in Califfirnia, where ho had just been on a duck luint. That is, of course, far away from Ontario, but on a visit to Point Pelee on December 21, I was told by a resident who is a con- scientious conservationist, that, on the opening day of shooting, these ducks were the most abundant of all and that very many of them were killed. Unfor- tunately the perpetrators escaped in every instance, and my informant belonged to (Uie of the few parties that refused to kill them. On my return home (London, Ontario) I found awaiting me a memo- randum regarding a wood duck, and on December 25th I saw the bird itself, which had doubtless been wounded dur- ing the shooting season and had lived on my own lake until it froze over. It was flushed by a man on the 22d and scuttled over the ice towards the open water, but was brought in by a dog, un- injured. But it is doubtful that it will recover and probably will never be able to fly. These ducks were regularly seen at my place from August onward. — W. E. Saunders in The Canadian Field Natural- ist (vol. 52), February, 1928. REFUGES MOST IMPORTANT IN SAVING WILD LIFE Establishment of sanctuaries for birds will do more for their welfare than any other one thing, Paul G. Redington, chief of the Bureau of Biological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture, told the members of the Izaak Walton League, a national organization of per- sons interested in hunting and fishing, at their annual convention in Omaha, April 20. "While restrictions are necessary," he said, "I feel that I am safe in saying that they take second place to a carefully worked out system of refuges, and I am glad to say that progress has been made in this respect within the last year." "Unanimity of the League and other sportsmen in favor of the flooding of the Bear River marshes of Utah has brought results in the current session of consiress." Mr. Redington said, and legislation to make the Cheyenne Bottoms in Kansas a permanent refuge for waterfowl is now pending. Also before congress is legis- lation to Imsten completion of the pur- chase of land within the Upper Missis- 228 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. sippi River Wild Life and Fish Refuge, wliicli Mr. Redington said, "was conceived and made possible b.y the influence of the Izaak Walton League of America." Another measure for which the League has worked is the McNary-Sweeney Bill for a study of relationships between the forests and wild life. The Budget Bu- reau approved it as did the senate com- mittee. "We are all hopeful," he added, "that the bill may be put on the statute books at this session of congress." In pai-ticular Mr. Redington thanked the league and other sportsmen for the aid they gave the Biological Survey in one of the central states where violations of the INIigratory Bird Treaty Act were numerous and where attempts had been made to do away Avith the game warden and to demolish his power boat. The League sent letters to all chapters in the state urging support of the authorities, and a notable improvement followed. Mr. Redington's address reviewed many of the activities of the Bureau of Biologi- cal Survey for the past year and needs and plans for the future. "The federal government alone can not be depended upon to solve the many problems of wild life administration." Facts and coopera- tive effort are needed, to provide a basis for a long-time program of conservation, including studies of food habits of migra- tory birds of which only a few have been completed, and which will be a guide to formulation of a refuge program. Other activities have been surveys of areas available for refuges ; studies of propa- gation of game birds ; plans for studies of the feeding habits of animals along lines similar to those undertaken in con- nection with the Jackson Hole elk ; the organization of the waterfowl census, which is now under way and enjoying the cooperation of sportsmen throughout the country ; and the bird banding work, in which more than 1200 sportsmen and bird students are aiding the bureau. In this connection Mr. Redington mentioned that ducks banded on the celebrated Chey- enne Bottoms of Kansas were retaken in IG states, three provinces of Canada, in Alaska and in Mexico. Air. Redington also made a plea for sympathetic support of the new Alaska (jame Commission. "Seldom has such an opportunity been given to those inter- ested in the perpetuation of our big game animals to unite their efforts in the estab- lishment of a well-balanced and effective game administration progara as can be done in Alaska," IMPORTED WILD BIRDS NOT EASILY ESTABLISHED HERE Importations of foreign birds for the stocking of game coverts, or in the hope of adding to the variety of bird music in the woods, or for warfare on insect pests, have led to strange and unexpected results. Probably few persons antici- pated that the English sparrow would thrive and multiply and spread itself over the whole continent as it has since the tirst scattering importations were made on the Atlantic coast in the early 1850's. On the other hand, bird lovers, sports- men, and state game authorities have spent thousands of dollars in efforts to acclimatize and establish desirable vari- eties of game birds. Reckoned by number a large proportion of the attempts have failed. Sometimes the birds have simply disappeared and were never seen again, leaving the importers wondering whether they may have migrated or fpllen prey to disease or animals in the new environ- ment. At times sportsmen have grown crops on game preserves with the expec- tation of allowing the birds to harvest the crops and enjoy a favorable chance for colonization. In other instances, birds have seemed to settle down and nest and reproduce satisfactorily for a year or more, only to vanish a few years later, apparently gaining stamina and re- productive power for a few years only to lose it later. The English sparrow in- creased in numbers and in range for per- haps 30 to 40 years when it reached a peak of abundance and was considered a serious pest. In recent years, these birds have declined greatly in numbers both in cities and in rural districts, and nature seems to be setting a balance in regai'd to them. The foregoing is representative of the general discussion of the subject that Dr. John C. Phillips offers in a G4-page pam- phlet, "Wild birds Introduced or Trans- planted in North America," just pub- lished by the United States Department of Agriculture as Technical Bidletin 61-T. Dr. Phillips has cooperated with the Bureau of Biological Siirvey, and has collected a great quantity of records and reports that he summarizes briefly for each species and variety for which he has been able to gather facts. He prefaces his report with the statement that "the early history of the introduction of for- eign birds into this country is mostly clothed in darkness. The records of many attempts, if such there were, have long since been buried in back numbers of CALIFORNIA FIl-^H AND GAME. 229 l()c:il lunvspapei-s. and if any experiment was successful it was soon forgotten." For the most part he has depended on the files of sportsmen's magazines, the records of the Biological Survey, and supplementary correspondence with many bird lovers and biologists in various re- gions where birds have been liberated. Since 1900 the records of the Biological Survey are a complete guide to importa- tions. Many birds imported as cage birds have been freed or have escaped and some have established themselves in fa- vored localities. One principal use of this bulletin, the author believes, will be to record and bring to the attenti(m of those who at- tempt to acclimatize birds a record of the failures with the same or similar birds, and so prevent waste of money in ill-considered introductions. Doctor Phillips devotes several pages to the various kinds of quail, including the bobwhite, and tells how these have been moved about from one section to another, sometimes successfully but often unsuccessfully. Massachusetts sportsmen began comparatively early to import quail, first from the Ohio Valley, later from Kan.sas and the Indian Territory, and still later from INIexico. When Mexican birds were first imported the prices ran as low as .$1.50 a dozen. Later the Ohio Valley and even Oklahoma and Texas, which were at one time dependable sources of supply, also found their game so depleted that they in turn bought to restock. From 1910 to 1925, the author reports, more than 233.000 ]Mexican bob- whites are recorded as having entered the United States, and the price has steadily risen to $24 to $36 a dozen. In the new bulletin the author gives facts concerning importations and accli- matization experiments with more than 100 species and varieties of wild birds. Technical Bulletin nis. ospeci- ally the development of a preventive vac- cine, will undoubtedly rociuire the major efforts of the group for several years to come. This disease was first encountered in the fall of 1920. It was recognized first in groups of animals that had been im- munized with the paratyphoid vaccine. The evidence that foxes so vaccinated were resistant to an infection by the same organism indicated that a new dis- ease was being dealt with in vaccinated animals. Accordingly, transmission ex- pei'iments wei*e carried on with foxes that liad been so vaccinated. Ei)izootic fox encephalitis has been present on numerous ranches throughout the United States during the past three .years. Outbreaks developed following fox shows at I'ortland, Me., and Buffalo. N. Y., in 192;j, and have been present on many ranches under observation continu- ously since that time. It appears to be a disease of adult foxes as well as pups, and in outbreaks studied, deaths in adults have been as numerous as among the young. P]ven on a carefully supervised ranch the majority of animals are found dead even though only a few hours be- fore they were apparently well. Sick foxes when found may show convulsions, extreme weakness, paralysis, or sleepi- ness. All the various symptoms appear- ing in ranch aninnils have Iieen ropi-o- duced in animals artificially infected from a single sick fox, sliowing that all these manifestations are part of the same disease. The animals dying from experimental infection appear the same in all w.iys as do the animals dying on a ranch. On a ranch the moi-tality from this disease does not often exceed fifteen per cent, but a number of epizootics have been observed where it was as higli as 40 per cent. Positive diagnosis of this disease has been difficult, and one of the prob- lems confronting the investigators is to find a technicpie making the diagnosis less difficult. Considerable experimental work h.-is been necessary to an understanding of epizootic fox encephalitis. Close to 400 animals have been used in transmission experiments, and approximately 1400 sick animals have been carefully studied. Thus far it appeai-s that two diseases of foxes have been encountered, and the group of investigators is not sure but that a third may be discoveerd as tlie work goes on. The development of a vaccine for epizootic fox encephalitis is the immedi- ate aim, and it is hoped that a research undertaken by the University of Minne- sota and the Bureau of Biological Survey will have the cooperation and support of fox ranchers. DIVISION ACTIVITIES Appropi'iate and distinctive metal but- tons and insignia have been secured and will be supplied the field force. These will complete the olive drab uniforms which have been prescribed for the field force of the Division. In adopting a uniform for its fish and game patrol force, California has followed the prece- dent established by other leading game conservation states, which have found that placing the patrol force in uniform has not only elevated the standing of the force, but has also tended to increase its efficiency. Under regulations, the uniform will be worn at all times except on special missions and investigations requiring con- cealed identity. Negotiations leading up to the ac- (|uisition of a game farm site for southern California have been completed and plans are under way for the construction of the necessary plant, buildings and equip- ment, which will permit this farm to be in operation during the coming season. The Division will conduct a large ex- hibit at the I'acific Southwest P]xposition in Long Beach, July 27 to September 3, depicting the various phases of wild life conservation now being carried out. As a forward step toward conserving the supply and preventing the waste of sardines, the Board of Fish and Game Commissioners has issued its order establishing August G as the opening date of the 1928 season when sardines may be canned. This order was made by reason of the fact that sardines taken prior to this date have so little oil con- tent as to render them unsatisfactory and uneconomical for canning purposes. The order establishing a closed period for the taking of sardines for canning purposes est.-iblishes a precedent, but has met with the unanimous approval of the sardine canners of the state, in a resolu- tion adopted by their association. The action taken here, in all probability, will be followed by legislation establishing an open and closed season for the taking of sardines for the whole state. 234 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. The game refuge survey crew under the leadership of A. H. McClellan re- cently finished the survey of Refuge 4C, located on the line between Riverside and Orange counties. Work on 4C was slow due to the fact that the refuge is de- scribed by section and township lines. Brush was so thick that it was difficult to locate monuments. Quail were found to be very abundant in part of the refuge. Deer were found also, but they are not as abundant as in some of the other refuges. The boundaries of Refuge 4E, the most southern refuge located on the summit of Cuyamaca Mountain in eastern San Diego County were run in May. Post- ing the boundaries of refuges 4D and 4G was folIoAved by the posting of the northern line of the two big southern California refuges, 4A and 4B. It is probable that the southern line will not be run until next winter as the summer months can be used to better advantage in the northern section where snow conditions make it impossible to work during the winter. The 1928 fish planting season opened with a plant made the first two days in April in Captain J. E. Newsome's terri- tory. The fish in the neAV Mormon Creek Hatchery near Sonora made such a re- markable growth that it was necessary to plant some 100,000 Loch Leven to make room for incoming spawn. Car No. 01 has made four trips from the Mount Shasta Hatchery laden with fish to be planted in various sections of the state. Captains of patrol made prepa- rations for the reception of fingerlings before the car arrived. Reports show the fish were planted with a negligible loss. Supervising Captain Brownlow pre- pared a letter of instructions again this yeax% which was sent to the field force. Emphasis in these instructions was placed on care and distribution in order to give the tiny finny favorites every advantage possible for survival. Attention has also been paid to trout planting equipment and improvements which it is anticipated will produce good results. Indications are that low water will be prevalent this year and a warning has been issued to deputies not to plant trout in streams which are centain to go dry. The importance of rescuing stranded fish has also been stressed. State lion hunter Jay Bruce has bagged ten more lions since the first of the year, bringing his enviable record to a total now of 338 during his activities as a lion hunter. Efforts to lessen the depredations of lions in San Luis Obispo County did not meet with the success expected. Lion signs were present in Lopez Canyon and Posso, but the weather was so warm that the dogs were unable to work well. After several attempts to induce them to hold to the trail of the lion, it was decided to await a more seasonable time when weather conditions are more favorable. Little work was accomplished in game refuge IK, and in the region of the north fork of the Kings River. High water and rushing mountain torrents seriously hampered progress. No lion signs were noticed on Patterson Moun- tain. VOLUNTEER DEPUTIES The appointment and organization by the Fish and Game Commissioners of fishermen, hunters and out-door lovers who are willing to contribute their ser- vices as deputies of the Division of Fish and Game to the restoration of sports afield and astream with gun and rod in California, without commercial, political or personal ties, or hope of reward, is un- doubtedly the most comprehensive move and program ever undertaken for the pro- tection and conservation of wild life in the United States. This movement represents a patriotic and unselfish endeavor to save for our L-hildren and for future generations that priceless heritage of nature, the fish, game and wild life of the state, in order that they may enjoy the health, recreation and happiness that only the great out-o'- doors can give them. The volunteer deputies of the division have been drafted from and represent the highest ranks of citizenship within the state, many of them being nationally known, which insures the integrity and high standing of the organization. Less than two years have passed since the Fish and Game Commission of Cali- fornia established a system for the ap- pointment and supervision of men willing to serve without compensation as deputies of the division for the protection and con- servation of wild life, and the enforce- ment of the laws enacted for that purpose. Yet the services that have been rendered by these deputies have been exceedingly satisfactory and have resulted in awaken- ing thousands of sportsmen and lovers of the great out-o'-doors to a realization of the perils that are threatening the sup- ply of fish and game of the state. They have further materially aided in bringing about the necessity of cooperative action on the part of the sportsmen and the CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 235 people in general in the work being car- ried on for the protection and conserva- tion of wild life, and the enforcement of the fish and game laws, as well as the efforts being made for the restocking of the game fields and public waters. The Fish and Game Commission has appointed a total of 752 volunteer depu- ties of the Division of Fish and Game. 'Ml of these deputies bein;?' federal forest rangers and forest fire guardians located in the various national forest reserva- tions within the state. These appoint- ments have been recommended and are sponsored by the United States Forest Service. Four hundred and five of these depu- ties are men who have been drafted from the ranks of sportsmen within the state, their appointment being recommended and sponsored by bona fide fish and game protective associations and clubs. All volunteer deputies of the Division of Fish and Game, except those who are employed by the federal government, are required to be and are bonded to the state in the sum of $2,500, for the faith- ful performance of their duties. The activities of the volunteer deputies of the Division of Fish and Game, ex- cept those who are in the employ of the federal government, are, under the sys- tem and rules that have been established by the Fish and Game Commission for their control, under the direction and supervision of the captain of patrol in charge of volunteer deputies, and are re- quired to report monthly and to render an account of all of their activities, such as the number of hunting and fishing li- censes checked, the number of miles of fields and streams patroled, the number of arrests made for violations of the fisl and game laws, the amount of fines im- posed, fish and game conditions observed while afield, etc. That the cause of fish, game and wild life protection and conservation within the state has been benefited through the activities of the volunteer deputies of the Division of Fish and Game, is indicated from a brief and incomplete summary of the monthly reports rendered by these deputies, which show that during the past two years they have checked a total of 19,102 hunting and fishing licenses, that they have patroled 314,575 miles of fields, streams, bay shore and coast line, that they have made 428 arrests and assists in arrests for violations of the fish and game laws, for which $12,168 in fines were imposed. The action of the men who have, with- out compensation or hope of reward of any kind, volunteered their services as deputies of the division, and entered the fields for the protection and conserva- tion of fish, game and wild life and the strict enforcement of the laws that have been enacted for that purpose, is cer- tainly worthy of the highest commenda- tion, and surely deserves the hearty and united support and cooperation of all sportsmen and law-abiding citizens with- in the state. — Walter R. Welch. Department of Patrol. May was a banner month for the patrol department. Deputies by their energy and efficiency greatly increased the number of arrests and fines made. By waj' of comparison, during the month of I\Iay, 1927, 103 arrests were made and $3,555 collected in fines ; while during the month of May, 1928, 252 arrests and $8,245 collected in fines imposed for viola- tions. It is necessary, however, in all fairness to point out that there is an increase in the patrol force of about one- fifth. It is now further known that con- servation is fast becoming more popular witli the people even in the most remote corners of the state. This is reassuring and indicates that much prevention of law violation is being accomplished by the patrol force through their activities in enlightening the people in their districts and impressing them with the need for the protection of fish and game. Changes in the personnel of the patrol force are as follows: Lewis T. Ward was appointed captain of the Sacramento district with head- quarters at Sacramento to succeed Cap- tain D. E. Roberts, deceased. Deputy C. L. Bundock, who has been working in the San Francisco office for two and one-half years, was transferred to San Benito County with headquarters at Hollister. Deputy C. F. Barnes was transferred to Quincy to take the post of Deputy ]Miner, who has resigned to go into busi- ness for himself. Volunteer Deputy E. L. Mercer was appointed regular deputy for the Portola station. Deputy J. F. French was transferred from Fall River Mills to Redding to assume charge of the district of Deputy Frank A. Greene, resigned. Andrew H. Millett appointed deputy to fill the vacancy left by Deputy French at Fall River Mills. Deputy F. .1. McDermott transferred from the San Francisco office to Santa Cruz County with headquarters at Santa 236 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Cruz. Deputy E. D. INIoody, for many years operating in Santa Cruz County, transferred to the San Francisco office. Volunteer Deputy J. C. Schneider appointed a regular deputy with head- quarters at King City to succeed Deputy Frank A. Burke resigned. Deputy G. L. Hoke appointed deputy at Requa to fill the position left vacant by the resignation of Taylor London. A list of the deputies is appended on the back cover of each issue of this maga- zine for the purpose of informing the general public of the locations of deputies. and the destruction was the only logical disposition that could be made of them. Most of the cork and lead that could be salvaged was stripped from the netting before it was placed in a huge pile and soaked with kerosene prior to burning. As much publicity to this act was given as possible. Official movie cameras clicked during the burning and numer- ous photographers secured shots from every angle. It is hoped this wholesale burning of illegal fishing gear will have a salutary effect upon fishermen who have gained the idea that they can violate tlie law with imjiunity. Fig. 70. Nine miles of illegal nets confiscated by deputies in warehouse, Vallejo, California, awaiting destruction. Photograph by Henderson Studio, April 28, 1928. It is hoped that those interested in the perpetuation and conservation of fish and game, who witness law violations or have knowledge of such on information or belief, will immediately notify the deputy in whose district the violation occurs. Deputies can also be consulted for information regarding fishing and hunting conditions. On April 30, nine miles of illegal fish nets valued at nearly .$20'.0€'0i, were offi- cially destroyed by the Division at Val- lejo. The nets could not be used legally Ben Cowden of Grass Valley is lan- guishing in the Nevada County jail as a result of fishing before the opening of the trout season. He was apprehended on Squirrel Creek by deputies A. W. Sears and A. H. Willard. When brought into the court of Judge H. B. Dow, at Nevada City, he was fined $100 or an alternative of 100 days in jail. Another offender, J. Ballon, is serving 150 days in jail in default of an assess- ment of $400 levied by Judge W. E. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 237 Evers^on, of Elk Grove, for tr:ipi)inf!; ;infl Iiiiving in his posession four Chinese ring- necked pheasants. Deputies Bert Laws, William Iloppe and I'aul Bonnot are to he credited with the making of the arrest. Captain Jack O'Connell. assisted hy deputies William Iloppe and Bert Laws, caught a native of Portugal. J. George, after he had killed a (,'hinese ring-necked pheasant- on Tyler Island. The offender paid a record price for the slaughtered bird, for he was fined .$.SI)0 hy Judge Everson. If pheasants are to he successfully in- troduced into California they must be alibis and change of venue failed to save Samuel Thompson and ('ash Caley of San Bernardino and Jack Murphy of Los Angeles from a conviction for posses- sion of deer meat in Game liefnge 4-A. Deputy C. J. Malone and Depnty Sheriff Brown arrested the trio in the game ref- uge after finding two sacks containing the hind (pnirters of two deer in Thomp- son's woodshed. The men had concealed their weapons in an automobile by cover- ing them with canvas. As there was a foot of snow on the ground at the time, their explanation that the guns were co\'ere(l to be ])rotected from the dust, was not acce])ted by the deputies. Fig. 71. Confiscated illegal nets valued at $20,000 being burned at Vallejo, April 30, 1928. Photograph by H. C. Bryant. protected until such time as the state decides to open the season on them. Di'pnty R. L. Sinkey of Woodland arrested R. A. Fanan for killing a pheasant. A fine of $100 was imposed by Judge R. W. Ilarri.son of Woodland. Possession of deer meat out of season cost II. E. Ford $125 in the court of Judge Chester Moore of San Jose. This case was made by Depnty I. L. Kopjiel assisted by volunteer deputy V. W. Hensil. Pleas of not guilty, carefully prepared When haled into the court of Judge C. A. Johnson of Rialto. the defense claimed that two strangers had called the day before and left the sacks containing the deer meat. This shallow alibi failed to impress the court and a fine was im- posed on each violator of $500 together with a lOO-day jail sentence. $200' of each fine was suspended and the .iail sentences for one year pending good be- havior of the defendants. Two residents of Hunrboldt County paid a price of $5 a pound for eighty pounds of deer meat that patients in the county hospital enjoyed. Deputies Wil- 238 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. liam Kaliher and McPherson Lough ar- rested Harold Pavey of Rio Dell and F. G. CofEton of Areata at Rainbow Bridge and brought them before Judge Frank E. Niskey, at Eureka. The ap- prehension of these illegal killers came as the result of information that they had been operating in the Monument Country, Humboldt County, where deer concentrate during the winter months. Rumors have it that these hunters had been killing yearlings, taking the back straps and hams and disposing of their illegal take on the open market. The penalty imposed by Judge Xiskey was, therefore, none too severe. Acting on reliable rumors that opera- tors of the Triumph Mine on the South Fork of the Feather River were serving deer meet to their employees, deputies A. J. Stanley and George Thompson suc- ceeded, on the morning of April 24, in walking into the boarding house at the mine and finding a last year's fawn being prepared for the table. Robert Osborne pleaded guilty to the charge of killing the deer and as a con- sequence served thirty days in the county jail at Oroville and paid a fine of $150. Judge H. S. Hills of Oroville, in imposing the heavy fine and jail sentence, expressed the hope that his action would discourage further practices of this sort. II. R. Flarrison maintaining a mink farm at Mill Creek Homesite has dis- covered to his sorrow that the overhead in operating a fur farm can not be re- duced by feeding illegal deer meat to fur bearers. Found with twenty pounds of deer meat in his possession by deputies Harry Brittan and A. J. Stanley, Har- rison was fined by Judge S. R. Dales of Bos Molinos $500 and sentenced to serve 125 days in jail. Four San Franciscans were caught by Deputy F. J. McDermott on June 10, at Boulder Creek, with several packages of deer meat in their possession. Taken be- fore Judge Younger at Santa Cruz, B. O. Alfred admitted killing the deer and was fined $250 and given a six months' suspended jail sentence. The other three offenders were each fined $100. Two Sausalito "sooners" are now serv- ing 150 days in the Marin County jail for invading the Mt. Tamalpais Game Refuge and killing a deer with a spotlight at night. The pair was apprehended by Captain Walter Sellmer and volunteer deputy. Mrs. Sellmer almost before the echo of the rifle shot that brought down their deer had died away. Judge H. De La Montanya at San Rafael, in addition to the jail sentence of 120 days for Walter S. Stittmatter and 150 days for George Nolan, imposed a fine of $200 on each deer slayer. Mrs. Sellmer, single-handed, arrested five Japanese at Tomales Bay on charges of possession of undersized abalones. At first, the aliens refused to submit to arrest, but on seeing the earnestness of the woman warden changed their minds. They were arraigned before Judge Her- man Rudolff at Xovato and paid their fines. Mrs. Sellmer made eight more abalone cases during the latter part of June. Patrolling the north shore of Marin Count.v, she found Dr. F. B. Jones of Vallejo with undersized abalone in his possession. Dr. Jones, who is six feet four inches tall and weighs more than 200 pounds, demanded that his feminine accuser, who is but five feet four inches, cite him for trial in Petaluma. Mrs. Sellmer promptly informed him that she was doing the demanding in the case. A bystander mentioned that Dr. .Jones was a physician of repute and someone retorted that he was arrested by the best looking game warden in the state. Attempting to curb a bad practice, Judge Henry King of Castroville, levied a fine of $50 on S. Gnisa of Chularin, for the possession of two doe fawns. Ex- tensive publicity has been issued to pre- vent the kidnapping of fawns and it is now the determination of the Division to arrest those who insist on picking up fawns that are apparently abandoned by their mothers. Seldom is it possible for fawns taken out of the wild to be reared successfully under domestic conditions. Deputies Fred Post and Ralph Newsome apprehended Gnisa. Deputy L. Arnold arrested three young men in April for killing a doe. Judge Fred Snyder, Jr., of Tehachapi, Kern County, fined them $100 each. Dpputy C. E. Hclladay of Morgan Hill apprehended A. Balanesi for killing a deer and Judge Chester Moore of San Jose imposed a fine of $250. A $250 fine for having deer meat in possession was levied by Judge Louis J. Morris of Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County, on C. Schmidt. Arrest made by Deputy S. H. Lyons. Possession of deer meat cost C. M. Wayne $250. The fine was levied by Judge J. R. Andereon of Maricopa, Kern CALIFUKNI.V Fl-ll AND GAME. 280 County, and the case was made by Deputy Ij. R. Ainsworth. Deputy A. D. Miner of Quincy ar- rested Harris Self for having deer meat in his possession after the close of the season. A fine of $150 was imposed by Judge Clarence Taylor of Greenville, riumas County. Judge E. S. Robertson of Fortuna im- l)0sed a fine of $100 on R. H. Elliott for having deer meat in his possession. The violator was brought before Judge Robertson by Deputy William Kaliher. Two hours after "information reached the San Francisco office that Tony Var- gos at Half Moon Bay had killed a deer. Deputy Curtis Bundock, assisted by volunteer deputy Allan Curry, succeeded in arresting the violator at Half INIoon Bay. He was fined $100 by Judge E. McAuliff at Redwood City. A fine of $75 was imposed in Judge William Jones' court in Garberville, llumlioldt County, on Alvin Pollock, the Metole River by Deputy Lough, with deer meat in his While this fine, although not is exceptional, convictions rare in this section of Hum- caught on IMcPherson possession, so severe, have been boldt County. That it costs nets for taking River is now Belleci and money to attempt to set fish in the San Joaquin well impressed upon Steve Mike Orlando, Pittsburg fishermen. Apprehended by deputies Charles Bouton, Charles England and L. G. Van Vorhis. the two fishermen were brought into Judge Matthew Ward's court at Antioch, Contra Costa County, and paid a fine of $100 each. and both men. la re Possession of small mesh nets cost A. Ginis of Sherman Island $2"0 as a result of his arrest by Deputy William Hoppe. The court of W. E. Everson, at Elk Grove, levied the fine. R. J. Bullard. Curiously enough cases involved the arrest of four Judge E. C. Archer of Cutler, Tu- County, imposed a fine of $100 for one offense and Judge Albert E. Holder- man, Reedley, Fresno County, $300 on the other. Deputy Jack Burke secured a fine of $300 from Judge E. I. McAuliff's court in Redwood City when he arrested A. Printon for having trout in his possession out of season. Deputies William Armstrong and Charles England from a concealed van- tage point watched Ben Newman of Santa Rosa and his agents for seventeen liours before they saw them kill five geese out of season. Judge L. A. May- nard of Napa fined Newman $150. Deputies Ray Ellis and Roy Taylor found Sam Gould with game fish during the closed season. Judge Horace N. Caldwell of Fowler, Fresno County, as- sessed a fine of $100. Judge J. D. Blackwell of Newman, Stanislaus County, extracted $125 from L. Hewson, brought before him by depu- ties C. L. Gourley and George Magladry for using set lines. snakes, A few further Below normal precipitation has re- sulted in rapid decrease of stream flow and brought about good fishing early in the season. Conversely a dry summer with its attendant increased fire hazard and dry stream beds will result in addi- tional work on the part of the patrol force in rescuing stranded fish. Soon after the water stops flowing, pools wdiere the young trout concentrate will be found all along stream courses. Their congestion Avill serve as a magnet and attract a large number of birds and predatory creatures, 'arae trout in the pools will aid in the destruction of the small fry. In savhig great numbers of young trout from perishing during such times of stress, deputies frequently devote much of their zeal, their energy and their ex- perience. In not a few cases, many of these stranded pools are filled with large boulders; some have willows and brush making the use of a dragnet well-nigh impossible. Then, too, the transporta- tion of the fish to live water involves much hardship and patience. Deputy J. D. Dondero of Lakeport writes as follows : "I find that it takes three do rescue work adequately, locate the pools, then I get move all brush and stones. Ijersons to First, I in and re- making as The next Two cases involving over the limit of game fish were made by deputies F. A. smooth a bottom as possible, day when the water is running clear, with the aid of three others, I start' the net at one end of the pool and work it very slowly, keeping the leadline on the bottom. I have gathered as many as fifty pounds of three-inch trout in one hauling by this method. These are poured from the net into the cans, pre- viously filled with good, clear water, with-- out l)eing touched by the hands of the 9^: 40 CALIFORNIA FIgH AND GAME. rescuers. Since the temperature in the pond has become fairly "warm, I find the fish much easier to handle in transporta- tion. "I prefer to have boys sixteen years of age than men, as such chaps seem to enjoy the work, looking upon it as a kind of adventure. In most cases, it is neces- sary to work early and late to get the best results and boys of this age are will- ing to lose sight of the passage of time. "Last year on the lower reaches of Soda Creek, I rescued approximately 80,000 trout." Deputy E. H. Glidden of San Diego recently performed some good work in checking the spread of carp in San Diego County. Eleven carp from nine to four- teen inches in length were taken from an old cistern where they had apparently prospered. From reliable sources, it is positively believed that this is the first instance of the appearance of live cai'p in the county, although it is claimed by some that carp inhabit Santa ^Margarita Lake. It is not known how or when these carp were introduced. However, Deputy Glidden took pains to remove all possibility of these reputed undesirable fish perpetuating their kind in any of the other lakes or streams of the county. Department of Fish Culture In March, 2,493,000 rainbow trout eggs were received at the JMount Shasta Hatchery from the Klamath River Auxil- iai-y stations. 20,000 eggs were spawned from the rainbow trout in the brook ponds at the hatchery. 207,000 eyed eggs were shipped to other hatcheries for fur- ther development. In April, further allotments totalling 980,000 rainbow trout eggs were shipped to Mount Shasta from the Klamath sta- tions. Shipments of 1,950,000 eyed eggs during this month left a balance of 1,593,- 000 eggs. In May, some 300,000 black-spotted trcnit eggs were received from the Mount Whitney Hatchery and an additional 903,000 rainbow trout eggs from Shackel- ford and Beaver creeks. Distribution of fingerlings was well in progress by May. Car No. 01 distributed 710,000 Loch Leven and 350,000 German brown trout to several localities in the state for planting by deputies. Approxi- mately 8,370,000 trout of different vari- . eties remained to be distributed in June from the Mount Shasta Hatchery. Six hundred thousand salmon fry were liberated from the Fall Creek Hatchery in March, and an additional 400,000 were turned out when high water flowed over the top of the pond in which they were being cultured. The growth of these salmon fry was so splendid that during May. 1,250.000 more were liberated. Another million in fine condition are to be planted later. Due to the very cold water, the rainbow trout egg take at the Fall Creek Station has not equalled that of average years. Nevertheless, a sufficient number of eggs have been procured to stock the streams in the Fall Creek section. All egg collecting stations on the Klam- ath River were closed by the middle of May. Shackelford proved the banner sta- tion this season and remained in opera- tion almost as long as Beaver Creek, where a large take was also made. Hornbrook station had a very poor season and as there was little prospect of another run of trout the racks and ecpiip- ment were stored earlier than usual. Much trouble was experienced in March at these stations due to the high water. Camp Creek overflowed the racks, and driftwood damaged the trap, but not seriously. Heavy rains caused much driftwood to come down Bogus Creek, which clogged the head of the fishway. Few fish came up the creek during the bad weather, but began to run in fair numbers as soon as the water lowered. The total number of fish of all varieties in the Mount Whitney Hatchery in May amounted to 2,755,000. A crew of men was dispatched the lat- ter part of May to the Cottonwood Lakes to procure golden trout eggs. Some 1500 golden trout have so far been trapped and spawning will commence the first week of June. This will be the earliest period golden trout have been found ripe. The unusual condition of the fish is no doubt due to the mild and open winter. The closed season on June Lake has aided the egg take materially. During the first twelve days in May, 1,155,000 steel- head eggs were obtained. Steelhead were caught in the seine every day, while last year, after the season opened, only a few fish repaid the effort expended. Fern Creek Hatchery was opened on March 12, and the crew set about to trap fish. Some 450.000 black-spotted trout eggs were collected, and before the CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 241 end of the following month 1,320,000 hlack-spottcd trout egss had boon for- warded to the Mount Whitne.v Ilatcher.v. It was all the crew could do to spawn and care for the 2,4.11,000 trout eggs th;it remained on hand during April. The Rush Creek trap from which most of the black-spotted eggs were collected has given very satisfactory results this season. Even during May the take in this species amounted to 505,000 eggs. A new experiment station established on Walker River will test out the water this year and determine if conditions will warrant the location of a permanent hatchery there for Mono County. At Fort Seward Hatchery 958,000 steelhead trout and 108.000 rainbow trout eggs have hatched and are advancing nicely. The egg-collecting season came to a close on Prairie Creek in April. In March the new tent hatchery neared com- pletion sutficiently to receive a portion of the eggs and by May it had some 507,000 steelhead trout fry developing in its new troughs. At the Cold Creek Hatchery 1,200,000 steelhead fry are being developed into fingerlings for distributit)n in Lake, Men- docino, Napa and Sonoma counties. Repairs were being rushed in April to take advantage of another good run of fish at the Snow Mountain Egg Collecting Station. Unfortunately, the power com- pany opened a number of gates in the Gravelly Valley Dam, bringing the water level in Lake Pillsbury below the crest of the dam. This act occasicmed stoppage of the flow of water and many fish hiden with spawn coming up to the Snow Mountain Station were forced to turn back down the river. Their spawn was irrecoverably lost. Later, a like manipu- lation by the power company followed, and it was decided to abandon the station. The total take amounted to 2,100,000 eggs. Over 2,000,000 rainbow. Loch Leven and eastern brook trout are developing at Clear Creek, and 585,000 rainbow trout at Domingo Srings Hatchery. Every effort was made to obtain more rainbow eggs in Clear Creek, Domingo Springs and other adjacent stations. At Manzanita Lake, a trap was placed in the creek leading into the lake. Another was placed in the creek entering Butte Lake. Work at Clear Creek was inter- r up ted by wasliouts and inclement weather during the spring and only 000,000 eggs were collected. The 1,225,000 eggs at the Yosemite Hatchery have hatched and all are in excellent condition with the exception of the oldest Loch Leven which have been the most affected by an epidemic of azalea poisoning. Medical baths and other remedies checked the epidemic and prevented any great loss. Work on the aquarium is nearing com- pletion. The four ample tanks will serve a real educational capacity when mature fish are swimming about in them. The condition of the Loch Leven trout in the holding tanks improved materially as soon as the temperature of the water became warmer. The fish fed better and plans are under way for their liberation. The Wawona Hatchery has been con- siderably renovated and there are now on hand 141,300 rainbow trout, 92,500 steelhead trout, and 147,800 black- spotted trout. Water conditions in the vicinity of Bear Lake liave made for difficulties in spawning this season. Two streams where traps have been used with success in the past dried up in April. With ^letcalf and Grout creeks dry only North Creek was left. Two-thirds of the eggs taken at the Bear Lake Station have come from Kidd Bay. The bay has had less than a foot of water in it, but fish somehow are attracted there and form in schools at the upper end. Large numbers have been captured with a small piece of seine. In May, however, the water supply at Bear Lake failed and it was necessary to rush to completion the two new experi- mental stations in southern California to take care of the rainbow trout eggs taken from Bear Lake. The San Gabriel Station, on the north fork of the San Gabriel River northeast of Azusa, was completed in time to re- ceive 500,000 of the Bear Lake rain- bow trout eggs. Porsee Creek Station near Seven Oaks in San Bernardino County was ready to receive eggs early in June. Construction of holding tanks to be located at Coldbrook Camp on the San (iai)ripl River and Forsee Creek com meuced in .Tune. It is hoped that these holding tanks will lessen difficulties and relieve the unfortunate conditions at Bear Lake, as well as produce a larger fish for planting. 242 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. It will be necessary to make early dis- tribution of the 1,125,000 fry in the Feather River Hatchery. The water in Tamarack Creek is falling rapidly. Loch Leven and eastern brook trout in the Kern River Hatchery are evidencing signs of disease. The Loch Leven have responded to treatment ; the eastern brook have so far shown little signs of improve- ment. The cause may be due to the large amount of water mould and algae in the water. The biologist of the depart- ment is making a careful study to deter- mine whether the water is suitable for the establishment of a permanent hatch- ery. Rainbow trout eggs numbering about 100,000, and a like number of steelhead eggs have hatched. The 922,000 fry at Big Creek Hatchery are reported to be in first class condition. 576,600 steelhead eggs were shipped from the hatchery in April and 996,000 eggs collected. In May, 263,000 steelhead eggs were taken. Some were sent to Sonora. also 100,000 rainbow trout eggs develop- ing at this station. Plans are being made to operate the Brookdale Hatchery as an experimental place where pathogenic conditions of both lish and eggs can be studied. The hatch- ery is also to serve its former function in hatching and distributing a supply of fish for local streams. Six new tanks, four feet wide, sixteen feet long and thirty-two inches deep, have been built at the Mormon Creek Hatchery to care for the 795,000 fish that are developing rapidly and range in size from four inches down to almost the sac stage. The new tanks are sheltered in a large shed strongly built and capable of with- standing the snows of winter. An investigation shows that the fish planted last year in the waters of this vicinity are lively and vigorous. Con- ditions in the stream at present are ideal for planting and some of the trout now being developed will soon be liber- ated. The new Kaweali Hatchery is nearing completion and will be occupied shortly. Meanwhile, the old tent has been doing its best to serve the purpose of a hatch- ery. The steelhead and rainbow eggs are hatched and the resulting fish have been feeding since the early part of May. It has been necessary to build eight new troughs to hold the 100,000 black- spotted trout eggs now being developed in the Kings River Hatchery. There are The water supply at the Lake Tahoe Hatchery is becoming serious. The snow is about gone and the streams are low. It will be necessary to transfer some of the 1,390,000 fry now on hand if water conditions become more alarming. An early distribution will also be made from the Mt. Tallac Hatchery to relieve the congestion caused by low water. The hatchery has been filled to capacity since May. A biological study has been made of the condition of steelhead eggs collected at Scott Creek, Santa Cruz County. Exam- ination of the eggs just previous to hatch- ing showed abnormal oil globules in the yolk which brought about changes result- ing in the death of the embryo and the entire egg being covered with a heavy fungus growth. The condition of the water supply at the Yosemite Hatchery was also investi- gated, as well as that at the Kern Hatch- ery. The water coming into the Kern Hatchery was found to contain great quantities of blue-green algae, causing a heavy growth on the sides of the tank within twenty-four hours after they had been thoroughly cleaned. The fry were found to be suffering from a heavy infes- tation of the gills by peculiar desmid (Auhisirodesmus) which is tinier than the point of the finest cambric needle. This penetrates the gills causing an irri- tation followed by bacterial infection which is very rapid in its growth due to the weakened condition of the fish, and soon causes death by suffocation. Department of Commercial Fisheries The patrol boat Alhacore was sent to Ventura on March 14th to search for bodies washed out to sea by the St. Francis dam disaster. The crew found the waters of that section of the coast very muddy, and encountered drift-wood, shrubs and trees, lemons and oranges floating around within one to three miles offshore, but found no bodies. The search was continued until the 22d, when the Alhacore returned to Terminal Island. Later in the following month, the Alha- core left for Eureka where the coast was patrolled against violators having salmon in posssession in a closed district. During July, the boat was used in assisting Dr. Henry B. Bigelow of Har- CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 243 yard University, who is carrying; on in- vestigations of the currents, temperature and salinity of the water and the distri- bution of planlvton in jNIonterey Bay. The information obtained in this work v.'ill be of use to the division as it may lead to an explanation of the abundance of the sardine. Deputy Ross W. Markley at Pismo Beach has been energetic in surpressing violations of the law respecting I'ismo clams. A recent arrest of Frank Bisell for having over the limit of these famous clams was made on March 21, and Judge William Mallagh of San Luis Obispo, gave the offender thirty days in jail. The month of May was a busy one for the patrol force at all points. L. G. Van Vorhis of Pittsburg checked boats for registration and fishermen for licenses at Pittsburg during the heiglit of the shad run. Ralph Classic and N. M. Matthews were busy with the salmon fleet and trawlers on Monterey Bay. Deputy Markley, at Pismo, had a very active month with vacationists and pro fessional clam diggers and abalone hun- ters along the San Luis Obispo coast. In the San Pedro district, C. H. Groat, Tate INIiller and N. C. Kunkel were busy night and day thwarting attempts of barracuda bootleggers after the closing of the purse seine and lampara season. At San Diego, Captain Coburn Maddox was kept occupied checking boats for registration and fishing licenses, as well as checking allotments of fish coming into California from Mexico. The chief field work of the laboratory has involved the sampling of the com- mercial catch of sardines at the three fish- ing centers. The abalone catch is also being sampled and the barracuda catch observed. Minor observations are made on the catch of various species of fresh- water fishes in the fish markets. Occa- sionally, members of the staff do seining to collect material for research purposes. Mr. Paul Bonnot is continuing his work on the sea lions. With the use of the patrol boat Albacore he will make a survey and census of the sea lions along the coast from Oregon to Mexico. The purpose of the census is to keep an accurate record of the number of sea lions and to have available complete data on the rate of increase of the herds. INIany people advocate indiscriminate slaughter of the sea lions, but this is not the policy of the Fish and Game Cominission. If the herds are increasing too rapidly and are bec-oming a menace to the fish in some localities and it be- comes necessary to reduce the herds, it should be done in a humane and scientific manner under the supervision and control of the Fish and Game Commission. The following circular was sent to all dealers in Oregon and California, under date of May 31, on the subject of "Fish Tags" : "The Division of Fish and Game will discontinue use of the hexagonal-shaped fish tags for tagging Chinook salmon which may be held or sold during the closed season, or shipped in during the closed season, and steel head which may be shipped in from Oregon and Washington at any time. This form of tag will be used only for tagging domesticated trout at trout farms situated in California, or domesticated trout which may be shipped into California from other states. "AH dealers who are holding any of the hexagonal-shaped tags should return them to the Division of Fish and Game, San Francisco, on or before July 1st, un- less they are holding them for use in tagging domesticated trout to be shipped into California. "For use in tagging salmon and steel- head, a new oval-headed, spear-shaped tag will be put into use on July 1, and com- plete instructions for handling same will be furnished with the tags." Bureau of Education An invitation was extended to the bureau to furnish a series of brodcasting over the Pacific coast network in connec- tion with a half-hour program conducted as the "Philco Campfire." The first two Thursday nights in May were utilized by Dr. H. C. Bryant in a discussion of candidates for the state bird. Subsequent subjects dealt with the sea otter, cele- brated fur-bearer of the state, and other suitable campfire topics. The first of a series of portable exhibits has been completed. It shows mountain sheep in their desert home. The coloring and installation was done by Mr. E. S. Cheney. A fine ram stands in the fore- ground and a small band are seen in the distance about a waterhole. Still another sheep animated by an electric motor, is seen to leap down a steep cliff. This exhibit was initially displayed in tlie Ferry Building, San Francisco. 244 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Two new reels of motion pictures are being assembled. One will show various activities of the Division of Fish and Game : law enforcement, fish propaga- tion, game bird propagation, education ; the other will be a conservation picture emphasizing depletion and the real need for conserving a breeding stock sufiicient to furnish good sport. The new feature reels showing fish propagation and fish distribution are meeting with popular favor and are in almost constant use. Those seeking knowledge on fish and game and natural history subjects will find they can make good use of the ex- cellent library, under the supervision of j\Irs. Bessie W. Kibbe. a trained natural history librarian, maintained at San Francisco, at the headquarters of the Division. Altogether some 475 volumes and 6000 pamphlets are now available. Special attention is given to the official publica- tions of the fish and game departments of other states. The laws of all the states and territories, as well as those of Cana- dian provinces are on file. These are often consulted. Books on birds, fish, mam- mals, crustaceans, oceanography, nature study, reptiles, insects, zoology and biol- ogy and five natural history sets make up the scientific section, while authentic works on fur farming, game bird farming, fishing and other fish and game subjects are included in the extensive reference list. Numerous letters requesting informa- tion are daily received, bearing on fish ponds, identification of fishes, seasons, how to grow them and their acclimatiza- tion and diseases ; identification of birds, their economic value, their migrations, songs, houses, eggs and life history ; game bird farming ; fur farming and alligator farming ; hunting, deer, mountain lions, squirrels and trapping of muskrats and other animals. Books are loaned only to employees of the division, but the library is open to the public and their visits are solicited for reference work. Additional investigations of the reputed damage committed by small birds to rice and fruit buds has been carried on in the Oroville section. A study was also made in the Richvale district in Butte County on the damage done by tri-colored black- birds to recently sowed rice. Several studies on the effects of thallium poisoning have been made. A serious condition developed near Stockton where thallium poisoning was spread and a number of vertebrate animals destroyed. The effect of thallium poisoning on quail on the western slope of Mount Diablo was also looked into. The demand for lectures illustrated by motion pictures has increased to a point where careful planning is necessary. Sec- tions of the state are now intensively covered after a lecture itinerary has been previously arranged. Care is taken to give all sections of the state equal atten- tion. This program further emphasizes the serious attempt to make fish and game laws more popular in places where law enforcement is difficult. Efforts to introduce a progi'am of na- ture study and conservation in the public schools have met with a success almost beyond expectation. Mrs. O. P. Brown- low, to whom no small measure of credit is due for this work, has by her zeal, aroused a deep interest in the San Fran- cisco and Oakland public schools in the stud}' of living things. Bureau of Research Stockmen and others have complained that predatory animal control carried on by agencies in areas surrounding game refuges has been hampered because the predatory species migrate into the refuges where they are harbored in safety until the fury of the campaign of extermina- tion subsides. Two predatory animal trappers were employed in Ax)ril to work in game ref- uges and ascertain the- validity of these complaints. A thorough examination of the Mount Diablo Refuge (3-F), was made, but not sufficient signs of predatory animals were discovered to justify any considerable amount of work. Hence, the trapper was transferred to the Mount Hamilton Refuge (3-E), where he has, in cooperation with the other trapper, made a careful study of conditions. Only five coyotes, and a like number of wild- cats, were trapped in April. On the whole, the survey has shown that great numbers of predatory animals were not present in the refuge. This work is being conducted in coop- eration with the State Department of Agriculture and the United States Bio- logical Survey. To forestall a recurrence of mussel poisoning which caused much consterna- tion last year, considerable research has CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 245 been conducted by Dr. K. F. Meyer of the Hooper Foundation for Medical Re- search. Mussels are now being tested for toxicity and the Bureau is assisting in procuring samples of mussels for Dr. Meyer's researches. Dr. INIeyer will issue statements through the newspapers if the toxicity reaches a degree where poisoning would result from the use of mussels. The parasitologist of the Bureau is conducting an investigation on (luail dis- eases and is making a careful study of blood parasites affecting quail. Possi- bility of insect transmission of parasites of game birds is being experimented with also. No blood parasites originating from this source have yet been discovered in any wild bird other than quail. Some duck sickness is still present at Buena Vista Lake. Much material has been collected and prepared for study. An extensive examination into the possible sources of the duck sickness to the end of correcting the Buena Vista Lake situa- tion has been set on foot. Most of the ducks treated at the "duck hospital'' have recovered, been banded and liberated. Bureau of Public Relations Routine work of the bureau during the past quarterly period included the preparation of sixty-four stories for pub- lication in more than 400 newspapers on the Division publicity list. In addition to this, a special story has been prepared weekly for the National Automobile Club bulletin which reaches over 800 newspapers. These stories do not in any way conflict with the regular news releases. A trip during the month of April covered the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley. Talks were made at Bakersfield and Hanford and calls made on organizations and newspaper publish- ers at the places mentioned as well as at Visalia, Tulare, Fresno, Madera and Los Banos. Numerous good cases made by field deputies have furnished copy for several news stories that have been given general publication, while two general stories sent out, one on the opening of the trout season and another on the closing of streams in different parts of the state, were published in practically all of the papers on the list. A special feature story on the "Plant- ing of Golden Trout in Barren Waters of California" has been prepared and is being made ready for publication. Records show that interest in fish and game matters is growing, as more and more newspapers are not only using the division publicity releases, but are de- veloping special stories of their own. Bureau of Hydraulics Many fish ladders neglected and need- ing repairs are now working and fish are passing up them to spawn. Reports re- cently made by deputies supplied informa- tion concerning the ill state of these lad- ders, and steps were quickly taken by the bureau to cause their repair. A few dams no longer serving a useful function were also reported on and ar- i-angements are being made to have them blown out. The reports show that screens were inspected and were in condition for use when water will be diverted this season. A fish ladder has been completed by the Donner Lake Company at the outlet of Donner Lake, Nevada County, in com- pliance with plans furnished. Reports show that fish are ascending San Anselmo Creek, Marin County, and that some are seen at places where, dur- ing the past seven or eight years, none have been noticed. This satisfaction comes as the result of the installation of a fish ladder by the Emporium Country Club and Cascade Estates Company. On an inspection of the Fort Bragg vicinity, Mendocino County, it was found that three recently constructed fish lad- ders were being used by salmon and steelhead. Other inspections made include the fish screen operated by the Anderson-Cotton- wood District, Shasta County ; the screen of the Hallwood Irrigation District, Yuba County ; and a number located in Tehama County. The Elk Lumber Company's fish ladder on the Elk River, Humboldt County, was examined and that of the Yuba River near Marysville, Yuba County, recently damaged by flood. Ar- rangements were entered into for the con- struction of fish ladders on the Enos Dam and the Gibson Dam, Trinity County. The Union Oil Company has cleaned San Luis Obispo Creok and removed all evidences of pollution. An oil tank fire 246 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. caused large amounts of oil to flow into the creek and the company made a con- siderable outlay in cleaning up the dam- age done. The company is satisfactorily keeping the beach clean at Avila, San Luis Obispo County, and employing men from time to time to scrape up and burn de- posits of oil swept out to sea and re- turned to shore by the tides. The Rincon oil field north of Ventura has been maintained in a most creditable manner. Inspection of the operations there disclosed no cases of pollution. Drilling crews have been warned by the operators that permitting oil to escape is a serious offense, subject to severe censure and even discharge. The Signal Hill oil field at Long Beach was inspected. A material improvement in the condition of the field has resulted from certain changes recently made in what is known as the "frog pond." A new channel to take care of storm waters was cut so as to leave the old channel useful as a pond to receive oil and mud. The Shell Oil Company has just fin- ished the installation of a system of sumps at Bicknell in the Orcutt oil field. It is anticipated that the system will handle 2000 barrels of waste oil daily, returning the water to the natural drain- age clear and free from oil. The Rice Ranch Oil Company have recently installed a system of tanks and sumps at the scene of their operation near Orcutt. This has also been done to pre- vent pollution. Probably one of the most impressive manifestations that powerful companies have given lately of their desire to put an end to pollution and remedy unfortunate situations where they have occurred, is the large sums of money being expended. The Oil Operators, Inc., operating Sig- nal Hill, Long Beach, for instance, have spent over $215,000. Cleaning the oil from the flood control channel cost them about $1,500. A sump of about 225,000- barrel capacity represented another good- ly outlay and work is now going forward on the construction of further sumps to provide amply for future demands ex- erted on the field. The Texas Company of California may be cited as another example. The cor- poration plans to install an oil separat- ing system at "Watts, Los Angeles County, Avhich will cost from $60,000 to $80,000. The same company will have another separator in operation in the San Pedro field, and intends to expend around $70,000. The Associated Oil Company has joined the ranks of those who are taking definite steps to prevent pollution. They have fitted the S. S. WhitUcr with a reclaim- ing device. This has proved so satisfac- tory that by a recent order all vessels owned and operated by the Associated Oil are to be similarly equipped. Blow lines have been installed by the Richfield Oil Company as the result of an inspection of a wharf jointly owned by the Richfield, General Petroleum and California Petroleum oil companies at Parr Terminal, Oakland. Further work will be carried on by the other two com- panies. The gas plant at Vallejo, Napa County, operated by the Pacific Gas and Elec- tric Company, has discharged waste products for many years on the bay flats. The situation has been further aggravated by deposits of refuse from oil tanks. An investigation proved the need of a clean- up campaign. This is now in progress and measures have been taken for per- manent relief. The Pacific American Petroleum Com- pany has filled in a sump and corrected other sources and means of pollution. The sump in question was located in the natural drainage and greatly aided in aggravating the pollution problem of the Huntington Beach field. The Orange County Refining Company at Newport, Orange County, has mopped up escaped oil resulting from a fire. Some of this oil reached the bay, and this, too, has been removed. Court action against the Pacific Coast Oil Company and four individuals operat- ing at Huntington Beach, Los Angeles County, has been dismissed since un- favorable conditions complained of have been rectified. Under the stress of storms, sumps have been in the past accustomed to breaking and letting the oil they contained pollute the area round about. Peculiarly enough, sumps located in other than the Hunting- ton Beach field have not acquired this habit. The obvious conclusion is that the operators in the Huntington Oil district have been availing of storms as an excuse to empty their sumps. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 247 Persistent patrolling during recent storms by Deputy E. A. Chan thwarted this pernicious practice. A common illustration that pollution may cause trouble in the future is offered when oil saturated ground oozes during ^Yarm weather. A rarer instance of this resulted in May when the Wilshire Oil Company, at Huntington Beach, liber- ated quantities of hot water into a ditch. The hot water coming into contact with the oil soaked ground soon acquired a film of oil colors and those found their way into the natural drainage. It is still necessary to resort to legal action. $450 of the fine, however, but with the in- junction that the balance automatically become payable upon proof of any future pollution. Pollution of the Ventura River by allowing waste oil to flow into that stream cost the General Petroleum Cor- poration, operating in the Ventura field, a fine of $200 in the court of Judge Ed- ward Henderson at Ventura. This company was hailed into court less than a year ago and a fine of $500 was suspended. However, in the present case, the judge insisted that the fine be paid. Deputy R. E. Bedwell made the arrest. Fig. 72. Original breeding pens built in 1926 for Chinese ring-necked pheasants • transformed into quail section at Yountville Game Farm. Here quail experi- ments are being carried on. Photograph by Milton Clarke, April 20, 1928. On March 24, Deputy E. A. Chan filed a criminal action against P. C. Hofmann, superintendent of the Pan Pacific Refin- ery, for discharging oil into Long Beach harbor. Following the trial of April 26, Judge Charles D. Wallace fined the vio- lator $500 or an alternative of 250 days in jaU. Four hundred and seventy-five dollars of the fine was suspended for two years in the event the refinery com- mitted no further violations. The superintendent of Featherstone and I'reston, Inc., was charged on Api-il 23, for liberating an oil filled sump into the natural drainage. On plea of guilty, he was fined $500 in the municipal court at Long Beach with an alternative of 100 days in jail. Judge Wallace suspended Bureau of Game Farms The first of June found the Chinese ring-necked pheasants well advanced in egg output for the season. Exactly 6776 eggs were on hand in various stages, from those but recently collected and waiting to be set, to eggs just about to hatch. During the month 4203 chicks hatched. During May a total of 3342 Chinese ring-necked pheasant eggs were hatched. Some of these chicks came from 5392 eggs set in April under domestic hens and in incubators. The pheasant hens com- menced to lay in earnest in April and two weeks afterwards the attendants on 248 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. the farm were playing the "shell" game with thorough familiarity. The wild turkeys from Arizona were the first to reproduce and more than a hundred eggs were laid by the hens in March. The first twenty-two eggs set yielded twenty chicks on the last day of March. One egg was broken in incuba- tion, the other proved infertile. The hens continued laying in April and May. A total of 186 young turkeys are now in the rearing pens and 116 eggs are incubating. Thus, a problem is presented of finding room as soon as the birds at- tain the age when they should be ranged. A field for this purpose is now being ar- ranged. The first crested tinamou, a game bird of South America, hatched on April 26. The tinamou is a stranger to California and there was no certainty that the brood stock on the farm would reproduce. Both male and female are exactly alike. Hence, this occurrence was a pleasant surprise. Before the end of the month following, five additional olive green eggs were laid. The eggs were fertile but from some unknown cause the young all died in the shell three or four days prior to the hatching time and only one bird hatched. The second and smaller variety of tina- mou laid two eggs during the first week of May. These are a beet red color and elicit comment from visitors as they seem especially prepared Easter eggs. By the end of jNIay the third variety of tinamou had reproduced, bringing the total number of eggs incubating to 13. The last five hatched are being anxiously cared for and fed grasshoppers and other prized insects. Forty Hungarian partridges were re- leased in a sanctuary established in Squaw Valley near Fresno on March 26. These birds represented the remainder of the flock and seemed averse to mate while in the pens. It was deemed best to liber- ate them while it was yet possible for them to mate. During the week of May 13, the first Hungarian partridge egg was picked up in one of the breeding pens. The birds then started to lay in a limited way. Be- fore the end of the month fifteen eggs had been laid. These are now being incu- bated. Latest reports from Sqiiaw Valley are that the Hungarian partridges have re- mained within a mile of the place of liberation. No loss so far has been dis- covered and it is expected that the birds will multiply. The large white swan presented to the Game Farm last year after the Sports- men's Show in San Francisco, decided that the climate was not to his liking, possibly because he was all alone, and left for the northland. The swan was kept with some geese and mallards at the Napa State Farm, a half mile from the Game Farm where the use of an open pond of water is available. An added attraction for visitors is a pair of native grey tree squirrels. The attendants caught this pair near the farm. They had been watching the nest and waiting until the young squirrels were big enough to be right for pets. A very fine cage has been constructed around one of the olive trees and in a month or so the little animals will be real pets. They now sit up in regular squirrel pose, taking a piece of nut between their paws and eating it with relish. An incubator room was added in April to the side of the building where food for the birds on the farm is prepared. The three additional electric incubating ma- chines will give the room an incubating capacity of 2500 eggs. The room was built with special regard to coolness and ventilation. Faithful to a promise made last winter, 360 Chinese ring-necked pheasant eggs were shipped to the Territory of Hawaii during the last week of April. An even trade of Chinese ring-necked pheasant eggs for Hungarian partridge eggs has been arranged with Ralph Baird of Brooks, Alberta. Canada. Early in j\Iay 100 ring-necked eggs were shipped. CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. 249 COMMERCIAL FISHERY NOTES N. B. ScoFiELDj Editor RECORD CATCH RECORDED Owing to the great mass of figures that must be gathered to compile the annual catch of fi.sh in California waters, the report for 1927 has just been completed and will be published soon, together with a report of the fish pack for the year, and a report of the sardine canning industry for the season of 1927-28. Not only leading the United States but establishing a record for California, the fishermen of this state turned in a banner catch during the year of 1927, when a total of 424,367,182 pounds was produced, having an estimated value of almost $30,000,000. Sardines, as usual, lead with a poundage of 342,275,289, .while sole was second with 10,298,268 pounds. The smallest item in the report was five pounds of eels taken in the San Fran- cisco-San Mateo district. Other species reported were : salmon 6.511.929 pounds; rockfish 6,369,323 pounds ; skipjack 5,803,649 pounds ; blue- fin tuna 4,898,386 pounds ; mackerel 4,728,903 pounds; albacore 4,455,372 pounds ; barracuda 4,355,583 pounds ; buck shad 1,986,295 pounds ; roe shad 1,980,546 pounds; yellowtail 1,435,456 pounds ; halibut 1,387,178 pounds and herring 1,168,321 pounds. In the shellfish group, crabs totaled 123,346 dozen ; spiny lobsters 508,123 pounds ; abalones 2,816,530 pounds ; shrimps 1,697,365 pounds ; cockle clams 5,914 pounds ; mixed clams 59,076 pounds ; Pismo clams 133,000 pounds ; soft-shell clams 151,383 pounds and squid 6,014,113 pounds. Monterey County led the state in fish production with a total of 185,775,478 pounds ; Los Angeles was second with 169,995,637 pounds ; San Francisco-San Mateo third with 37,616,402 pounds ; San Diego-Imperial fourth with 13,362,571 pounds. Other districts rank in the fol- lowing order ; Alameda-Contra Costa 3,973,963 pounds; Del Norte-Humboldt 3,367,575 pounds; Santa Cruz 2,768,088 pounds ; Mendocino-Sonoma-Lake 2,033,- 440 pounds; Marin 1,727,254 pounds; Sacramento-S an Joaquin 1,007,631 pounds ; San Luis Obispo- Santa Barbara- Ventura 1,007,482 pounds ; Solano- Yolo 987,141 pounds; Orange 744,520 pounds. In addition to the California catch, records of fishermen and packers showed that 62,132,490 pounds of fish were brought in from Mexican and extra-terri- torial waters off the coast of Mexico dur- ing the year by California fishermen. The largest item in this list was 28,003,- 362 pounds of skipjack. Barracuda total- ing 1,844,156 pounds and white sea bass totaling 1,466,848 pounds came in from waters south of the California-Mexico boundary. GRUNION AND SMELT Many fishermen who are interested in catching surf smelt along northern Cali- fornia beaches have been confused by the law which was passed at the last session of the legislature, protecting the grunion in southern California during the spawn- ing season, from April 1 to June 30. Al- though the fish are similar in appearance, the grunion is not a smelt, while the northern California fish is a true smelt. Smelt are peculiar to the beaches of northern California, but the grunion is found only south of Point Conception. The spawning habits of the two fish are entirely difL'erent, the smelt spawning out- side the beach line where gravel is found, while the female grunion deposits her eggs several inches below the surface of the sand and far above the level of the average tide. ALBACORE Two shipments of imported albacore were recently received at Wilmington. One consignment of a little more than a ton arriving on June 2, was sent from Honolulu, and the second lot, which came on June 4 from Japan, amounted to twenty-six tons. Reports show that sev- eral shipments of this species have been sent from Japan to the Los Angeles har- bor during the last year. The albacore in these two shipments were much larger than those that are caught off the shores of California. Forty-seven pounds was the average weight of the fifty albacore mak- ing up the consignment from Honolulu. The largest local albacore that the writer saw during the regular sampling season of 1927 were in a catch of twenty-nine that was delivered at Long Beach ; these averaged forty-one pounds. The fact that the Hawaiian albacore were devoid of heads when weighed and that the local specimens were not, makes the difference more pronounced. Another item of inter- est is that roe was found in a number of the females in the Hawaiian consignment. — L. E. Herz. 250 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. WHY CALIFORNIA SARDINES ARE CAUGHT AT NIGHT RATHER THAN BY DAY In California, sardine fishing, the most important in the state, is carried on at night for two good reasons. First, the schools of sardines are more easily located at night on account of the phosphorescent light or glow in the water. This light is caused by micro- scopic organisms which are to be found in myriads in the sea water. These organ- isms when disturbed have the power to give out light of the same nature as glow worms or fire-flies. Fish swimming about in the water at night cause these organisms to glow, and when the fish are in compact schools the light thus caused can be seen for a considerable distance by the lookout in the fishing boat, if the night is dark. Second, most of our sardines are caught with a lampara net which is specially de- signed to take advantage of this phenom- enon of "phosphorescence." When a school of sardines is located, the net is laid out around it and the two ends then hauled into the boat, the circle becoming narrower until finally the sardines are confined in the "bunt" or pocket of the net, when they may be transferred to the boat with small dip nets. If all of the meshes of the net were so small that a sardine could not get through, it would be difficult to pull because of the resist- ance of the water. The ends or wings of the lampara nets have meshes as large as 20 inches, which the sardines could easily pass through if it were not for the fact that the phosphorescent fire caused by the net passing through the water frightens the fish away from it and into the center of the circle, until the small-meshed center or "bunt" is around and under them. Such a net can be operated faster and with fewer men than a net of similar dimensions with all small mesh. To be effective, however, the sar- dine net must be used at night. — N. B. Scofield. MACKEREL CANNING In past years small quantities of mack- erel have been salted and smoked in Cali- fornia, and there is a steady demand for moderate amounts in the fresh fish mar- kets of the state. There have also been several trials at canning mackerel, but there has never been the wholesale utili- zation of this resource such as we find in the sardine and tunas. During this last spring several canneries packed mack- erel as a small side line. One plant at San Diego cut the fish into three or four pieces and packed it in one pound salmon cans. One or two canneries in the Los Angeles Harbor region packed mackerel during the early spring months, and three canneries at Monterey canned small amounts of mackerel. Most of this canned product is in round cans, usually the one pound tall, but a little has been packed in six ounce tall cans. — W. L. Scofield. FISHING OFF SOUTHERN BEACHES GROWING IN POPULARITY From a small beginning in 1921, there has developed a large industry which caters to the angler fishing for sport in ocean waters along the southern Cali- fornia coast. At the present time, there are at least fifteen barges resorted to by anglers who enjoy ocean fishing lying off Santa Monica, Ocean Park, Del Rey, Hermosa and Redondo beaches, also Long Beach and Newport. Seaworthy launches ply back and forth between the principal piers furnishing transportation to and from the barges. Fishing tackle and bait are furnished from $1.50 to $2 per day and a conservative estimate of the num- ber of fishermen is placed at 200 during Saturdays, Sundays and holidays for each barge. On week ends there are as many as fifty fishermen. Aside from the barges, there are twenty to thirty pleasure fishing boats large enough to accommodate some sixty-five persons each. Trolling is largely prac- ticed by these pleasure fishing parties and it is believed that at least fifty persons engage in this pastime during holidays and about twenty-five at other times. The variety of fish caught consists mostly of mackerel, halibut, rock bass, barracuda and an occasional jewfish or black sea bass. The piers also have their full quota of fishermen. An average of at least 200 each daily, while on Saturday and Sun- day as many as eight or nine hundred, are to be seen along the ends and sides, busily engaged in trying to keep their lines free from those of their neighbors. Mackerel and halibut are mostly caught, but not the amount that is taken offshore. Besides the deep sea fishermen, a great many find pleasure in fishing for corbina in the surf. Santa Monica Canyon, north of the Nalibu, is one of the favored beaches for this sport. — R. J. Sadler, Venice. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 251 LIFE HISTORY NOTES HUMBOLDT COUNTY ELK The surviving kinds of Roosevelt elk, happily, are doing well in the great red- woods of northwestern Humboldt County. Indeed, it is very reassuring to know that these noble animals have not only main- tained themselves in the southern limits of their present range, but are reported to have "made a very apparent increase in the last few years." John W. Davison of Orick states that they now range in small bands as far south as Little River and as far north and east in Humboldt County as the in a narrow strip of land three miles wide and ten long, lying west of Prairie Creek. This area, he claims, will sustain at most but two hundred elk. It is now overstocked and during winter the elk are so hard-pressed for food that they become an annoyance to farmers. In fact, not a small number have acquired the habit during the summer time of coming into hay fields at night and com- mitting depredations. SCREECH OWL VS. FLICKER Four holes were drilled by flickers through the boards of a redwood tank .mm Fig. 73. Young elk in hay field near ranch of John W. Davison, Orick, Hum- boldt County, California. Photograph by J. W. Davison, summer, 1927. Klamath River. "Elk sign" is not so scarce as it was ten years ago and al- most every herd observed contains young elk. He estimates that there are between 350 and 500 in the county. An accurate count is impossible, for the larger herds remain in the denser forests where the undergrowth is tremendous and are very seldom seen. Smaller and more venture- some bands frequent the open country. Hence, an observer who only obtained glimpses of these small herds would be inclined to underestimate the number of elk in the country. Deputy Earl P. Barnes is of the opin- ion that the greater majority of elk range house belonging to Mr. E. L. Bickford of Napa, California, in an effort to make nesting sites. Boxes were placed back of these holes and the birds ceased bor- ing and began nesting. They used the holes for a number of j'ears. Two or three years ago a screech owl was found in one of the boxes with what was left of one of the flickers ; namely, his wing feathers. Feathers of other song birds were also found in the box. The screech owls were taken as pets and in due time other flickers took up their abode in the boxes. In the spring of 1928 the flickers again disappeared and on investigation one of 252 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. the holes was found to contain a screech owl's nest with the young just hatched. It seems that the flickers and screech owls both favor this nesting site, but are unable to get along congenially even when using separate nest holes. — D. D. Mc- Lean, Berkeley, California. WHITE-WINGED DOVE IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY The white-winged dove from Mexico commenced its flight up the Colorado River as the nesting time for the species drew near. Usually the birds start to nest the latter part of April, while stragglers and late comers prolong the nesting period sometimes for several months. They build their nests of small twigs in the willows and mesquite trees. In these they lay two white eggs. Some large mesquite trees have as many as twelve or more nests ranging from four to sixteen feet from the ground. Their nesting habits somewhat resemble those of the band-tailed pigeon, in that they nest in colonies and go in large bands to feed. Their feed consists of various kinds of berries, grain and small seeds. After the nesting season is over, late in the fall, they return with their young to their wintering quarters in Mexico. The white-winged dove is a little larger than the mourning dove, and while in flight shows a white crescent on each wing and a white border at the end of the tail. Further, the tail is much shorter than that of the mourning dove. The former bird has a very dark bill and reddish feet. A story was told me by an old Mexican that there were countless thousands of these birds in Sonora, Mexico, and that they call them Sonora pigeon. He said these birds winter there and start to come north the latter part of March, flying north until they reach the Gulf of Califor- nia and thence to the Colorado River and on up the river, coming into California near Yuma, Arizona. The white-winged dove rarely goes north of Needles, San Bernardino County, nor does the bird range very far west of the Colorado River. Sometimes a few drift into Im- perial Valley. — E. D. Ricketts, Brawley, California. CANADA GEESE NEST ON HONEY LAKE I went down into Honey Lake Valley, Lassen County, on March 22, and after tramping around in the marsh for three or four hours found two nests of the Can- ada goose. One nest had five eggs in it and the other six. Both birds were setting and most likely had been for two or three weeks. We also found a nest that had not been completed. This shows that the local birds and the ones that come in from below do not nest at the same time here. We raised some mallards and they are evidently nesting too. The Canada goose usually nests in the heavy tules where there is running water near at hand. The nest is generally about two feet off the ground and sometimes in very plain sight. It is not unusual for Canada geese to nest on top of hay stacks and several nests have been located at Lake Almanor on the top of broken-off snags of large trees sometimes forty feet above the water. I have often wondered how the old bird got the young ones to Avater after they reached the age to leave the nests thus located. On the 19th of April, 1927, I found the nest of a Canada goose in the tule sec- tion of Honey Lake. The young birds were hardly dry when I found them. This was evidently not an early hatching for there were young goslings about on the marsh at that time large enough to run around. — C. O. Fisher, Susanville, Cali- fornia. A TICK-INFESTED DEER The mule deer of the Sierras are prey to many insect pests, not least among them being the western dog tick. In fact, this species could be more appropriately named deer tick. Whether or not these pests cause much physical suffering and actually inflict considerable injury, is at present an open question. In January of the present year a young buck was found dead near the foot of the Coulterville road. The body was liter- ally infested with ticks, hundreds of them along the neck and the insides of the flanks. There were solid rows of the gorged females and the body swarmed with the younger undeveloped individuals. There was no evidence that this spike horn had met death by accident, nor did it appear to have been affected by any disease. Except for a slight deficiency in weight, the body appeared to be that of a reasonably healthy animal — that is, exclusive of the ticks. The western dog tick is the commonest variety on the Pacific coast. Dogs, sheep, cattle, horses, deer and ground squirrels are subject to infestation, and man is frequently enough the unwilling host. But deer are the greatest sufferers, ticks abounding, as they do, on ceanothus and others of their chaparral food plants. The female ticks are reddish brown with white markings. Their oval bodies aver- age around 10-12 millimeters in length when gorged. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 253 Tliougli the buck looked as though it might actually have died of ticks, the theory is hardly tenable, according to most biologists. Nevertheless, it is true that unhealthy individuals being unable to rid themselves of these tenacious ecto- A STRIPER STRANGLES On April 8, 1928, near the mouth of the Tuolumne River on the San Joaquin, a large dead fish was reported which turned out to be a giant striped bass, weighing approximately forty-four Fig. 74. Striped bass strangled Ijy thirteen-inch carp. Found near mouth of Tuolumne River, April 8, 1928. Photograph by Perc C. Meakin. Fig. 75. New bay and river patrol boat Rainhoxo. Photograph by John O'Connell. parasites, are heavily parasitized and may thus suffer an accentuation of their already weakened condition. — George M. Wright, Yosemite Nature Notes, Vol. 7, No. 5, p. 38. pounds, and forty-seven inches in length. The fish had been dead about three days when discovered. This striper had captured a thirteen- inch carp and had endeavored to swallow 254 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. it. Apparently the carp became lodged in the throat of the bass. The bass, being unable to swallow or toss up the carp, had strangled and was cast upon the bank by high water. Such occur- rences as this are of particular interest in that they give some knowledge of the capacity of a bass's throat, and throw light on its voracious habits. Incidentally, carp are preferred by striped bass, and fishermen claim that when carp can be procured they are the principal food. — P. C. Meakin, Modesto, California. CONSERVATION IN OTHER STATES FLORIDA ENACTS ADVANCED LAW Florida has adopted a system of accur- ately recording the bags of the hunter and the trapper's take in order to effect a more advanced type of fish and game ad- ministration. Good business practice dic- tates that a record be kept of amounts used of every kind of commodity in order to avoid waste and the folly of over- drawing and thus exhausting the supply. The following is an extract from an article entitled, "Florida Requires Game Reports" in Field and Stream, June, 1928, under the heading of the Bulletin of the American Game Protective Asso- ciation. "An improved state-wide game and fish law was passed by the last legislature. One of the provisions of the new law requires hunters and trappers to report what they have taken under their licenses within ten days after the close of the season under penalty of being denied a license for the next season. "This requirement is found in the laws of very few states, but some others have a voluntary system of reports. It should be mandatory in every state in order that reliable statistics of the kill of game from year to year might be collected. There can be no better index of the tendency toward increase or depletion than is fur- nished by such reports, and they supply a sound basis on which to base restric- tive or other regulations. Minnesota was the first state to enact a law making such reports mandatory." NEW BRUNSWICK GAINS IMPOR- TANT ADDITION TO REFUGE SYSTEM The establishment of the Lapreaii Game Refuge in the wilds of New Bruns- wick adds one of the best areas for big game in the province to the system. The refuge comprises nearly ninety-five square miles and brings the total territory set aside for game refuges to almost five hun- dred square miles. The new refuge is the result of a determined policy on the part of the present administration to enlarge the sanctuary area of New Bruns- wick, RECENT LEGISLATION IN KENTUCKY Several new laws were enacted by the Kentucky legislature at its last session. These afford additional protection to game and fish and enlarge on the powers of the Kentucky Commission to more ade- quately administer refuges. Increased funds also will aid in a greater output from hatcheries. A few of the new enactments are : Doves may be shot only from noon imtil six o'clock each day during open season. Bass and crappie may not be sold. Deer and pheasants may not be killed until 1932. NEW YORK PROVIDING FOOD FOR GAME Food for game animals and birds will be an important consideration in the re- forestation program of the New York De- velopment Association. A liberal num- ber of berry-bearing trees and shrubs will be planted to each acre. Hardwood trees, such as beech and maple, will also be set out and care will be taken to afford both a winter and summer food supply. The Association contemplates planting some billion trees during the next fifteen years on waste lands in the state and its program provides for the planting of one hundred million trees each year there- after until all the idle lands are produc- tive. To further encourage the planting of food producing plants in areas not in- cluded within the reforestation project, the Association is distributing suitable trees and shrubs without cost to sports- men's associations and interested indi- viduals. MISSOURI IMPORTS QUAIL The state of Missouri just purchased 3000 quail for liberation this past spring. The birds were released in state-owned and auxiliary game refuges. In making a report on this contribution to the game resources of the state, it is pointed out that the $2.50 hunting and fishing license falls short $1.52 of paying for a single pair of the imported quail. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 255 IDAHO TO INTRODUCE EGGS OF FRESHWATER SMELT An interesting experiment is to be car- ried ont by the Bureau of Fisheries, Idaho 3tate Fish Commissioner and For- est Service in shipping the eggs of the freshwater smelt from eastern Maine for planting in Idaho waters. This little fish, ordinarily growing to about six inches long, is remarkably pro- lific and runs in large schools in the deep waters of lakes. In early spring they ascend inlets to spawn, the spawn being very minute and sticking to rocks, sticks, etc. The eggs develop rapidly and hatch in from two weeks to a month, the minute young migrating immediately to deep water. Owing to the rapid development of the eggs, it is difficult to ship them success- fully such long distances. The eggs are to be surrounded by a layer of ice and packed in an insulated box to be sent by express. If this method is not successful, a small shipment by air mail will be at- tempted. The object in introducing the smelt is to furnish an abundant and suitable for- age fish for trout and salmon to eat. They live principally on minute forms of life which ordinarily occur in abundance in deep w^ater lakes and turn this into a readily available trout food. In one in- stance, a lake in which trout were not thriving, owing to a lack of large forms of food, although the minute forms were abundant, was stocked with the smelt in the spring and that fall yearling steelhead trout and landlocked salmon from 6-9 inches long were planted. By the follow- ing summer, 8-9 months later and over winter, the trout and salmon reached two pounds in W'eight. The next summer steelhead trout were taken weighing 4^ lbs., the food being almost entirely the little smelt. The smelt is the natural food of the landlocked salmon which has never been successfully established in its absence and although encouraging results have come from the introduction of this salmon in the Redfish Lake section in Idaho, the planting of the smelt will make favorable results much more certain. The abund- ance of trout food which the smelt will supply should improve conditions for other trout as well and it is quite prob- able that the little redfish occurring there will grow considerably larger in size than at present. PATHFINDER BIRD REFUGE REES- TABLISHED IN WYOMING By recent executive order, President Coolidge has reestablished for the protec- tion of native birds the Pathfinder Bird Refuge, embracing 22,700 acres on the North Platte River in central Wyoming. The area is set aside for the use of the Department of Agriculture as one of the numerous refuges administered by the Bureau of Biological Survey. All the lands involved have been with- drawn for reclamation purposes in con- nection with the North Platte Project, Wyoming, and are primarily under the jurisdiction of the Department of the In- terior. The area includes mainly a reservoir constructed for the use of the Reclamation Service in the irrigation of lands. The establishment of this refuge furnishes nesting grounds as well as im- portant feeding and resting places for the large numbers of migratory waterfowl, especially ducks, in a region where open water areas providing a haven for birds are scarce. It is unlawful, within the refuge, to hunt, trap, capture, wilfully disturb, or kill any wild animal, or bird of any kind whatever, or take or destroy the eggs of any wild bird, except under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture. UPPER MISSISSIPPI REFUGE ENLARGED A joint resolution recently approved by President Coolidge authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to accept from James B. Munn, of New York City, on behalf of the United States, a gift of cer- tain lands in Clayton County, Iowa, to become a part of the Upper Mississippi River Wild Life and Fish Refuge. These lands, embracing a total area of 488 acres estimated to be worth thirty or forty thousand dollars, were generously donated to the government by Mr. Munn through his interest in the objects of the refuge. Situated near McGregor, Iowa, the lands are more or less overgrown with original timber and are especially attrac- tive for upland migratory birds. One parcel includes an excellent lookout point, known as Pikes Peak, that wall be of great value in connection with fire pro- tection, administrative uses, and other purposes on the refuge. Although ad- jacent to the lowlands embraced in the refuge much of the area is not subject to overflow, as it extends up into the hills bordering the river bottoms, and the in- clusion of this high land will have the desirable result of lending variety to the refuge and attracting and protecting ad- ditional species of wild life. The Upper Mississippi River Wild Life and Fish Refuge includes lands along 256 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. both sides of the river between Rock Island, 111., and Wabasha, Minn., and the acquisition of further lands to be in- cluded is being carried forward as rapidly as possible bj' the Bureau of Biological Survey of the Department of Agricul- ture. NEW ANTELOPE PRESERVE FOR NEVADA The National Association of Audubon Societies has acquired the Last Chance Ranch in northern Nevada, which it will maintain as an antelope sanctuary. Some time ago at a national conference called in Washington to consider means of saving these beautiful and hard-pressed animals in the semi-desert regions of the west, the National Association of Audu- bon Societies was appointed to take the lead in securing by congressional action the establishment of an antelope and sage hen reservation in southeastern Oregon. Political interference at the behest of the nomadic sheep herding interests caused the project to fail. Since that time the State of Oregon has declared the killing of antelope in this region to be illegal, but as no wardens are available to en- force the regulation, conditions so far as the antelope are concerned remain virtu- ally unchanged. Reports are current that wandering sheep herders and other travelers of the deserts continue to wipe out the small bands of antelope that still remain. Across the line in Nevada an exactly analogous situation exists, but it is here that a real reservation has at last been created. While Dr. T. Gilbert Pearson, presi- dent of the Audibon Association was en- gaged in field work in the west last sum- mer he learned from E. R. Sans of Reno of the peculiar conditions that surround this Last Chance Ranch in northern Ne- vada. This range of 380 acres contains open water, and water in this desert means many things, one of which is that from great distances antelopes come in spring to drop their fawns on the slopes sur- rounding the water hole. It is this ranch the Association has acquired. — Outdoor Life-Recreation, Vol. 61, No. 4. NORTH CAROLINA UNDERTAKES A GAME BAG CENSUS The Director of the Department of Conservation and Development of North Carolina sent out 125,000 return card blanks during the month of March. Hun- ters are asked to fill in the blanks with the number of each species of game taken and to return the card. The census will provide the state with the first definite and comprehensive idea of the value and extent of game animals and birds taken during any one open season. With this as a basis, some estimate can be made of the game population of the state. GEORGIA CREATES REFUGES A decreasing game supply has forced Georgia to begin the establishment of a series of game refuges and public shoot- ing grounds in various parts of the state. One such forest and game preserve has been created and others are to follow in the central and southern part of the state, and on the coast. Mexican quail are also being intro- duced. In 1926, 6000 quail were im- ported, and in 1927, 5000. HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGES IN PENNSYLVANIA During the past three years, the Game Commission of Pennsylvania has under- taken the acclimatization of the Hun- garian partridge. In 1925, 3962 Hun- garian partridges Avere imported from Czecho-Slovakia. They arrived in good condition and were immediately released. In 1926, 1643 were similarly imported and released. It may be that the re- leasing of these birds in sizable coveys rather than in small lots has contributed to the success obtained. In nearly all of the places where these partridges were released, there has been evidence of nor- mal increase. In only one instance did the birds entirely disappear. In one county where 216 were released, it is estimated that there are now 1200 birds. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 257 REPORTS GAME CASES January, February, March, 1928 Violation Number arrests Fines imposed Jail sentences (days) Hunting license Act Deer Tag License Act Deer: buv or sell; run with dogs; taking and possession, closed season; failure to retain horns and hide; over bag limit Deer: taking and possession, does, fawns, spiked bucks, forked horns in Dist. 1% Rabbits: cottontail, brush; taking and possession, closed season Ducks: buv orsjll; taking and possession; closed season; over bag limit Geese: taking and possession, closed season; over bag limit Mudhens: taking and possession, closed season Swans: taking and possession (no open season) Shorebirds: taking and possession (no open season) Quail: taking and possession, closed season; over bag limit Pheasants: taking and possession (no open season) Non-game birds: taking and possession Commercial Gun Club License Act Ftir Trapping Rcgiilations Shooting wild game from power boat Game refuges : hunting and possession of firearms Night hunting. Bird nets: illegal possession of __ Totals 17 1 22 13 28 21 6 7 1 6 13 4 6 1 3 2 2 11 2 $460 50 3,375 1,310 685 686 175 175 25 30 90 30 60 150 450 500 83 140 200 85 10 50 310 50 166 1,885 293 FISH CASES January, February, March, 1928 Violation Number arrests Fines im.poscd Jail sentences (daj'sl Angling License Act Commercial Fishing License Act Trout: taking and possession, closed season Black bass: taking and possession, closed season _. Sunfish, perch, crappie: taking and possession, closed season '_ Night fishing, illegal Striped bass: undersized and overlimit Salmon: illegal taking and possession _. Catfish: sale of undersized Barracuda: undersized Spot-fin croaker: sale of. Crabs, undersized Clams: undersized and overlimit Abalones: taking and possession, closed season; removal of shells from below -high tide mark; undersized and overlimit Lobsters : taki ng and possession, closed season ; undersized Illegal fishing: fish reservation Nets, traps, lines, spears: illegal possession or use. Water pollution Totals 38 19 19 7 12 2 7 1 6 1 1 13 57 53 9 2 18 5 270 Sl,010 210 370 225 310 25 450 100 210 50 50 275 1,349 1,390 265 75 1,430 1,300 $9,094 360 60 60 30 30 130 670 258 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. SEIZURES OF FISH AND GAME January, February, March, 1928 Deer meat, pounds 449 Rabbits, cottontail, brush 27 Ducks 494 Geese 29 Mudhens 5 Swans 1 Shorebirds 5 Divers 1 Quail 16 Pheasants r 4 Non-game birds 27 Trout 77 Black bass 11 Sunfish, perch, crappie 85 S triped bass, pounds 47 Catfish, pounds 712 Barracuda, pounds 4,755 Calico bass 1 Crabs 52 Clams. -. 1,^65 Abalones 527 Abalone meat, pounds 39 Lobsters, pounds 1'° Nets, fish spears 4 Bird nets 1 STATEMENT OF INCOME For the Period January 1, 1928, to March 31, 1928, of the Seventy-ninth Fiscal Year License sales: ■ Detail Total Angling licenses, 1927 $23,531 00 Angling licenses, 1928 4,601 00 Hunting licenses, 1927-1928 110,649 00 Hunting licenses, 1928 334 00 Market fishermen's licenses, 1927-1928 3,630 00 Market fishermen's licenses, 1928-1929 230 00 Wholesale fish packers' and shell fish dealers' licenses, 1927-1928 45 00 Game breeders' licenses, 1928 460 00 Fish breeders' licneses, 1928... 175 00 Trapping licenses, 1927-1928 1,244 00 Deer tag licenses, 1927 14,125 00 Total license sales 8159,024 00 Other income: G ame tag sales §7 92 Fish tag sales -- 1,621 93 Court fines 15,237 35 Fish packers' tax 23, 311 54 Kelp tax locnn Miscellaneous sales ■ 125 00 Interest on bank deposits 405 0 ( Total other income 40,712 56 Total income $199,736 56 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. 259 STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES For the Period January 1, 1928, to March 31, 1928, of the Seventy-ninth Fiscal Year Function Materials and supplies Salaries and wages Service and expense Property and equipment Total Administration: Executive and legal -- . $4,181 94 4,399 77 $205 58 612 43 2,582 58 120 45 987 60 1,023 40 294 16 $1,022 89 78 88 S5 470 41 Clerical and office $213 15 5 304 23 Rent 2,582 58 234 75 Automobiles.. 114 30 Telephone and telegraph 987 60 Postage _ _ - - . 1,023 40 294 16 Freight, cartage and express Printing.- .. 3,161 54 3,161 54 166 35 Accident and death claims 166 35 528 39 nnmmissionprs 528 39 Tntal administration S3,488 99 S222 07 $8,581 71 S3,175 00 $825 00 $3,129 99 695 00 $6,580 94 $563 03 $220 47 $591 56 $1,101 77 $1,201 09 $19 753 41 Education: Director and assistants $5,161 19 $1,015 47 $3,725 80 745 91 Publicity: Director ._ Conservation and protection: Chief and assistants $4 25 Clerical and office . S50 91 Rent 98 46 88 21 39,281 53 212 69 270 57 2,990 00 87 75 518 98 98 46 Automobiles 392 90 71 85 278 93 481 11 Captains and deputies 51,370 02 525 00 750 00 27 10 2,923 32 90,750 50 3,939 94 1,020 57 2 990 00 Patrol launches -._. Lion hunting .. Lion bounties. . . _ Fish planting _ ... . 630 00 605 00 717 75 Refuge posting . 706 54 1,830 52 Total conservation and protection Commercial fisheries: Chief and assistants ?1,501 13 $75 25 97 48 553 72 244 23 420 59 $57,705 01 $2,743 33 8,976 21 1,220 00 1,415 00 7,533 39 $44,139 75 $009 39 2,733 06 94 17 46 67 1,185 35 3,750 00 79 56 $2,954 67 $106,300 56 S3 427 97 Deputies - 11,806 75 1,916 54 1,705 90 9,520 03 3,750 00 206 20 Patrollaunches _ . . . 48 65 Statistical Laboratory .. 380 70 Botulism .. Automobiles . 126 64 Total cnmmereial fisheries Sl,517 91 $21,887 93 $1,033 33 905 00 $8,498 20 $25 50 12 80 255 00 108 70 3,198 04 $429 35 $10 20 $32,333 39 $1,069 03 975 62 Fish culture: Chief and assistants .. Clerical and office $57 82 Rent 255 00 Automobiles.. .. 810 12 7,052 21 4 20 3,040 94 17,362 09 983 02 Hatcheries . _ _ 26,245 88 39,537 07 17,362 09 3,036 49 Hatcheries, additions and betterments Special field investigation . 2,509 06 527 43 Total fish culture . . $7,920 15 §6 30 13 21 $30,693 27 $1,375 00 750 00 $4,187 47 $511 31 20 60 $20,417 43 S45 29 $63 218 32 Hydraulics: Chief and assistants $1 937 90 Cooperative research work . 783 81 Total hydraulics. S19 51 ?1,112 28 165 29 $2,125 00 $1,958 00 $531 91 $352 63 $45 29 $962 46 $2 721 71 Game propagation: Game farm, Yountville _. $4,385 37 165 29 Automobiles.. Total game propagation n,277 57 S27 91 $1,958 00 $2,217 20 $352 63 $260 89 $10,325 55 $962 46 $4 550 60 Research: _!|; Chief and assistants ?: $2,506 06 $10,325 55 Total Division of Fish and Game 115,975 24 $129,168 18 $75,660 84 $27,112 06 $247,916 32 260 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. X o tc < s Q z < > • rr E CC n n > .a cc •a LJ w X CO £ li. o I tn bi CC Monterey _ Santa Cruz_ San Francisco, San Mateo.. Alameda, Contra Costa,. Sacramento, San Joaquin Solanc, Yolo- O O '■^ i>- m c^ 1-H -x-CD T-H ift CI GO (M .-H O lO O lO C5 Oi O lO CO CO eo O CO oo CO O (N <:0 CC CO to cot— c^i »o o -*:+^ I>- i-H »C CO ooo CC c^ •*^ lO *-t 1— « ^ O t^ CO O Ci (MC ::3 iii CO Ttl cc c^ O t3," I I ^ ._ 3 O C8 _ ,. C3 „ «ooo CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 261 -' Tt< CO r3 m COOOCC ■3 g £ cdE- i-i- oo r-3 o »o O <^ CO t^ CO -11 1— « "^ O) cj m o; w 3 53 E- o S 0o ■ V) o ^ o^-^ tsi r-'"^.cO CO 1— ■ "^ 262 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. CO a> X o < Total fish from south of thelnter- national Bound- ary line brought into California. . Fish from south of the International Boundary line brought lEto California via San Diego Fish from south of the International Boundary line brought into California via San Pedro 00 00 CO CO U5(M 00 oo 00'(M~ 0050 O ITS 03 C<»CCt-h OOO ot— o: OO OOS(M (M -^ CC oot^ OOC'O cd'cd" Total. col0^^ooe^^*■^^f^^»Tt4c^^-.w^l^coc^ooOlO<^lcceClOooo^-c<^cccoco■^■^l-«^* ^H ,-( r-lt-i-i-Ji 03 f-H CO en C^ CacO »-iT-( I^o'co' ,C3QO >■ cc < o 3 ■s CC CO ll- u Ik o > oc E < 2 St o < 1 u. c o E <« r X 1- a z Q o s F u T K c oc CS p ■^ u. u: (A 1- o o c San Diego, Imperial. Orange. Lo3 Angeles. 00»O '^CO CO C0^li5_«0^ ■*.-i San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura o > CC -a X 'n. CO E b. o X r COO OiO I oooo I co^oo I co'df OOCD CI CO 'OOOO 1 cooo lOCO O^ i-^co I cO(M ■ CDOO !c^'oo" I CO ;s ■3 a-3 GO COM CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 263 o coco 264 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. Fig. 7 6. Map showing pheasant plantings in California for 1926 and 1927. Map by courtesy of Rand McNally. 1927 Plantings — • — 19 37 Plantings — # — 1926 Plantings- —A — Letters Numbers Num bers No. of Nearest No. of Nearest No. of Nearest Plant birds Locality Plant birds Locality Plant birds Locality A 169__. ..Dunsmuir 1 126 Dunsmuir 22 150 — -Merced B 229__. ..Redding 2 462 Redding 23 557 — -Sanger C 174__. ..Napa 3 100___Red Bluff 24 130 — -Coalinga D 42__. ..Birds Ldg. 4 240 Chico 25 190— -Hanford E 208—. ..Stockton 5 150 Marysville 26 140— -Hanford F 278 — _ .Modesto 6 150 Roseville 27 150— -Tulare G 189 — . ..Salinas 7 125 Orland 28 225 — -Salinas H 192__. -.Soledad 8 140 Willows 29 126 — -Gonzales I 300__. ..Fresno 9 427 Napa Valley 30 318 — -Soledad J 175—. ..Hanford 10 240 Woodland 31 80 — -Atascadero K 250—. .JBakersfield 11 393__-Birds Ldg. 32 120_. .-Buellton L 252__. ..Solvang 12 110 Healdsburg 33 120- -Santa Maria M 252__. ..Chino 13 184 Point Reyes 34 80— -Santa Bar- N 495 — _Colton 14 126___Lodi bara O 105_-. ..Temecula 15 150 Crows Ldg. 35 150 — -Bakersfield P 110— ..El Centre 16 100 Pleasanton 36 140 — -Bakersfleld 17 80 Centerville 37 366_- -Chino 18 221 Modesto 38 246— -Colton 19 150 Stockton 39 120 — -Temecula 20 72 Oakdale 40 240— -El Centre 21 72 Sonora 41 240_- -Ontario 60529 8-28 9500 California Fish and Game "CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE THROUGH EDUCATION" Volume 14 SACRAMENTO, OCTOBER, 1928 Number 4 CONTENTS Page THE STRIPED BASS SUPPLY OF CALIFORNIA J. A. Craig 265 GRUNION ON CABRILLO BEACH Frances N. Clark 273 THE TOTUAVA FISHERY OF THE CALIFORNIA GULF Geo. Roger Chute 275 A NOTE ON THE SQUAWFISH AND ONE OF ITS RELATIVES _TF. /. Follett 282 THE BONEFISH— OVERLOOKED BY CALIFORNIA SPORTSMEN W. I. Follett 285 INTESTINAL PARASITES OF WILD DUCKS AND GEESE E. C. O'Roke 286 FISH RESCUE AND RECLAMATION George Neale 296 EDITORIALS — 299 DIVISION ACTIVITIES 311 COMMERCIAL FISHERY NOTES 316 LIFE HISTORY NOTES 320 CONSERVATION IN OTHER STATES 320 REPORTS— Violations of Fish and Game Laws 324 Statement of Income — 325 Fishery Products, April to June, 1928 325 Statement of Expenditures 330 THE STRIPED BASS SUPPLY OF CALIFORNIA ' Ey J. A. Craig (With three graphs.) The striped bass, Roccus lineatus, first appeared in California in 1879, when 132 of these fish were collected in the Navesink River, New Jersey, and shipped to this state. About twenty-five of the fish died and those that survived the transcontinental journey were planted in the Straits of Carquinez at Martinez. Three years later a plant of about three hundred fish was made in Suisun Bay at Army Point. Evidently the new habitat in which these fish found themselves proved to be extremely suitable to their welfare. This is indicated by the fact that as early as 1889, or only ten years after the first plant, a 1 Contribution No. 73 from tlie California State Fisheries Laboratory, September 10, 1928. 62149 266 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. commercial catch of 16,296 pounds was reported by the United States Bureau of Fisheries. In 1892 the yearly catch was given by the same agency as 56,209 pounds. A rough idea of the rapidity with which the striped bass multiplied, during the years immediately following their introduction, can be obtained from these figures of total catch. The fish constituting the catch of 1892 were estimated to average * about ten pounds in weight. Therefore, in 1892 there were about fifty-six hundred fish taken in the commercial catch. This number of fish represents only part of the annual increase of the population since the striped bass undoubtedly have become more abundant since that time. ._::>,:- ; When we consider the fact that the entire population originated from a group of less than five hundred individuals, planted ten and Fig. 77. Yearly total commercial catch of striped bass in California. The figures for 1899, 1904 and 1908 were compiled by the United States Bureau of Fish- eries. From 1915 to 1927, inclusive, the data were compiled by the Division of Fish and Game of the Department of Natural Resources of California, twelve years before, it is evident that the striped bass must have been placed in extremely suitable surroundings, containing an abundant food supply, ample spawning beds, favorable temperature and hydro- graphic conditions and very few natural enemies. The introduction of striped bass into California probably has been rivaled only in success by the bringing of the shad into the same waters and the planting of rainbow and other trout in New Zealand. As shown in figure 77, the total yearly catch of striped bass reached the sum of 1,234,320 pounds in 1899. The catch then rose to 1,570,404 in 1904, and 1,776,000 in 1908. The next yearly catch total available was 1915, which was 1,784,448. In 1916 there was a pronounced drop in total catch to 941,849 pounds. The catch of 1917 was of about the = Report of the United States ComrHissloner of Fish and Fisheries, for the year 1893. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 267 same magnitude, and 1918 showed a decided gain, totaling 1,407,841 pounds. From 1919 to 1927, inclusive, the yearly catch fluctuates without a great deal of variation around a mean of about 725,000 pounds. From an inspection of figure 77, one might be apt to conclude that the striped bass have decreased in abundance since 1915, because^ the total catch falls off to such a great extent. However, total yearly catch figures are very seldom an accurate criterion of the abundance of a species of fish. This is necessarily so, when we consider the fact that the abundance of a fish is only one of the many factors which determines the magni- tude of the yearly catch. Increased fishing effort, that is, more men, boats and gear entering a fishery, may cause the yearly catch to become greater while the abundance of fish really is growing steadily less. Economic conditions, such as falling off in demand for a particu- lar fish, sometimes bring about a drop in price, which leads the fisher- men to turn to another fishery, with the result that less effort is expended and the total catch declines, while the abundance of the species remains unchanged. Poor weather conditions may cause a light catch while the supply of fish remains constant, or a strike of the fishermen may halt all fishing operations for a time, with a small yearly catch resulting. Also restrictive legislation, such as closed seasons, prohibition of effective gear or closing of productive fishing areas, may cause a decline of total yearly catch, while the abundance of the species is constant or even increasing. The next step then is to see what factors other than the abundance of striped bass may have influenced the catch figures shown in figure 77. Changes in fishing effort, that is, fluctuations in amount of men and gear employed in the fishery, are often one of the major causes of variations in total catch. From data collected by the United States Bureau of Fsheries, Mr. C. B. Tendick, Pacific Coast representative of the Bureau of Fisheries, estimates that in 1915 there were approxi- mately two hundred and sixty-five gasoline engine powered boats and four hundred and eighteen sail and row boats employed in the striped bass fishery in California, and in 1926 about two hundred and seventy- six gasoline boats and only four sail and row boats. This shows an increase of only about eleven power boats and the almost complete loss of the fleet of over four hundred sail and row boats. While these figures are merely estimates there is no doubt but that there are fewer men and boats employed in the striped bass fishery now than in 1915. This is certainly one of the contributing causes tc the decline in total catch since 1915. Doubtless there are several reasons for the loss in number of men and sail boats from the striped bass fishery. The majority of the sail boats were remodeled and fitted with gasoline engines. Then during 1915 and the years immediately following, there was an extensive development of the fisheries of Monterey, chiefly salmon trolling and sardine fishing. This induced a large number of the fishermen to leave the bass, salmon and shad fisheries of San Francisco Bay and its tribu- taries, which is the only commercial fishing area for striped bass in the state, and move to Monterey. Also there was a great deal of restrictive legislation passed concerning striped bass fishing following 268 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. 1915, and a number of the fishermen probably abandoned their occu- pation and turned to more lucrative pursuits. Unquestionably the chief cause of the drop in total catch from 1915 to 1919 was restrictive legislation. The first legislative measure pro- tecting striped bass went into effect as early as 1893, when San Fran- cisco County passed an ordinance prohibiting the sale of striped bass under eight pounds in weight. In 1895 a three-pound size limit was made state wide by the State Legislature, and it was also made unlaw- ful to take striped bass commercially between sunrise on Saturday and sunset of the following Sunday. Since that time at almost every legis- lative session there has been some added protection given the striped bass in the form of additional closed seasons, regulation of gear or withdrawal of fishing areas from commercial fishing. 250 - ZOO /5 I'iso e o CO LEGAL FISHING DAYS 1 1 1 H^^^^^^^^H^H^gv 2^ OS 1 ^^^B 100 50 Fig. 78. Number of days in each year upon which commercial Ashing for striped bass could be carried on legally in California. Some idea of the extent to which added closed seasons have lessened the number of legal fishing days can be gained from figure 78. In 1899, 1904 and 1908, the only closed days were the Saturdays and Sundays, which left about two hundred and sixty-one days available to the fishermen. Then more closed seasons were added until in 1927 there were only one hundred and sixty-four days during the year in which commercial fishing could be legally done. Therefore, in 1927 the num- ber of legal fishing days was only 63 per cent of the days available to the fishermen in 1908. This would tend to cut down the yearly catch, since a man can not be expected to catch as many fish in one hundred and sixty-four days as he formerly did in two hundred and sixty-one days. Also a large part of the closed days were taken from a portion of the year, May 16 to July 31, inclusive, M'hen the bass are abundant on the fishing grounds and fishing conditions are usually good. Therefore, the effect of the CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 269 closed season on the yearly catch would tend to be even more than the indicated loss of about one-third of the yearly fishing time. Another series of legislative changes which have had a large influence on the yearly catches, are the measures prohibiting commercial fishing in many of the best fishing grounds. In 1911 it was declared unlawful to fish commercially in Cache Slough, Napa or Mokelumne rivers. In 1915 all commercial fishing was restricted to San Francisco Bay and the main channels of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. This made it unlawful for the commercial fishermen to utilize many square miles of the most productive fishing areas, and probably had more to do with the drop in yearly catches than any other single piece of legislation. Then in later years District 2 was closed to commercial fishing. In 1927 commercial fishing was prohibited in the greater portion of San Pablo Bav. This legislation removed another choice area from the commercial fishing grounds. Besides the two major restrictions, of closed seasons and curtailment of fishing area, other less important protective measures, such as a closed season for commercial fishing for bass over ten pounds in weight between April 1 and May 31, and regulation of gear which may be used, have been passed by the state legislature, since the year when extremely high total catches were made. Since the protective measures passed alone seem to be a sufficient reason for the lessened yearly catch of the last ten years, the trend of the total catches, when other factors affecting it are considered, cer- tainly does not seem to indicate that the striped bass have been depleted. Instead it appears that the yearly take has been curtailed by a series of wise protective measures and the withdrawal of part of the men and boats working in the fishery. To pass legislation which has the effect of diminishing the yearly take of fish and then become alarmed because the catch falls off: is no more sensible than for a man to become worried over his financial condition because he has deposited his money in a bank and so has not spent as much as usual. As stated before, yearly total catch figures are at best a poor measure of the abundance of a species of fish. In order to obtain a definite idea of the abundance of a certain fish, more detailed and complete data than yearly total catches are needed. Also, the data must be handled in such a way that the effects of factors influencing the fishery other than the abundance of the fish, such as changes in fishing effort, gear, and number of available fishing days, are nullified as much as is possible. Fortunately we have such detailed data in the pink ticket receipts collected by the Division of Fish and Game. These are the triplicate copies of the receipts which all fish buyers are required to make out when buying fish from a fisherman. The original is given to the fisher- man who caught the fish, and the duplicate copy is kept by the buyer. The receipt shows the name of the man who caught the fish, species of fish caught, number of pounds in the catch, price paid for the fish, date of sale, and the name and custom house number of the boat. In this way the Division of Fish and Game is able to obtain a detailed record of every catch of fish sold in the state. In cases where the boats usually 270 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. go out and return on the same day, as in the striped bass fishery, this amounts to a detailed record of each boat's daily catches. When these records of daily catches are handled in such a way that the catch of a constant unit of effort and gear during comparable periods of time is obtained, the result can be said to indicate the abun- dance of the species of fish, or at least the availability of the fish to the fishermen, as accurately as it is possible for any catch data to accomplish. In the process known as a boat catch analysis we have such a means of determining the yield of a constant unit of fishing gear and effort over comparable periods of time. Figure 79 shows graphically the result of a simple boat catch analysis of the striped bass fishery of San Francisco Bay and its tributaries. The first step in obtaining these results was to go through the indi- vidual boat records and select twenty boats which had fished for striped bass continuously through all of the years during which the ticket system has been in operation, 1920 to 1927, inclusive. The boats so selected have been under the same owner and have used practically the same sort of gear during this eight-year period. This selection of data eliminates fluctuations due to increases or decreases in number of men or boats and changes of gear in the fishery, and provides a constant unit of gear and personnel with which to work. The next step is to get the data in such a form that the result will show the catch of a constant unit of time. It can be easily seen that if the total catch of these boats for a year or month or week were used, the results from year to year or month to month would not be com- parable because some years or months might contain many more days, when fishing was actually carried on, than others. The average catch per day during each year is the unit of time shown in the curve in figure 79. In computing this average, only those days upon which catches were reported were used, since we have no means of knowing when fishermen went out and failed to catch fish. However, it is safe to say that the great majority of times when no catches are reported, represent days on which the fishermen did not go out, because of engine trouble, mending nets, vacations, additional closed seasons and various other causes. The number of times when they fished and caught absolutely nothing are very few and would average about the same for each year over a long period of time, so they are of relatively little importance. ' 3 : Some boats habitually bring in much larger catches than others, either because they have larger nets or more men in the crew, are larger boats or are operated by more skilful fishermen. If the boats making the larger catches did not make as many catches as usual in some year, the combined average daily boat catch of that year would be lowered artificially, while if some of the smaller boats made less than the usual number of catches, the average would be raised because the normal amount of small catches would not be present. Also small fluctuations in small catches should be as indicative of the abundance of the fish as larger fluctuations in larger catches. Therefore, the catches of all of the boats were weighted in such a way that all boats had equal weight in determining the final result. The method of accomplishing this was as follows : First, the average catch per day of each boat during the eight-year period, 1920 to 1927, CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 271 inclusive, was computed by adding up the daily catches of each boat made during that period and dividing the sum of the catches by the number of catches included in the total. The boat then having the largest average daily catch during the eight-year period was given a weight of one. The daily averages of each of the other boats were then divided into the average of the boat with the largest catch in order to find out how much greater the average catch of the boat given the weight of one was than the averages of each of the others. The results of these divisions were then used as factors by which the catches of all of the boats could be raised to an equal footing with each other, and with the boat having the largest catches. For example : Suppose boat A has the largest average daily catch of 200 pounds. Then boat B has an average daily catch of 100 pounds during the eight-year period. The factor for boat A is 1, since it has the highest average catch. For boat B the factor is 200-f-lOO or 2. By multiplying all of the catches of boat B by 2 they can be raised to an ito 130- 120 '110 100 90 — r— 1 AVERAGE DAILY BOAT CATCM _, , — — , 5TR)PEDBA55 r- ,q ' . • ^' o,^_^ • .--— - ■ •- P"" ' \ / / / ^"0 / / • / <^' ■ • - ©' — 1 ' ■ ■ fi20 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 Fig. 79. Average daily catch per boat of striped bass in San Francisco Bay and its tributaries. equal magnitude with the catches of boat A and fall about the same mean as those of boat A, and both boats will have an equal weight in determining the final combined average of all of the boats. This process of course is repeated with the data of each of the remaining boats. When the catches of all of the boats had been weighted so that all boats have equal importance in determining the final average, the next step was to compute the average daily catch of all of the boats for each year. This was done by adding up the weighted daily catches of all of the boats in one year and dividing the sum so obtained by the number of catches included in the total. This was repeated with the data for each year. The dotted line in figure 79 shows the result of this boat catch analy- sis. In 1920 the average daily catch per boat was only 93 pounds. This increased to 142 pounds in 1923 and then it dropped to 101 pounds in 1924. The year 1925 showed a marked increase to 135 punds, and 272 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 1926 and 1927 were somewhat lower with 129 and 115 pounds, respec- tively. The solid line in the same figure indicates the straight line that best fits the points determined by the dotted line. 31 the slope of the line 2 xy was computed from the formula M= ~, x being the deviations of the 2t X years from their midpoint in half years and y being the deviations of the yearly average daily catches from the mean of the eight values given for these averages. The trend of the solid line in figure 79 is more significant in giving a general picture of the abundance of striped bass than the dotted line showing the exact status of the average daily boat catch for each year since it summarizes the trend of these separate points. Also some of the yearly results are influenced by factors other than the availability of the fish to the fishermen. As an example of this, during 1924 there was very little rain and a resulting condition of low, clear water which was not favorable to large catches of striped bass. Also in 1927 very large catches of shad were made which caused the fishermen to concentrate on shad fishing and to go to places where large shad catches could be made, even though the bass catches result- ing were smaller than usual. The catch return per constant unit of effort and gear has had an upward trend during the eight-year period, 1920 to 1927, inclusive. From this we can safely assume that the abundance of striped bass, or at least the availablity of the bass to the fishermen has increased during that time, since the same gear used by the same men for the same length of time has brought catches whose trend in size is greater as the years progress. To briefly summarize the statements made in the previous pages : The striped bass when introduced in 1879 and 1882 found a habitat extremely suitable to their welfare and increased rapidly, until in 1899 they were supplying a total annual catch of over 1,200,000 pounds. This period of large yearly catches continued until 1915, after which, with the exception of 1918, the catches were much lower. This drop in total catch upon careful analysis appears to be due to withdrawal of men and boats from the fishery and restrictive legislation. During the years from 1920 to 1927, inclusive, the catch per unit of gear and effort for a constant unit of time has become greater, which strongly indicates an increased abundance or availability of bass to the fisher- men. Certainly there appears no reason to fear that the fishery is being depleted. Rather it seems that through wise protective measures the total catch is being held to a level low enough so that the supply of bass is at least holding its own and probably slightly increasing, which it might be expected to do, unless too great a strain is placed on it, until the species becomes numerous enough to fill its new habitat and completely utilize the food, spawning grounds and environment available to it. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 273 GRUNTON ON CABEILLO BEACH ' By Frances N. Clark. Although much has been written - of the habits of the grunion, that unique fish found spawning on the sandy beaches of Southern Cali- fornia, this year has added a new item to our knowledge of the adapta- bility of this unusual fish. The grunion deposits its eggs in the sand at the upper edge of the zone reached by the highest tides and appears on the southern California beaches in two-week intervals from March to August of each year. The spring tides, which accompany the full and dark of the moon, are the time tables by which the grunion runs can be pre- dicted. For about an hour after the turn of the tide on the three or four nights following the full and dark of the moon, these little fish are to be found washed up on the beach, the female digging tail first into the sand and depositing her eggs, which the male fertilizes as he lies arched around her. Succeeding tides bury the eggs more deeply in the sand where they lie until dug out two weeks later by the next series of high tides. At this time the eggs hatch and the tiny fish are washed back to the sea. Many have speculated on the question: Do grunion hatched on a particular beach return to the same beach to spawn when they have reached maturity? It has been definitely demonstrated that Pacific salmon ^ spawn not only in the same stream, but in the same tributary of the stream in which they hatch. Eels * migrate thousands of miles to deposit their eggs in the same region of the ocean where they began life as tiny larvae. If two species of fishes have such strong homing instincts, may this not hold true for other species also? An answer to the question as to whether or not the grunion are home beach spawners has been furnished, in part at least, by observations made in the spring and summer of 1928. During the spring and summer of 1927, a new beach was constructed at the base of the breakwater protecting Los Angeles Harbor. This beach, known as Cabrillo Beach, was filled in by pumping sand from the channel of the harbor, and laying it down at the foot of the bluff both on the harbor and ocean sides of the breakwater. The beach on the harbor side is well protected with almost no surf. On the ocean side, the surf is heavy and the slope of the sand where the waves break relatively steep — a condition which would seem scarcely favorable for spawning grunion, as the water washes back too quickly for the fish to readily maintain their position preparatory to the spawning process. Although the beach appeared unsuitable and the possibility that grunion would so quickly populate a new beach seemed remote, the writer made observations on the favorable series of tides during the 1 Contribution No. 72 from the California State Fisheries Laboratory, August, 1928. = Thompson, Will F., assisted by J. B. Thompson. The spawning of the grunion. Calif. Fish and Game Comm. Pish Bull. No. 3. 1919. Clark, Frances N. The life history of Leuresthes tenuis, an Atherine fish with tide controlled spawning habits. Calif. Fish and Game Comm. Fish Bull. No. 10. 1925. Clark, Frances N. The conservation of the grunion. Calif. Fish and Game, Vol. 12, pp. 161-166. 1926. ^ Gilbert, Charles H. Contributions to the life-history of the sockeye salmon. (No. 5) British Columbia Comm. Fish. Report, 1918, pp. 26-52. * Schmidt, J. The breeding places of the eel. Phil. Trans. Roy. See. London, 211-B, pp. 179-208. 1922. 2 — 62149 274 • CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. spawning season of 1928. U;ntil the night of June 5, many fruitless visits had been made to Cabrillo Beach, but on that night grunion were seen for the first time, and that these tish are not strictly home beach spawners was thus demonstrated. This first run of grunion was remark- ably large, the fish appearing by the thousands. The run began about fifteen minutes after the turn of the tide and lasted about an hour. Fig. 80. Cabrillo Beach at San Pedro, California. An artificial beach appropriated by the grunion as a spawning ground. August, 1928. Fish were observed on the ocean side of the breakwater only and none were found on the protected inner beach. On the following night, a second good run was seen although only about half as great as on the previous night. Two weeks later, on June 20, another run occurred which was small in size and lasted about a half hour. Since the peak of the spawning season had been passed, a smaller run was to be expected at this time. Again, on July 4, a small school of grunion was found spawning on this new beach. These four observations, on three successive series of favorable tides, demonstrate quite conclusively that individuals of this group of fishes do not necessarily return to spawn on the same beach on which they were hatched, but can adapt themselves to a new beach at least a limited distance from well established spawning grounds. For several years spawning grunion have been seen on Brighton Beach and on Long Beach, approximately five and ten miles from Cabrillo Beach. But whether a new beach at a considerable distance from any spawning grounds would be appropriated immediately by grunion remains in doubt. In addition to the interesting ecological aspects of the occupation of Cabrillo Beach by the grunion during the first spawning season follow- ing the construction of the beach, and the consequent demonstration that grunion do not always return to spawn on the beach on which they were hatched, it is encouraging to learn that these fish are still present in sufficient numbers in the region of Los Angeles Harbor to furnish the exceptionally large run witnessed on June 5. The depletion of the grunion has reached the point where the complete extermination of the fish has been feared. But with the aid of the closed season, which is now effective between April 1 and June 30, it is hoped in a few years time that the spawning runs may be built up to something of their former magnitude. CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. 275 THE TOTUAVA FISHERY OF THE CALIFORNIA GULF Trans-Desert Trucking of Mexican-Caught Fish ^ By Geo. Roger Chute, (With eight photographs by the author.) The story of the strange commencement and meteoric rise of the Totuava - industry constitutes, no doubt, one of the most picturesque and interesting episodes in the history of fishing. Originating in an inhospitable and remote region, surrounded by the most discouraging natural obstacles, the traffic in this splendid food fish has leaped from inconsequential proportions into sudden gigantic maturity and arro- gated to itself a position of conspicuous prominence in the fresh fish trade of southern California. So swift has been this happening that although thousands already have seen the product and come to appre- ciate its qualities under the name of "Mexican Bass," "White Sea Bass," or any other of several inexact designations, few persons have an understanding, as yet, of the remarkable circumstances surrounding the marketing of the great Totuava. State Laboratory Takes Early Interest. In the beginning days of the business, when it first w^as rumored that men with automobile trucks were bringing loads of big bass from out of the sweltering desolation of the Imperial valley deserts, an investigator was sent r' , ■• . "1 - :■•■-•:. ^. ...•, -— r^.,,-..-. :^-,.:. ~~--^^'i^'^^^^ W-*- •iai. Fig. si. a bird's-eye view of San Felipe, taken one morning- wlien the beacli was deserted, tlie canoe fleet being at sea, Ashing. Waiting truclvs at tlie right edge of the picture. March 11, 1927. from the State Fisheries Laboratory at Terminal Island, California, to view the fishery. Floods in the deserts and impassable roads defeated that original purpose, but successive later attempts resulted in a 1 Contribution No. 74 from the California State Fisheries Laboratory, August, 1928. -The accent written above the word "Totuava" (To-too-ah'-vah) does not occur in the Spanish spelling, but it is here applied to facilitate correct pronunciation of a foreign word, new to our language. 276 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. continuous observance being made, and a record of progress has been kept, year by year. Mexicans Commenced the Industry. A long time ago the fishing for Totuava had its beginning at Guaymas, that once great seaport of the Pacific which lies part way up the mainland shore of the *'Mar de Cortez, " as the Mexicans seem to prefer to call the Gulf of Cali- '^' I Fig. 82. Dug-out canoes of the Totuava fishermen. These boats are brought from Jalisco, and are valued highly, since they last for more than a lifetime. Very few plank boats are used. March 12, 1927. fornia. At Guaymas the fishing began, the Totuava being held in high esteem by the town folk of that time. But it happened that some Chinese of the place discovered that the sound or swim-bladder of the fish was of unusual character, and not dissimilar to that of fishes in the Orient which, when properly dressed and dried, sold for astonishing prices. So the experiment was tried, and the Chinese in China took so well to the new product that a regular sound-drying business arose. Many Mexicans were induced, by the high price offered for sounds or "buche," to go to sea in dug-out canoes in quest of the fish, and it is told by residents of the ancient town that eventually so many of the Totuava were caught that to capture more became exceedingly difficult. Search for Undepleted Waters. By the time this seeming condition of depletion is said to have become acute a number of white men had been attracted to the fishery by the unusual profits it offered, among these being a half dozen former German seamen — adventurous and capable men who had originally come into the country to seek for gold. These sea-bred prospectors found opportunity present for win- ning their gold from their accustomed ocean, they engaged in the fishing in serious fashion, and when the local scarcity reduced their revenue, went sailing away into virgin waters to discover this buche- yielding fish where it might be plentiful. Expansion of the Fishery. And thej^ did find it. Far to the north- ward, on the opposite side of the gulf, and perhaps only fifty miles CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 277 from the mouth of the Rio Colorado, rich fishing grounds were dis- covered. At the foot of a high rock headland, in the curve of a little bay, they built shelters of desert brush, found fresh water by making a well and commenced work. Of course the fish themselves were thrown away — only the swim-bladders or sounds were saved, these being cleaned with exact care and dried in the intense heat of the desert sun. Yes, desert sun, for the little camp lay on the edge of the Baja California waste lands, broad and hot. It was a hundred miles to running water ; a hundred miles to the nearest town. Formation of Fishing- Settlements. But the fishing was rich, and the venture highly productive. The Germans sailed back to Guaymas with canoes loaded with bales of "buche," and the spectacle of their splendid success so emboldened the natives that each year thereafter increasing numbers of them followed the pioneers across the gulf to the camp called San Felipe. The first season men only went, but on the second wives and children were brought, and in this way the town sprang up, growing from an original five white men to as many hundreds of Indians and Mexicans. Waste and Destruction. It is now impossible to calculate what tons of fish these people caught and wasted. But that the slaughter was appalling can not be doubted, for great consignments of baled "buche" were sent to China from Guaymas, all of it originating at San Felipe. It is true that occasionally a few fish were steaked, and the flesh sun- FiG. 83. Dressing Totuava on the beach. Only the truck drivers (fish buyers) wear shoes. During the height of the winter fishing many tons are landed every afternoon. The fish sold for five cents each four years ago, but now sometimes are in demand at as much as four cents a pound. dried for carrying home to the mainland, but this utilization was insignificant compared with the tons and tons that were cast back into the sea. First Sale of Fish Flesh. News of the presence of the fishing camp to the southward on the gulf finally reached the border town of Calexico, and there the waste of fish was told. Two American trugk- 278 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. men, haulers of melons, cotton and hay, loaded their machines with barreled water and gasoline and with an abandon that was both heroic and pathetic w^ent down over the roadless deserts, floundered through the mud plains of the Colorado, crossed the salt fiats where there is no water in ninety miles, climbed the hills, negotiated a passage through the sand dunes and finally actually arrived at San Felipe. The Mexi- cans were astounded. Twenty Pounds for One Cent. For ten centavos each (five American cents) as many hundred-pound Totu- ava were bought as the trucks could carry out, and thus, in the winter "of 1924-25, the fish truck traffic began. It was a fearful undertaking— and not without much real danger — to reach the seashore camp, but the fish were abominably cheap and the Mexicans glad to sell. The Americans real- ized large profits. Further Expansion. San Felipe is now a purely Mexi- can town, the German found- ers having left. These voy- aged across the gulf, as they had done before, and settled a second camp called Santa Clara. The natives have fol- lowed them there, also, and now the town produces more fish than ever has San Felipe. Some Startling Statistics. The records of the United States Customs at the entry port of Calexico show that a sportsman brought the first Totuava across the border there in 1923. "75 pounds sea bass — 2 fish" reads the meticulous record, and that ended the business for the year. But the ensuing winter, when the American truckers broke "the road, the importations rose to 170,000 pounds. The next season, when twenty Mexican imitators followed the lead of the American pioneers, the quantity handled practically quadrupled. Since that time each annual increment has almost doubled the tonnage of the year before, and at present the combined product of the camps totals nearly two million pounds. An Unconserved Resource. But the waste of fish goes on. Buche- raaking continues to be the main support of the fishery, for a big Fig. 84. Severing the spine at the base of tile head. The fish in this picture were caught by three men in tliree liours, quar- ter of a mile from shore. Practically all of the fish in this picture were males, and yielded no "buche." CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 279 sound is worth five dollars, whereas the fisli itself brings only two dollars, even at present enhanced prices. Marketing the flesh of the fish is but a by-product of the buche business and serves only to enlarge the revenue of an already lucrative enterprise. So the buche- p — Fig. 85. It is the fisherman's obligation, after selling his Totuava, to deliver them to the truck. The fish are strung on the looms of long ash sweeps, for convenience in carrying. March 13, 1927. «»■ J u^«iK»)¥i»p(e4,^ ' -:-^ Fig. 86. Loading the fish trucks at San Felipe. As much as 28,000 pounds of fish have been hauled out of camp in a single night. It is rarely that any ice can be brought so far, so the outward drive is a hard one, no stops being made except for a lunch until the border is reached. March 11, 1927. making continues, wasting the resource from which it comes. During summer, when American markets are stocked with home-caught fish, the Totuava trucks do not run. The canoes then wander away, follow- ing to Totuava schools in their migration down the gulf. In remote 280 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. rendezvous the canoemen make their camp, buche drying racks are built and the destructive work goes on, the fish being wantonly wasted. But in the autumn the flotilla straggles home again, trailing the traveling schools northward, the arrival being timed to be coin- cident with the resumption of the truck trade. Fig. 87. Fish truck caravan on the great ".salitre," the wide salt desert of the middle road. Here it is 90 miles between supplies of water. High tides from the gulf occasionally flood this plain, converting it into a sea of bitter mud. March 10, 1927. A Dug-Out Canoe Fishery. It is an odd association, this combina- tion of rude and primitive Mexican fishery with the highly developed, specialized scheme of transportation which has been invented by the American haulers to get the fish to market. At the camps one sees the Indians and Mexicans launching their canoes at early dawn. Two or three to the dug-out, they paddle away to the grounds to handline over the side for man-sized fish. At noon they come sailing home on the inshore breeze, the catch is thrown out and dressed on the sand where the canoes are beached, and after the buches have been removed and carefully laid aside for later attention, the carcasses are sold to truck- men present at the time. Most of the haulers within the bounds of Mexico are now natives. These load the fish into small machines and commence a precipitous race for the boundary, driving against time, for the deserts are hot, the road is long, and there is no ice. Usually they succeed, but there have been many failures. Refrig-erated. Transportation. At the border the American haulers are waiting. With giant trucks, carrying heat-proof refrigerator bodies, they receive the little loads of a half dozen Mexican vehicles before finally obtaining the five to six tons needed to cargo one of their own. The fish are first washed, then packed into the trucks in ice, and when evening comes the big mobile refrigerators commence the long run for San Pedro, the market. It is 237 miles from Calexico. From Yuma it is 317. Miles of hot desert must be traversed and the road leads from the shores of the Salton Sea — five hundred feet below sea level — to across the four thousand-foot mountain pass at Banning. But in CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME, 281 ten to fifteen hours the thing is done, for trucks leaving the border in the evening arrive at the markets at daylight the next morning! A Record Achievement. Probably no other food fishery has sent its product to market by so striking a method. It is believed that the four-hundred-mile Gulf-to-San Pedro route is the longest motorized fish transit known and it is doubted whether there exists anywhere an express service so saving of time while crossing broad reaches of hot sand-lands to deliver a perishable sea food product in such per- fect condition. Truck transit is notoriously costly and only a valu- able commodity can afford its use, but the Totuava is a superior food and a delicacy of increasing esteem and price. Totuava Catch of the Gulf of California by Seasons, July First of One Year to July First of the Next* 1923-24 None 1924-25 171,000 pounds 1925-26 664,000 pounds 1926-27 1,039,000 pounds 1927-28 (to April 25) 1,838,000 pounds * Statistical data from the records of The California State Fisheries Laboratory, Terminal Island, California. 3—62149 Mazes of rutted roadways cover the muddy flood plains of the Rio Colorado for many miles. During the river's freshets, or following winter rains, these oozy trails can not be crossed for weeks at a time. Bogging down with heavy loads is a frequent happening here. March 10, 1927. 282 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. : A NOTE ON THE SQUAWFISH AND ONE OF ITS RELATIVES • • By W. I. FOLLETT (With four photographs by the author.) There has been some discussion in recent numbers of California Fish and Game regarding the trout-eating propensities of the squaw- fish or Sacramento pike {Ptychocheilus grandis, Girard) of the Sacra- mento-San Joaquin sj^stem and certain coastal streams. Those who are interested in passing judgment on this question from their personal Fig. 89. A typical growth of the sedge (Carex nudata) which is eaten by Mylo- pliarodon. Near Virgilia, Plumas County, California, on east branch of north fork of Feather River. June 17, 1928. observations should bear in mind the fact that the squawfish is not the only large Cyprinoid to be found in California trout streams. Consider for example the East Branch of the North Fork of the Feather River at a distance of ten or twelve miles east of Belden. This stretch of the river formerly contained rainbow trout in fair numbers. That they are now almost entirely gone is attributable to various man- made causes, but the fact that they were formerly abundant will permit us to consider this a ' ' trout stream. ' ' In this portion of the river is to be found not only the squawfish above mentioned, which there attains a length of three feet, but also an outwardly similar species of a related genus whose food habits are substantially different. This is Mylopharodon conocephalus (Baird & Girard), sometimes known as the "hardhead," which in the same locality reaches a length of upwards of 18 inches — next to Ptychochei- lus, the largest member of the minnow family (Cyprinidae). It might be noted in passing that the squawfish here under discussion is not the largest species of the family. That honor must go to another species of CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 283 the same genus — the socalled "white salmou" of the Colorado River basin (PtychocJieilns lucius, Girard), said by Jordan and Evermann to reach a length of five feet and a weight of 80 pounds. Our squaw- fish, however, attains proportions second only to those of this giant of the Colorado. As may be observed from the accompanying photographs, PtycJio- cheilus and MylopJiarodon might easily be confused by the superficial observer. The number of dorsal and anal rays, as well as the scale counts, are so nearly alike that individual variation renders this method of distinguishing the two quite unsatisfactory in the absence of a series of specimens. In general the coloration of Ptychocheilus tends more toward silvery upon the sides, where Mylopharodon is of a dusky hue, and the lower fins of the former take on an orange tinge during the breeding season, while those of the latter are dark-colored at all times. But coloration is an exceedingly variable quantity, greatly aifected by such factors as light and shade, and the degree of clearness of the water. Again, generally speaking, Ptychocheilus has a large mouth, Mylopharodon a considerably smaller one. This is perhaps the most satisfactorj^ means of hasty identification, but here we run afoul of the fact that the relative size of various parts of the anatomy of these fishes varies a great deal with the age of the individual. One of the most satisfactory methods of distinguishing the two is by an exami- nation of the lower pharyngeal teeth. The pharyngeal bones are situ- FiG. 90. Squawfish or Sacramento pike (Ptychocheilus grandis) . Length (total) 151 inches. East branch of north fork of Feather River, near Virgilia, Plumas County, California. June 10, 1928. ated behind the gills, corresponding in position to a fifth gill-arch. They may be easily removed while "cleaning" the fish. In Ptycho- cheilus, the teeth borne on these bones are slender and slightly recurved, without any trace of a grinding surface. They may be termed rapta- torial — adapted to seizing upon the prey which the fish has taken into its mouth. Teeth of this sort are typical of the subfamily Leuciscinae, 284 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. to which Ptychocheilus belongs. Mylopharodon, on the other hand, has given its name to a distinct subfamily, the Mylopharodontinae, both words being derived from a shortened form of the Greek Mylopharyn- FiG. 91. Hardhead {Mylopharodon conocephalus) . Length (total) 15 inches. Bast branch of north fork of Feather River, near Virgilia, Plumas County, California. June 16, 1928. Fig. 92. Lower pharyngeal teeth of Ptychocheilus (left), and Mylopharo- don (right). godon, which may be translated ' ' grinder-pharynx-tooth. ' ' How accu- rately this word describes the fish in question will be appreciated when one observes the enlarged molar pharyngeal teeth with flat grinding surfaces. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 285 It has been the writer's observation that Ptychocheilus is an exceed- ingly voracious fish, a true carnivorous type. It will without hesitation seize a fish of its own kind which shows the slightest signs of being disabled, even though its prey be so nearly its own size that it is unable to swallow the victim. A good-sized piece of fresh fish "skittered" across the surface of the water, or a small live frog hooked so that it can swim, will prove an excellent bait for the squawfish. Mylopharodon, however, is at least partly herbivorous. The writer has examined stomachs of this species which contained nothing but a mass of sedge or "tuft grass" (Carex nudata), the leaves of which frequently trail in the water and are readily accessible from beneath the surface. Although this fish will also take a grasshopper in lively fashion, it is not a voracious type like its relative, and will probably be found to do little harm to trout unless it be by destroying their spawn. Whether or not Ptychocheilus actually devours live and uninjured young trout the writer can not say from his own observations, but there is no reason at all to doubt that it would seize a crippled trout. And on the other hand, it is an interesting fact that a piece of squaw- fish will often prove successful as a bait for rainbow trout at times when most other lures are of no avail. THE BONEFISH -OVERLOOKED BY CALIFORNIA SPORTSMEN By "W. I. FOLLETT (With one photograph by the author.) In volume 4 of California Fish and Game, at pages 59-60, Profes- sor Starks describes the Bonefish (Alhula vulpes [Linnaeus] ), variously known as ladyfish, macabi, sanducha, and bananafish. The name first given is that by which it is known to the majority of fishermen on the Florida coast, where, in relatively recent years, it has attracted an extraordinary amount of interest, and is considered one of the most desirable of game fish — in fact great numbers of anglers are said to make annual pilgrimages to Florida in quest of this fish alone. The high esteem with which sportsmen regard the bonefish is shown by the fact that Zane Grey, in his book entitled "Tales of Fishes," describes it as "the gamest fish that swims," while "Wendell Endicott, in his "Adventures with Kod and Harpoon Along the Florida Keys," considers the taking of a bonefish to be "the champagne of fishing." It is remarkable, therefore, that it has not attracted more attention on the Pacific Coast, for it is quite generally known to occur in San Diego Bay, and the writer has on more than one occasion taken it from the south side of Terminal Island in Los Angeles harbor, while fishing for croakers and surf -fish. In the latter locality the most successful bait for this fish, as for most others, proved to be the segmented sea-worms (Nereidae), known to fishermen as "pile worms" because of their being found among the 286 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. mussels and barnacles of wharf piles. In Florida, however, the hermit- crab is said to be the bait regarded with greatest favor. As a food-fish, Alhula has the disadvantage of being exceedingly bony, as indeed, are most of its kindred, but the flesh, like that of the shad, has an excellent flavor, and one who has the patience and skill to cope with the bones will find it much to his liking. Fig. 93. Boneflsh Alhula vulpes (Linnaeus). Family Albulidae. Length (total) 15 inches. Terminal Island, Los Angeles Harbor, California. October 28, 1926. INTESTINAL PARASITES OF WILD DUCKS AND GEESE* By B. C. O'RoKE, Parasitologist (Diseases of fish and game in California. Paper 2.) While many different kinds of intestinal parasites have been reported from wild ducks and geese, our knowledge concerning the majority of them is meager and based upon random observations rather than upon concerted effort. This is not unusual. It merely represents a stage of progress comparable to that of our knowledge of the parasites of domestic poultry until in recent years. By comparison, we are safe in saying that parasitism in wild birds just as in domesticated birds deals with matters involving many factors and relationships. Foxf in discussing parasitism among wild geese and ducks at the * This is the second article from the Bureau of Research on parasites of game birds. The first concerned parasites of the valley quail, and was published in the July number of this publication. TVe are grateful to the University of California for continued use of the laboratory facilities of the Zoology Department and to Professor C. A. Kofoid, chairman of this department, for helpful advice and for allowing the use of his personal library. Credit is due Mr. O. D. Williams of this department for finding and identifying the gizzard worms mentioned in this report. The work on parasites is a part of a survey of game diseases which has been undertaken by the Division of Fish and Game. The study of game diseases has been made iDossible largely through the cooperation of the University of California. Dr. K. F. Meyer, Director of Hooper Foundation for Medical Research, has accepted an appointment as Consulting Pathologist and is supervising our pathological investi- gations. t Pox, Herbert, 1923. Disease in captive wild mammals and birds (J. B. Lippin- cott Co., Philadelphia, Pa.), 665 pages, 87 figs, in text, pis. included. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 287 Philadelphia Zoological Gardens gives figures showing that of the birds that died in a given period of time at the gardens, 15 per cent of the geese and 4 per cent of the ducks were parasitized with various kinds of flukes and tapeworms. This situation suggests further analysis. Are wild birds in zoolog- ical gardens more prone to harbor parasites than they are in their native wild state? What kinds of parasites are present in wild ducks and geese ? What about their relative numbers? What about their host and geographic distribution? How do they directly or indirectly affect the welfare of the birds ? Obviously questions of this kind can not be answered by drawing conclusions from conditions that prevail in domesticated birds or in wild birds in captivity, owing to differences in environment and feeding conditions, and the survej^ method is suggested as being the most logi- cal procedure to follow. For many years, serious losses among wild ducks have attracted the attention of those interested in their preservation. Since the nature of the malady or maladies has remained obscure, it was thought that a survey of parasites, in addition to being desirable in itself, might be of value at least indirectly or as a matter of elimination, in investigations of duck sickness that are now being carried on by this Division. Accordingly with the opening of the duck season in 1927 a survey of parasites was begun. Sufficient progress has now been made that a report can be issued at this time. As will be seen by the accompanying map, an attempt has been made to extend the survey to areas where duck sickness has been reported as well as to places apparently free from the malady. METHOD OF INQUIRY With the helpful cooperation of various gun clubs, employees of the Division of Fish and Game have been able to be present on shooting days, and have thus had access to more material than they could have obtained working independently. As the birds were brought in and the entrails removed, casual exami- nation was made immediately for any obvious or unusual conditions occasioned by parasitism. Samples of all parasites found were then collected, preserved, and taken to the laboratory for later study. The following table shows the results of the survey to date. Due to the unsettled condition of the literature on the Trematode and Ces- tode worms, no attempt has been made to classify some of the speci- mens into divisions lower than the genus to which 'the specimen belongs. Owing to lack of space in the table, the authorities' names are not included with the genera and species. In accordance with correct usage, however, the list is included and is as follows : Ascaridia lineata (Schneider, 1866). Hymenolepis lanceolata (Bloch, 1782) Weinland, 1858. Hymenolepis anatina (Krabbe, 1869) Cohn, 1901. Zygocotyle ceratosa Stunkard. Genus Diorchis Clerc, 1903. Genus Amidostomum Raillet and Henry, 1909. 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H K s to & ^ 0 ■w •c^ g to V. 0 01 03 .^^ w>>>>>oo S^ •rt ••:; "^ ■-■■:: CO as iJ J J iJ h5 h] ^T-o CO m to a, ccc-«a wmm°5 0! 03 03 b. y o o oX lA t-lT'OOOOOOOOCOOO CqCS)CQW(MC<3(MCq OOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOQO ■^ -^ -^ Tt* ■^ Tj* Tj< ■^ -^ -^ "^ ■^ "^ -^ ^ "^ ■^ T-H 1— I 1— ( T-H r- ( iH tH rH iH 1-H tH T-l C^ C^ ^ iH tH tH 1-1 iH r-t tH tH 1-1 i-H r-^ »-H T-H tH Cq W C- t^- C^ t-00 ^ 1— I T-(Cq T-i ? :£> l> 00 C?> O iH N CO •.5 Tj"^-*^-^l^lrtu^U5 "S-a i- i-( c % e o 8 o o 1^ e e 00 to to a o t> 7-1 eg «■* 292 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. Fig. 94. Outline map of California showing locations where collections of parasites of ducks and geese have been made. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 293 While the preceding table shows the numbers of different species of birds examined and the conditions of parasitism with regard to each, it does not take into consideration several interesting comparisons which are apparent when the subject matter contained in the table is rearranged. Disregarding kinds of parasites and arranging a table to show the number of birds of each species that were examined and the percentage parasitized, the tabulation is as follows : N'tiniher Number Percent Species of bird examined i)arasitized parasitized Mallard 1 0 .0 Spooubill 4 0 .0 Widgeon 15 0 .0 Green-winged teal 23 1 4.3 Canada goose 6 1 16.6 Hutehin's goose 6 2 33.3 Pintail 68 42 62.0 Lesser snow goose 3 2 66.6 Ross snow goose 5 4 80.0 Totals 131 52 39.+ A further analj^sis of this table shows that with the single exception of the Canada goose, all of the geese are in the group that shows a high percentage of parasitism. If these figures represent an average sample of the conditions of parasitism obtaining among our common waterfowl, it would seem that the pintails and the geese are more sus- ceptible to parasites than the others are. This condition might have its explanation in relative immunity or in differences in feeding habits. As to correlations existing between the conditions of parasitism found and the localities studied, the collections from Vallejo and Bakersfield were so small as to be of doubtful value for comparison with those from other localities. Fortunately, Live Oak, Los Banos and Jack- snipe afford interesting data for comparing conditions in the Sacra- mento and San Joaquin valleys and in a typical salt-water marsh area. The figures are as follows : No. of birds Number Per cent Locality examined parasitized parasitized Jacksnipe 26 3 11.5 Live Oak 29 8 27.6 Los Banos 63 26 41.2 It would seem from this table that parasitism is more common in birds that frequent inland bodies of fresh water than it is in those that live habitully on the salt marshes. Also it appears that birds are more heavily parasitized in the San Joaquin Valley than they are in the Sacramento Valley. The various matters of migrations, feeding habits, summer conditions, etc., are so complicated that it is indvisable to draw too many conclusions from one season's work with a limited number of birds. Referring back to the original table, it will be noticed that by far the most common parasite found was the small thread worm Amidosto- mu-m sp? This form is almost microscopic in size, about the diameter of ordinary sewing thread, and lives embedded in the inner surface of the gizzard just at the edges of the grinding pads, They averaged 294 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. from one to five per parasitized bird, and the records show that this form was found in twenty-three different birds belonging to six dif- ferent species. The tapeworm Hymenolepis anatina was next in abundance, being found eight times, but only in pintail ducks. Four specimens were the most found in any one bird with the exception of two cases where the tapeworms were immature, and so small that an accurate count was not made. Another tapeworm Hymenolepis lanceolata was found but twice in two different species of geese. The round worm Ascaridia sp ? was like- wise found but twice in only one species of bird. All other records are based upon finding the parasite only once and in one host only. From the foregoing tables and discussion it will be seen that intes- tinal parasites are present in nearly all species of our duclcs and geese commonly taken during the hunting season. The fact that no parasites were found in the small numbers of mallards, spoonbills and widgeons examined does not necessarily mean that these birds are not parasitized. Another season might show a higher percentage of these birds in the bag and parasites in proportion to their number. No cases were found where mature parasitic worms were really abundant. With two or three exceptions the parasitized birds seemed to be in as good condition as the unparasitized ones. The above studies being made in late fall and winter with mature birds give, of course, no picture of the situation that may prevail among the young birds in early summer w^here parasitism may be of considerable importance. In this connection it may be said that the life cycles of parasites and the susceptibility of various hosts to infec- tion by such parasites are the factors to be considered. The life cycles of only a few of the worm parasites of birds are known, and all of these involve complex factors of food relationships of the birds and the things upon which they feed. From the standpoint of intestinal parasites, the survey thus far has disclosed no apparent relationships existing between duck sickness and the presence of parasites. As has been mentioned previously protozoans, particularly amebae have been found in the digestive tracts of two sick ducks from Buena Vista Lake that were being kept under observation. This is of interest and suggests the desirability of making more extensive collections of these organisms than was done in last season's work. To do this will involve the use of special equipment in the field for making up the material on microscope slides and preserving it immediately after the birds are killed. Those who observed the collecting of parasites in the field last year will recall that it is a comparatively simple matter. The following diagram will give an idea as to the relationships of the parts of the digestive tract and the places where parasitic worms may be found. The intestinal tract is removed from the bird and placed in a pan of water. It is then slit open with small scissors and examined in the water. Using a pipette or medicine dropper to squirt little jets of water into the opened intestine serves to free the parasites from the surrounding material. When a parasite is found, it is washed free. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 295 lifted out by means of a camel's hair brush and placed in the preserving fluid. Round worms and flukes can be handled with a small pair of forceps, but tapeworms are usually broken by this method of handling. The greatest danger of destroying tapeworms as specimens in the process of collecting them is to break off the scolices (heads) which are attached to the intestinal wall. It is important that these heads be intact for they are invaluable for identification. For collecting the small gizzard worms, a sharp-pointed pair of forceps should be used. Four per cent formaldehyde makes a good fixing and preserving fluid. An important thing to remember is that a generous amount of g^l ^ , ''^ O / Tapeworm / --f- ■, // Ginotd \ I Worms ^^ ) Coecum X EsopViocius Proi/en+ri Cuius ^^^^ Gizzord \ :.^- — " Duodenum \ f5^5C~ Coecum Worms \ Small Infes+ine \ Large \ \ Infea+ine Coecum / ^*->»..^CQecurti WorriTi — \ CIOOCQ fluke,'-' \Anu5 Fig. 95. Diagram of intestinal tract of duck showing places where parasites may be found. the preserving liquid should be used. About ten times as much liquid as the bulk of the specimens is the correct amount to use. Most impor- tant of all is exact labeling, stating the host bird, the locality, date, the place in the host where the parasite is found, and the collector's name. Interest taken by sportsmen and others in the parasite survey of game birds will be appreciated by the Division and we will also be glad to obtain any specimens that may be sent in. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cram, Eloise B. 1927. Bird parasites of the nematode suborders Strongylata, Ascaridata, and Spirurata. U, S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 140, 435 pp., 444 figs, in text. 296 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Fox, Herbert. 1923. Disease in captive wild mammals aud birds (J. B. Lippincott Co., Phila- delphia, Pa.), 665 pp., 87 figs, in text, pis. included. Ransom, Brayton Howard. 1909. The taenioid cestodes of North American birds. U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 69, 128 pp.., 42 figs, in text. Ward, H. B., and Whipple, G. C. 1918. Fresh-water biology (John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N. Y.), 1111 pp., 1547 figs, in text. Fig. 96. Rescuing fish from overflow area. August, 1928. Photograph by George Neale. FISH RESCUE AND EECLAMATION By George Neale (With three photographs by the author.) While the Division of Fish and Game has previously been engaged in fish rescue work principally of black bass, its purpose was, primarily, to fill requisitions for the stocking of barren waters or for replenishing those waters which were over fished more than from a conservation viewpoint. No funds had been available or organization created to carry on the work. The work of rescue and distribution was carried on for a number of years out of Sacramento by the late deputy Manuel Cross and the writer. The conditions were ideal for natural propagation in both Yolo and Sacramento counties. There were more black bass, possibly, in those two counties than in all the state. A total of 507 shipments of large mouth bass were made during the years 1904 to 1912 to counties as far south as San Diego and north to Siskiyou. Up to this date the other spiny-rayed tribe, crappie and sun fishes, were not in sufficient numbers to justify their removal to other waters for stocking purposes. Since then these spiny-rayed fishes were introduced into the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys and thrived so remarkably well, because of the natural propagating conditions existing, that the angling fraternity has learned the economic and great outdoor value CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 297 of them. Consequently, the demand has grown and increased very materially. It is not generally known that these spinous fishes can not be egged or spawn stripped for artificial propagation as are the salmon family. Nature furnishes these fish wath outdoor hatcheries and the fish take advantage of flood conditions to make it possible for the parent fish to select their own spawning areas to reproduce themselves. But unfortunately, these spawning areas are not con- trolled by human agencies as are our hatcheries for trout or salmon. Later these overflow areas become dry through evaporation. Both young and adult fish consequently become a j)rey to both predatory birds and animals and thus become total loss. From my experience in fish rescue work of over twenty years I have estimated that the loss of spinous fishes, striped bass, black bass, all of the crappies and sunfishes, including catfish, and all of great eco- nomic value, exceeds the output of three of our largest artificial propa- gating plants. Since a license is now required to angle for them and since none are artificially propagated it is logical that we should take advantage of what nature offers. This is the purpose of the ' ' Bureau of Pish Rescue and Reclamation ' ' work by the Division of Fish and Game of the Department of Natural Resources. I have advocated this work for many years. Many of the eastern and middle western states are engaged in this work, also the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries, and have been for many years. California received her first shipment of spiny-rayed fishes for stocking our waters upon requisition by our fish cultural department. Fig. 97. A catch of fish ready to be transported to more favorable conditions. August, 1928. Photograph by George Neale. from the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries. They have thrived in the great valleys. During the month of August, 258,200 of these valuable fishes were saved to the anglers of the state. These have been transplanted into living waters. Several shipments have been made to southern Cali- fornia. The Division's fish car has distributed ten cans of crappie and 5 — 62149 20^ CALlIi^ORNIA t^ISH AND 6AMB. sunfish t© waters above the Santa Anita dam, Los Angeles County; twenty-four cans of crappie, sunfish and catfish to Henshaw Lake, San Diego County ; thirty-four cans bluegill and crappie to Diez Lake, Inyo County; thirty cans mixed fish to Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County, and six cans of catfish to Foss Lake, San Diego County. All the above were from the overflow of the Cosumnes, Mokelumne and American river watersheds. The torrid weather during the time the work was going on made it impossible to hold the smaller fish any length of time except the catfish, or for any great distance, consequently the larger fish were shipped and the small fry returned to the nearest living waters. Captain E. W. Smalley of Hanford has been very active in fish rescue work in his district. He reports having saved up to August 31st, 158,200 fishes, 110,200 of which were catfish, 15,000 of which were planted in Kings River, 4000 in Cross Creek, Tulare County, and 40,000 in Kaweah River, McKays Point. The other species, black bass, crappie and sunfish, were returned to the main rivers. In the saving of the game and food fishes I would eliminate all the useless nonfood fishes that are of no commercial or food value, of which there are several. I would also condemn the rapidly growing practice of the promiscuous use of m^innow seines now used for gathering bait in fresh waters. This practice is harmful for the reason that the sein- ing destroys the spawn of the game fishes. It also kills many young game fishes caught in the seine, many of which are returned to the water dead or left to perish on the shore. Unfortunately, many species of the finny tribe have been introduced into waters contrary to existing law and with no authority. If I am permitted it will be the policy of this bureau to stock barren waters with the species of fish most adapt- able to existing conditions. CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. 299 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME A publication devoted to the conserva- tion of wild life and published quarterly by the California Division of Fish and Game. Sent free to citizens of the State of California. Offered in exchange for ornithological, mammaloglcal and similar periodicals. The articles published In California Fish and Game are not copyrighted and may be reproduced in other periodicals, provided due credit is given the California Division of Fish and Game. Editors of newspapers and periodicals are Invited to make use of pertinent material. All material for publication should be sent to H. C. Bryant, 510 Russ Building, San Francisco, California. December 10, 1928 Most of us, as we grow older, grow to care relatively less for the sport itself than for the splendid freedom and abound- ing health of outdoor life In the woods, on the plains, and among the great mountains. — Theodore Roosevelt. HEAD OFFICE MOVED On the last two days of August, the head office of the Division of Fish and Game at San Francisco was moved from the Postal Telegraph Building to the fifth floor of the Russ Building, San Fran- cisco's new skyscraper. The new accom- modations, which occupy the Bush street wing, are furnished in dark mahogany. One enters a lobby with an information desk opposite. Then follow on the left of the hallway, the license bureau, de- partment of patrol, bureau of research, bureau of public relations, department of commercial fisheries ; to the right of the hall is found the library, bureau of educa- tion, bureau of hydraulics and department of fish culture. Most of the departments are in one large room separated by rail- ings. A suitable telephone system con- nects all departments. Although missing the privacy given by separate rooms, the new accommodations give a businesslike appearance. A laboratory and a dark room are additional facilities. Most of the storage room is in the basement. The Russ Building is thirty stories high and although but eighty per cent occupied at present, accommodates 4000 people, a city in itself. It has been ad- vertised for some lime as the "business center of San Francisco." GAME RESTORATION Someone has coined a worthwhile phrase. The term "game restoration" aptly describes recent attempts to restore game conditions. In some instances, a stocking program backed by modern game farms is bringing back game in the cul- tivated areas. The phrase is also apt when describing what Utah has done in improving conditions for wildfowl. Value- less land was purchased, dikes were built and the land flooded with water to a ilepth of a foot. Proper conditions being furnished, wildfowl find here a suitable feeding and breeding ground. This is game restoration. There should be more of it! OBLIGATIONS Many people seem to have the idea that having paid their hunting and angling license fee they can put the burden of conservation and protection on the state department. These same persons, al- though paying little attention to season and limit laws, curse the Division of Fish and Game for allowing certain species to disappear. The state department in charge often attempts to shoulder the greater responsibility which comes with larger numbers of hunters and changing conditions which limit the food supply of game. In recent months, there has been a concerted effort made to stir sportsmen themselves to responsibility. Their ob- ligation is not ended with the payment of dues in a game protective association, or the payment of a license fee. A real game restoration program is dependent upon the concerted effort of the whole body of sportsmen backed by public sentiment. A fish and game commission can only accomplish a share of the work to be done. Such an organization usually lives up to its responsibility as best it can, but some of the burden must be shouldered by those who hunt and fish. MORE STATE PARKS NEEDED Even though California possesses a full share of national forests and national parks, yet she is convinced that sufficient recreation grounds have not yet been set aside. Much state-owned land, which should have been saved, has become pri- vate property and necessity now forcer the state to buy suitable recreation areas. Here is a state with a population of 5,000,000 which owns but five state parks. A state parks program has been formu- lated and voters of the state are asked to provide a bond issue of $6,000,000 in order to insure the recreational feature for her citizens. This sum is to be matched by an equal sum in private do- nations. Buildings are built and rebuilt and so are roads, but when natural scenery and wild life resources are destroyed by con- version of lands to other uses, they are 300 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. gone forever and impossible to replace. This is a sound argument for immediate action. The needs of the future must h' anticipated. California is not the only state that has waked up to recreational needs. The state of Connecticut is buying and leas- ing her streams for the use of the public for fishing and recreation. New York has authorized bond issues aggregating $25,000,000 for forests and public parks. Pennsylvania has expended over $4,000, 000 to buy forest lands, and this fall will vote upon a $25,000,000 bond issue with which to purchase 3,500,000 acres. The voters of Illinois will decide upon a $20,000,000 bond issue to be redeemed from the fish and game fund with which game bird propagation and the effect of forest fires on fish and game. An accurate portrayal of the brood pond system at the Mount Shasta Hatch- ery was conveyed by a large cement pond containing brood trout of the German brown variety lazily swimming about. Other ponds painted in the canvas back- grounds with hatchery buildings beyond and snow mantled Mount Shasta domi- nating the whole made a satisfying picture of the state's largest hatchery. Artificial rock work, mossed and refreshed by ferns, and the music of falling water, added a note of beauty to the scene. Along the side wall of this set was a hatchery trough with hundreds of tiny black-spotted trout, while a hatchery bas- FiG. 98. Truck with rescued fish ready for transportation to live waters. August, 1928. Photograph by George Neale. to purchase lands and waters for fish and game refuges and for recreational uses, The necessity for such progress is evident and affirmative action is to be expected. Recreation areas are necessary and now is the time to act ! DIVISION'S WORK SUBJECT OF VISUAL STUDY During the forty-day display of the Pacific Southwest Exposition, Long Beach, thousands of visitors learned of the work of the division in the protection and production of fish and game resources. Three harmonized, realistic groups, occu- pying almost one entire side of the Cali- fornia Building, with appropriate natural and artistic settings and panoramic back- grounds, exhibited fish cultural operations, ket containing eggs completed the steps in the fish cultural cycle. Colored plates and maps with the neces- sary explanatory legends on the wall above the hatchery trough gave the spec- tator a knowledge of the scope of the division's fish cultural activities. Visitors attracted by the colorful plum- age of the golden pheasants, Chinese ring- necked pheasants, valley quaU and Hun- garian partridges in the game bird group, looked into a series of pens projected into the painted background and enjoyed the illusion of gazing into a game farm out of doors. Particular care was given to reproduce faithfully a section of the pro- posed southern California game farm near Chino, San Bernardino County. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 301 In the central group, a striking effect was achieved by contrasting the "before and after" effect of tire. The intimate relation of a living forest and the pursuit of life by wild creatures was impressed in a way few could escape. The live animals- used combined to represent in a com posite way as many important species of value and interest to the sportsman as could be associated together without too great a variance from actual fact. A pair of mallard ducks with their brood of young rafted on the small pond in the foreground ; a coA'^ey of quail, bobbing in and out brush and about the trees hunt- ing for food, and a young black-tailed deer, oblivious to the attention of exposi tion throngs, lent a naturalness to the set and conveyed that intimate charm of wild life close at hand. Desolation and charred trees in the burned forest area expressed unequiv- ocally the evil that forest fires do. A deer skeleton took the place of the living animal in the live forest section. But the ducks and quail were gone. In their stead were two black vultures. In an educational way, the exhibit ac complished much. Young and old were able to understand it and learned some- thing of the work of the division. Many carried away with them the conviction of the need for protection and the necessity for preseiwation of fish and game. The exhibit was a cooperative affair with the United States Forest Service and with the division. As a whole, it revealed a mastering idea. This achievement in symmetry and arrangement was due to the efforts of Paul J. Fair, of the Forest Service. The paintings used in the back- ground of the three groups were done by the noted landscape artist, Frank J. Mackinzie. Rodney S. Ellsworth had charge of the exhibit for the division. IN MEMORIAM EUGENE WILLIAM HUNT Death claimed one of the Division's oldest employees in time of service on September 18, 1928. Eugene William Hunt (67) field superintendent of hatch- eries since 1912, began his services with the then Fish Commis.sion as secretary to J. V. Shebley, hatchery superintendent, on August 7, 1887. He therefore rounded out forty-one years of service. "Gene" Hunt was born of a pioneer Sacramento family sixty-seven years ago. As a young man, he worked in the tax collector's and assessor's office in San Francisco. In 1901 he married Eleanor Nelson of a pioneer Marin County family in San Francisco. After becoming associated with hatchery work, he played an im- portant part in developing the famous Battle Creek Hatchery for salmon in Te- hama County. He assisted in building many of the present hatcheries. Many will remember him as superintendent of hatchery operations at Lake Tahoe. As field superintendent he has helped cor- relate hatchery work and improve condi- tions at the various hatcheries. Eugene W. Hunt. B. W. Hunt was dependable, loyal to his duties and to his host of friends. His genial disposition, his many kind and charitable acts and his faculty to meet the public and his untiring devotion to his duties won him the respect and esteem of his superiors through over forty years of public life. He was a true sportsman and believed in the conservation of wild life in the fullest sense of conservation. Eugene Hunt was a Knight Templar and a Master Mason. The funeral serv- ice was conducted by the Masonic order at his request. Of immediate relatives, he leaves a brother, W. B. Hunt of Mt. Shasta; a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Healy, and a nephew. Captain Jack Neely of San Francisco, to mourn his loss. The Hatch- ery Department especially, the whole working force, and thousands of friends will long remember the good works of the deceased. — W. H. Shebley, 302 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. GEORGE THOMPSON While on patrol duty, endeavoring to apprehend violators. Deputy George Thompson of Gridley, California, was shot and killed by Charles Hogaboom, an alleged demented rancher of Pennington, Sutter County, on September 7, 1928. George Thompson was one of the most faithful, industrious men on the force. He knew ducks and their habits for he was, as a young man, a market hunter. Yet experience had shown him the dan- gers of wholesale destruction and he made a better warden for his early experiences in hunting. His knowledge of wildfowl furnished him with the ability to imitate their calls. He was considered one of the most expert men in the state in calling ducks and geese. He fearlessly enforced the game laws and won the confidence of his district. George Thompson was a native son. born in Sutter County in 1880. He be- came a deputy fish and game commis sioner in 1921 and by diligence established an enviable record. It was never too early or too late for him to be in the field. Many a night was spent in the tules attempting to catch "ground sluicers." For many years he engaged in farming He is survived by a wife and four chil- dren, two boys and two girls. Though but small consolation for the loss of hus- .band and father, they are privileged to remember that he was killed while doing his duty. Deepest sympathy goes to the bereaved ones from his fellow workers. — H. C. B. GAME COMMISSIONERS MEET AT SEATTLE A joint meeting of the American Fish- eries Society, the Western Association of State Game Commissioners and the Inter- national Association of Game, Fish and Conservation Commissioners was held at the Olympic Hotel in Seattle, Washing- ton from August 27th to 31st. This was the 8th annual meeting of the Western Association of Game Commissioners, the 22d annual meeting of the Internationa] Association, and the 58th annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society. The first two days were devoted to the joint program of the first two organizations, while the remaining three days were de- voted to the program of the Araerican Fisheries Society. This was a meeting of conservation offi- cials, experts and enthusiasts from the United States and Canada. Many ad- dresses and papers were given and much discussion engaged in on aU phases of fish and game conservation. Each of the three organizations gets out a printed re- port of the meetings and all of the papers and the discussions will be avail- able for any who are interested. One of the greatest benefits to be derived from a meeting of this kind is actually to meet and to exchange ideas with those who stand out as leaders in the conservation movement in North America. There were in attendance from the Cali- fornia Division of Fish and Game, Presi- dent I. Zellerbach who delivered an address based on his experience as presi- dent of the California Fish and Game Commission ; Mr. Eugene D. Bennett, executive officer, who, when the roll of the states and provinces was called, answered with a short talk on the organi- zation and work of the California Divi- sion of Fish and Game ; Mr. E. C. Scofield, who gave a paper on the striped bass investigations in California ; and J. S. Hunter, Roy Ludlum and N. B. Scofield, who helped enliven the discus- sion and served on various committees. The next meeting of the Western Asso- ciation of State Game Commissioners is to be held in San Francisco at a date to be decided upon later. President Zeller- bach received the honor of being elected the next president. The other two organi- zations will hold a joint meeting at Min- neapolis next year during the week commencing September 9th. Addresses especially worthy of note given at the Seattle meeting were : "Bear River Marsh as a National Project," by David H. Madsen, Superintendent Bear River Marsh Migratory Bird Reserve, Utah ; "Measures for Better Protection of Wild Life," by Colonel Paul G. Reding- ton. Chief, U. S. Bureau of Biological Survey ; "Alaska Salmon — an Achieve- men in Conservation," by Henry O'Mal- ley, U. S. Commissioner of Fisheries ; "A Canadian-American Salmon Reclama- tion Project," by John Pease Babcock, Chairman, International Fisheries Com- mission, British Columbia ; "Work of the International Fisheries Commission," by Will F. Thompson, Director, Scientific In- vestigations ; "Development of the Oyster Industry of the Pacific," by Professor Tre- vor Kincaid, University of Washington ; 'Effect of Paper Mill Waste on Young Salmon — Means of Prevention by Dis- posal," by H. W. Nightingale, Sanitary Engineer, Washington State Department of Health ; "Harbor Seals of Northwest Coast Country," by T. H. SchefEer, Wash- iagton, U. S. Bureau of Biological Sur- rey. There was a symposium on fish propagation which included research on fish foods, conducted by John W. Titcomb, CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 303 Superintendent of Fish Culture for Con- necticut. There was a group of papers on "Problems Relating to Reclamation and Power Projects." There were other valuable papers too numerous to mention here One evening was given over to an illustrated lecture on "Bird Life," by Dr. T Gilbert Pearson, President, National Association of Audubon Societies. The Thursdav session of the American Fish- eries Society was held in the open air at the beautiful grounds of the state s Green River Hatchery to which those in atten- dance were taken in motor cars. A picnic lunch was served on the grounds. Un Wednesday evening was the International Wild Life Dinner, in the Venetian Gar- dens of the Olympic Hotel. All who are interested in conservation should secure printed copies of the trans- actions of the three organizations. Most of the papers will appear in the Trans- actions of the American Fisheries Society. The Transactions have been issued for a period of 58 years and contain most valuable contributions on fish culture, fisheries science and conservation of the game and commercial fisheries. The re- port of this organization has grown until it contains over 300 pages and no better investment can be made by anyone in- terested than to take out a membership in the society which costs $3 and secure the publications as they are issued. the respect and support of the man who really helps raise the game shot by the hunter. When a new fish and game pro- tective association is formed, the assem- bled members are always asked to pass the following resolution. If sportsmen ^vould indeed follow these injunctions the problem could be solved. Whereas, It is generally concluded that great and irreparable injury and damage is done to the property of .farmers and land owners by irresponsible hunters and fishermen; and ^^ ^ , -^ ^r Whereas, It is the object and aim ol this association to create a better under- standing of the rights of the farmer and land owner and more appreciation for the privileges granted the sportsmen by the farmer and land owner, be it Resolved, by the membws of ------ Fish and Game Protective As"sb"c"iation. that they will not hunt, shoot or fish on any enclosed or culti- vated lands that are private property without first having secured permission so to do from the owner or tenant of tne lands; and be it further Resolved, That upon requesting permis- sion or having been granted such permis- sion the members of this association will voluntarily exhibit to th« owner or tenant of the lands their membership card in this association together with their hunt- ing or fishing license. HUNTER VS. FARMER. The hunter continues to accuse the far- mer of selfishness when he is ordered off the owner's land. The farmer complains bitterly that the hunter has no respect for other people's property. The situa- tion appears to be growing more acute. One of the Portland papers has carried a series of articles under the heading, A Farm Woman Speaks." The articles point out that in self defense "no hunt- ing" signs were put up, but did little good It is also pointed out that often tame quail which are feeding in the far- mer's yard are shot by the careless hunter. The question is even broached "Why is there no farm representation on a game commission when the farmer hat such a personal interest in game?" One wonders how the average farmer can be induced to protect and increase the game on his land if he does not re- ceive fair treatment from the hunter who claims a right to take the game which law says belongs to the commonwealth and not to the owner of the land. In spite of pleas continually made to the sports- men, conditions show but little improve- ment. However, here in California, there is an earnest endeavor being made to hold A CHANGED VIEWPOINT NEEDED The pioneer hunted game purely as a meat supply. Later there were days when markets were stocked with every sort of game. In order to save wild life resources, it became necessary to stop the sale, and add numerous restrictions on the taking. At present, a changed view- point is necessary. Everyone must admit that the greatest usefulness of game is not to be found in its meat value, but in its recreational value. Furthermore, it is coming to be recognized that the mere presence of wild birds and animals is an asset. If, with changed conditions, we place a different valuation on game, there must be modification of its care. Every citizen of the state has a right to assume ownership. Each has a right to have a hand in game administration. Wild life resources must be administered in a pro- gressive manner coincident with chang- ing conditions. Fifty years ago, game was considered useful only to those who killed it for food, today game m some places has a usefulness to those who would go out and see it alive in the open. Proper utilization will come only when study has revised the importance of each contributing factor. CONSERVATION TRAINING CAMP FOR BOY SCOUTS OPENED IN YOSEMITE State conservation leaders have for some time sought effective means of better utilizing the boy seout organization m the conservation program. This past 304 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. summer, the Bureau of Education of the Division of Fish and Game decided upon a plan involving a summer camp where an intensive course on conservation meth- ods would be given to advanced scouts, especially selected by each council in the state. Yosemite was chosen as the loca- tion because of the availability of the nature guide staff to help in instruction. A cooperative arrangement was worked out with the executive committee of Re- gion XII of the Boy Scouts of America whereby the Division of Fish and Game and the Yosemite Nature Guide Service were to furnish instruction and the Boy Scouts to furnish camp direction. The camp opened .on August 5 with twenty- nine enrolled. The objectives to be at- tained were outlined and there followed studies of fish, game and fur-bearing mam- mals, waterfowl and shorebirds, forestry, and then conservation methods. Field trips were taken daily, including the Yosemite Hatchery, elk paddock, Yosemite Museum and a day and a half trip taking in Glacier Point and the Pohono trail. One evening Governor C. C. Young appeared and gave the boys a straight-from-the-shoulder conservation talk. This experience will long be remem- bered by the boys. When the camp closed on August 15 all the boys enthusiastically maintained that they had never learned so much before. DEPUTY KILLED BY VIOLATOR "Shot and killed while in performance of duty." Not only do we read this in connection with police officers, but also in connection with game wardens. A game warden deals with malcontents and often risks his life in performing his duty. The latest to fall victim to the rage of a man caught in a violation of the game laws was George Thompson, a faithful deputy of the Division of Fish and Game. Thomp- son, on September 7, started from his Gridley home early to check up on dove hunters who were reported as violating the game laws. Near Pennington,, Sutter County, Thompson stopped Charles Hoga- boom and asked him for his license. The violator leveled his shotgun at Thompson and shot him three times in the head. The dead warden was found later in the morning and the murderer was captured after a severe battle. Hogaboom, said to be demented, confessed. This tragedy adds a fourth regular warden to the list of those murdered since 1913. In addi- tion, two regular deputies were injured. Two special deputies have been killed and two others injured in similar encounters. The list of murdered and injured war- dens is as follows ; Deputy George J. Rodolph, Merced County, November, 1914. Deputy Richard Squires, San Joaquin County, December, 1916. Deputy Ray Heacock, San Joaquin County, December, 1916. Deputy George Thompson, Sutter County, September, 1928. Deputy Frank Cady (injured), Lassen County, April, 1926. Deputy Jack O'Connell, (injured), San Joaquin County, June, 1927. Special Deputy Bert Blanchard, Contra Costa County, February, 1913. Special Deputy Ernest Raynaud, Marin County, April, 1913. Special Deputy John Nelligen (in- jured), Lassen County, April, 1913. Special Deputy John W. Galloway (in- jured), Santa Cruz County, March, 1913. It is a satisfaction to note that most of the murderers were apprehended and are serving life sentences. STATE LION HUNTER SERIOUSLY INJURED Jay Bruce, who since January 1, 1919, has been state lion hunter, met serious injury on June 27, 1928, resulting in the loss of the sight of one eye. The acci- dent occurred while in performance of duty. While hot on the trail of a moun- tain lion in Rubicon Canyon, El Dorado County, Bruce stepped on a crooked stick which, flying upward, struck him with great force in the left eye, cutting and penetrating the eyeball. Although stunned and suffering from an excruciatingly pain- ful wound, Bruce made his way to the place where the lion was treed. Unable to see well enough to shoot, he encouraged his son, Jay, Jr., to kill the lion. The boy failed to place a death shot and the lion got away but was treed again and shot by Bruce, whose vision had now suffi- ciently cleared, 400 yards farther on. The lion was skinned by young Bruce at the direction of his father, and the skin packed out to the machine. Unassisted, Bruce clambered 2500 feet up the walls of the canyon to a cabin, where he admin- istered first aid treatment to himself. Upon arrival in San Francisco the in- jured man was given medical attention at the St. Francis Hospital. Although Bruce is out and around again, his left eye records little more than light. Unless given a helper, Bruce will neces- sarily have to give up lion hunting. This means that the successful control of mountain lions in California will be hard hit. Only one other man in the state has even begun to approach Bruce in ability at getting mountain lions. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 305 NEW BUREAU ESTABLISHED For many years there has been desul- tory rescue of catfish, striped bass and blaclv bass from overflowed areas. "When trout were found dying in a drained res- ervoir or drying-up stream, the nearest deputy usually went to the rescue. The worli, though important, was sporadic and did not come within the scope of any par- ticular department. Feeling the need for definite attention to the work of saving and transplanting fish, the Commission has established a Bureau of Fish Rescue and Reclamation with headquarters at Sacramento, and has placed in charge an experienced man. George Neale, with twenty-three years of service in fish and game conservation work in this state, will head this bureau. What this step will mean to the conservation of fish is evi- denced by the August report of the bureau, which show^s a total of 258,200 fish rescued and distributed to suitable locations. THE BUILDING OF DAMS Oregon is wrestling with the same prob- lem which confronted California when a high dam was proposed for the Klamath River. The McKenzie River is one of Oregon's best fishing streams. Sports- men claim that it will become another Clackamas if the dam is built. The Clackamas has deteriorated as a fly cast- ing stream since dams were built. The power company concerned, of course, is making wonderful promises of the latest type of fish ladder. In the real fight now raging in Oregon, there is to be found at least one consolation : The fish and game commission is now considered as an inter- ested body with some say as to power developments which may injure fish re- sources. Their stamp of approval is asked. Not many years ago, a state con- servation board was ignored in such mat- ters. This much is progress toward proper solution of a vexing problem. NATIONAL WATERFOWL REFUGE LAW The essential principles of such a bill are : the securing of ample refuge areas at the earliest possible date ; certain and adequate revenue for purchasing main- tenance ; provision for administration which will insure efficiency free from poli- tics, favoritism and abuses. The impossi- bility of reconciling all groups to unani- mous support of such a bill is evident. However, it should be possible to work out a plan of reconciliation, adjustment and compromise so that there will not be involved a serious reversal of principle in case the essential results are attained. Conservationists and sportsmen should show a spirit of cooperation so that this law may be enacted. A NEW GAME FARM After a careful survey, a site has finally been selected for the proposed southern California game farm. The Los Serranos Country Club has agreed to donate twenty-nine acres near Chino, San Ber- nardino County, and negotiations are well under way to acquire this property. The site is well drained. A good water supply is available. Plans call for 364 pens in a vermin-proof enclosure. There is hope that constniction will be of steel rather than of wood. In addition a large open rearing field planted to alfalfa will be provided. FOLSOM FISHWAY REPAIRED During the high water season of this year, parts of the fish ladder at the dam at Folsom became so filled with boulders that much criticism was forthcoming from neighboring county sportsmen. Deputy G. I. Fleckenstein helped in solv- ing this vexing problem. Captain Larkin, working in cooperation with the state and Pacific Gas and Electric Company, who jointly own, control and maintain this dam. undertook to put the same in good condition. Twenty-three convicts were placed upon the work for about three to four wrecks removing the enormous boul- ders. Photographs submitted at the time the work was being done show the men at work and many dead eels floating on the water at the foot of the dam. STATE FAIR EXHIBIT, 1928 The permanent panorama exhibit at the State Fair, at Sacramento, in September, was remodeled to depict a winter scene in the Lake Tahoe region. The exhibit was under the direction of W. H. Shebley. The lighting effects were beautiful and the ponds full of trout furnished realism. An added feature was the exhibit portraying the activities of the Bureau of Fish Res- cue and Reclamation. The fishes ex- hibited in the aquaria were those rescued from overflow areas. As in past years, the division's exhibit stirred the admira- tion of practically every visitor to the fair grounds. LUMBER COMPANIES PROTECT MULE DEER Despite the fact that deer season in the mule deer country was scheduled to open on September 16, hunters were unable to bunt deer in Shasta, Siskiyou and part of Modoc counties until October 1. This was 306 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. brought about by the posting against hunters by the McCIoud Lumber Com- pany and the Weed Lumber Company, whose timber holdings cover practically all of the mule deer country. The motive in back of this action is understood to be protection against fire. It has a direct bearing, however, on the conservation of mule deer because it materially hampered the activities of the army of eager hunters accustomed to invade this territory at the opening of the season. MUSKRATS IN KERN COUNTY Muskrats have been reported in Kern County, inhabiting the region along some of the canals. They have proved a men- ace to the crops in that they cause wash- outs as a result of their burrowing habits. The Division of Fish and Game is coop- erating with the State Department of Agriculture by issuing no permits allow- ing the introduction of muskrats for use in fur farming in the areas west of the Sierra Nevada and Sierra Madre ranges of mountains. Muskrats are native east of these ranges. THE BEAR RIVER PROJECT The Bear River Refuge Bill was passed by Congress and received the approval of the president on April 23. The bill car- ries an appropriation of $350,000 for use in establishing waterfowl refuges in the Bear River marshes of Utah. Not over $50,000 of the appropriation may be used for buying land, most of the land needed being already government land. The bal- ance of the fund will be used largely for constructing dikes to raise the level of the fresh water in the marshes so as to prevent the loss of birds from alkali poisoning. The bill as passed permits the use of not to exceed 40 per cent of the area in- cluded in such refuge for public hunting grounds, the remaining 60 per cent to be maintained as sanctuary. Senators Phipps of Colorado and Kin? of Utah introduced almost identical bills on this subject. The King bill was passed by the senate. The Colton bill was passed by the house with amendments not contained in the King bill, which were accepted by the senate and the Colton bill became the law. Hon. David H. Madsen, for years the State Fish and Game Commissioner of Utah, and one of the outstanding con- servation officials in America, severed his official connection with the state of Utah on July 1, and accepted the position of superintendent of the new Bear River Bay Migratory Bird Refuge now being created by the Biological Survey under the provisions of the recently signed King Colton bill. The construction work necessary for the refiooding of the Bear River marshes will be performed under the direction of L. M. Winsor, Bureau of Public Roads engineer stationed at Logan, Utah, who has been engaged for a number of years on irriga- tion projects in the west and is well fitted for the work. Mr. Winsor during the summer of 1927 made the preliminary surveys at Bear River Bay for the Bio- logical Survey. This important project therefore will go forward under the direction of two experienced Utah men — -Mr. Madsen, fully familiar with wildfowl conditions and with wild life administration, and Mr. Winsor, familiar with construction of levees and enjoining details. Mr. Mad- sen has been one of the strongest advo- cates for the refiooding of the Bear River marshes and the creation of a refuge there as a means of preventing the appalling annual mortality of birds in that region. He planned and executed Utah's famous public shooting grounds of 30,000 acres. It is expected that the building of dikes to store fresh water now flowing into Salt Lake will not only eliminate the death areas which killed millions of birds in the past, but will afford a feeding and breeding ground for great numbers of waterfowl. Instead of a death trap for ducks, the area should become a supply point for western North America. Cali- fornia is sure to profit by this develop- ment, for many ducks banded in the Bear River marshes have been taken in the great valleys of California, indicating a direct line of flight. GAME ADMINISTRATION The Board of Game Commissioners of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has issued, as Bulletin No. 10, a statement by Commissioner Francis H. Coffin outlining the history and accomplishments in game administration in Pennsylvania. In the bulletin the following significant state- ment is made : "The average citizen who considers the work of game administration at all is apt to think that the most serious thing the board has to deal with is the illegal hunter or law violator. The game war- den, or as we term our field man, the 'game protector,' was formerly considered as an obnoxious and pestiferous individ- ual, who went snooping around the woods making trouble for the hunter who acci- dentally or thoughtlessly exceeded his bag limit, or who in some other relatively harmless way infringed the stringent laws CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 307 of the Commonwealth. This point of view happily no longer prevails among our Pennsylvania hunters, who have learned to know their game protectors as fellow sportsmen, and as men working at all times to protect and foster the best inter- ests of sport for the average citizen. The truth is that while the police activities of the game protective force are very im- portant, this phase of their work is only a small part of it." THE RESTORATION OF MARSHES In urging the necessity for restoration of marsh areas in California for use of wild waterfowl J. P. Cuenin writes the following impressive statement in the San Francisco Examiner: "We have reached the stage now where we must do more than merely talk about providing breeding, feeding and resting grounds for our ducks and geese — we WINTER FEEDING The Department of Conservation of the state of Michigan will attempt this com- ing year to encourage the extensive use of feeding stations for both nongame and game birds. The plan is based on the supposition that the increase of quail and certain other species in many parts of Michigan is dependent upon the success- ful wintering of the birds. Pursuant to the plan, the Department of Conservation has asked for information on what foods are most suitable for winter feeding of game birds, the type of location most appropriate, and the precautions which must be taken to protect the feeding birds from predatory birds and mammals. MIGRATION OF TROUT STUDIED It is well known that some species of trout are distinctly migratory and that dams or other obstructions block their Fig. 99. Pack train with golden trout crossing a summit in Sierra in 1914. For the first time this transplantation vi^ork was reinaugurated in 1928. Photo- graph by A. D. Ferguson. must act at once. Ducks can't breed in the air, they can't feed on the air and they can't rest in the air, and we have passed the stage where we can count on badly overworked nature to assist the hunters. "Some duck shooters seem to have the idea that without the restoration of marsh areas the present supply of ducks can be maintained, but this class of hunter has evidently given little thought to the subject. A few figures may en- lighten them. Nine years ago there were 174,291 hunting licenses issued in Cali- fornia. At that time there were 697,560 acres of marshland in the concentration points of the ducks in this state. At the present time there are more than 253,000 hunters in California, and the marsh area has been reduced to the insignificant size of 77,000 acres. Here is an increase of more than 78,000 hunters and a decrease in the duck grounds of 620,560 acres." progress. In other instances it seems possible that certain kinds of trout are largely non-migratory and that man-made barriers do not interfere seriously with the life habits of trout. However, much of the information at hand is largely guesswork, and it is quite necessary that there be an endeavor to determine the ability of trout to pass beyond dams and waterfalls. The Conservation Commis- sion of Michigan has recently tagged 10,000 trout in order that a determina- tion may be made as to the percentage of success attained in passing certain bar- riers. Work along the same lines should be instituted in Califoraia in order that dependable data may be at hand when defense is made of various power projects. TO STUDY LIFE HISTORY OF PACIFIC EEL Professor Johann Schmidt of the Uni- versity of Copenhagen has started a two 308 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. years' scientific cruise in the Pacific with ithe intention of solving the riddle as to the spawning grounds and migration routes of the Pacific eels. Only recently has the puzzling migra- tion of the Atlantic eel been solved. It was known that young eels were never seen to descend a river and that old eels never went in any other direction. Young ones came up from the sea, the old ones went to sea. Finally, what is supposed to be the eggs and young of eels were found in the north Atlantic, north- east and east of the West Indies. Here the adult eels lay their eggs and then die. The young eels, which are leaf shaped, flat, thin and transparent as glass, feed on the minute water organisms and finally reach the fresh water streams along the Atlantic coast. Professor Schmidt now hopes to find the spawning grounds and work out the life histoi*y of the eels of the Pacific Coast. GIANT TORTOISE BROUGHT TO SAN DIEGO Last May ISO giant tortoises secured on the Galapagos Islands by the New York Zoological Society were brought to the United States to attempt breeding them at a number of different points. A breeding stock was left at Balboa, Canal Zone ; in Arizona, in Texas, in Louisiana and in San Diego, California. All of the tortoises have been numbered, weighed and measured so as to furnish informa- tion as to their rate of growth. Since these tortoises have furnished mariners with a food supply through the cen- turies, it seems reasonable that colonies be developed in various suitable loca- tions. On some of the South Sea islands the British government has successfully established land tortoises which have proved a valuable resource. Were they a faster growing species, they would lend themselves more readily to domestication. MEXICAN GAME BIRD PROPAGATED Mr. W. Leland Smith of Fairoaks, California, has been experimenting with the famous Mexican game bird, the cha- chalaca. During the past season, a pair of birds owned by Mr. Smith have suc- cessfully i-eared two clutches, and in late August were incubating a third. FRY AND FINGERLINGS There has been considerable misunder- standing concerning the size of the vari- ous kinds of baby fish that should be called fry and fingerlings. To clarify the terminology the United States Bureau of Fisheries has recently called attention to the generally accepted meaning, which is as follows : Fry — Fish up to the time the yolk sac is absorbed and feeding begins. Advanced Fry — Fish from the end of the fry period until they have reached a length of one inch. Fingerlings — Fish between the length of one inch and the yearling state. The various sizes are designated as follows : No. 1, a fish one inch in length and up to two inches ; No. 2, a fish two inches in length and up to three inches ; No. 3, a fish three inches in length and up to four inches, etc. Yearlings — Fish that are one year old, but less than two years old from the date of hatching. Fish over two years old and less than three years are commonly termed "two-year-olds." While the term "three-year-olds" may be employed, fish of this age are generally called "adults." TEACHERS' BULLETIN No. 10 Certainly the organization in charge of the protection of wild life should cham- pion the cause of any birds, animals or fish whose value is not properly recog- nized by the public. Probably no group of valuable birds suffers more criticism than the hawks and owls. Because some have been seen to destroy game, all kinds, good and bad, are killed on sight. In a new teachers' bulletin, Mr. Don- ald McLean makes a plea for the protec- tion of owls and gives short descriptions of the different kinds found in the State of California. This short bulletin will be placed in the hands of teachers in or- der that they may properly instruct students as to the real values pertaining to owls. SEA LION BULLETIN PREPARED One may view the sea lion as many fishermen view it, as a predatory species, feeding largely upon food fishes. On the other hand, one may demand protection for this sea mammal because of the inter- est and pleasure given to visitors to the sea coast and because of its value as a natural resource. Persons with either point of view will profit and doubtless obtain a more correct impression by perusal of a new bulletin now ready for press which gives the results of an in- vestigation into the life history and hab- its of this mammal. Mr. Paul Bonnot points out that of the stomachs examined only two contained valuable food fishes. There is no doubt that sea lions do some damage to fishing industries. On the other hand, they doubtless have a real part to play in the balance of life in the sea. These large CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 309 animals might very easily be exterminated and a real resource lost. The least waste- ful and most humane method of holding these animals in check would be the kill- ing of a certain percentage of the pups. The killing should be done by trained men and a census should be made regu- larly to determine the actual status of these animals from year to year. The bulletin will be fully illustrated and will bring together much valuable information relative to sea lions on the coast of California. A GAME SURVEY On July 1, Aldo Leopold of Madison, Wisconsin, for a number of years an out- standing attache of the staff of the United States Forest Service, was en- gaged by the Sporting Arms and Ammu- nition Manufacturers' Institute to make the first American game resources sui-vey. Mr. Leopold has studied game matters for many years, is well known as a writer on conservation subjects, and is one of the best equipped men in America to make such a survey. "The purpose of the survey," says the institute in its announcement, "is to col- lect the experience and ideas of sports- men and other conservation agencies as to the best ways and means for inducing the sustained production of game crops. It will constitute a search for dependable basic facts. By assembling the facts and making them available to the sportsmen, the sponsors of the survey hope to stimu- late the foi-mulation of an effective pro- gram of game restoration." DUCK TIME The leaves on the trees are brown and sere ; The grass is withered and dead, And the sky is blue of the deepest hue In the narrow chinks o'erhead. So you pause, perhaps, in the city's streets, As you level your gaze on high. For you hear a call, through the dim smoke pall When the ducks go drifting by. The lure of the wild gets in your blood, For the tang of the wind is sweet. And your pulses bum as you long to turn Where the land and the waters meet ; Where the winds wail low through the fringing sedge, And withering cat-tails dry ; Where the ripples break on a dead calm lake. When the ducks go drifting by. Then it's back to the wild, when the sun comes up. And the twilight dawn fades fast. When you lie in your blind, for you hope to find A shot as the birds drift past. When the pin-tails quack in the feeding grounds, And the blue bills venture nigh, Then a roar and flash — and the waters splash When the ducks go drifting by. You who are chained to your desks of wood, In the heart of the busy hum ; Turn back a space for a breathing place, When bracing November comes ; There's a hunter's camp, and a hunter's life, And many a shot to try. And tales to tell by the fire, as well, When the ducks go drifting by. — The Illinois Sportsman. RESOLUTION DEMANDS STUDY OF WHALE At the Tenth Annual Convention of the United States Fisiieries Association, held in Buffalo, New York, in the early part of August, the following resolution was adopted : Whereas, At the present time the kill- ing of whales in all seas of the Avorld where they may be taken commercially is proceeding on an unprecedented scale with the result that important commer- cial species are threatened with economic exhaustion if not actual extermination, and Whereas, This great natural resource can only be properly studied and hus- banded through cooperative arrangements of the nations concerned, and Whereas, Certain other species of ma- rine mammals such as Steller's sea lion of the North Pacific, the California sea lion ranging from the Farallon Islands south- ward to Central Mexico; the Guadalupe fur seal formerly found along the coasts of California and Lower California ; the northern elephant seal of the same re- gion, and the Pacific walrus of the North Pacific are in danger of ruthless destruc- tion and possible extermination, therefore Be it resolved, That the U. S. Fisheries Association at its tenth annual convention recommends that steps be taken urging the nations to provide for an international commission to make necessary investiga- tions as to the condition and number of these mammals, whether the supply is being endangered and to make recommen- 310 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. dations to the governments concerned as to what regulations are necessary to safe- guard and perpetuate these forms, to pro- vide for their complete utilization where the fishery is permitted and to outlaw their ruthless slaughter and where inade- quate economic returns result, and Be it further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the minutes of this convention and copies sent to the governments concerned. WATERFOWL CENSUSES OF BIOLOGI- CAL SURVEY DEVELOPING VALU- ABLE CONSERVATION DATA Efforts to ascertain the fluctuations in the abundance of migratory waterfowl in North America, undertaken by the Bureau of Biological Survey, United States De- partment of Agriculture, one year ago and persistently followed up since then, are meeting with gratifying success. The ac- complishments already indicate that the original conception of the project was con- servative, not over-enthusiastic, and that information will ultimately be derived from the censuses that will be of inesti- mable value in the formulation of a sound policy for the conservation of the coun- try's waterfowl resources. The birds under consideration in this far-reaching cooperative undertaking include not only the ducks, geese, and swans, which col- lectively are termed "waterfowl," but also the American coot, or "mudhen." It will, of course, be necessary to have the second year's observations as a basis for computations of increase or do'-iiease of species or of waterfowl as a whole, but several very interesting facts have already been brought out by the censuses up to the present time. Owing to the surprising response that has been made to the re- quests for cooperation, the vast store of information gathered in the first year of the work has been far in excess of any reasonable expectation. The data ob- tained have been filed and indexed for ready reference. These results show particularly the winter concentration areas in the United States during the past year and the strik- ing fact is brought out, more clearly rhan ever before, that the birds chat breed in Canada and migrate over the United States withdraw into surprisingly small areas for the winter. These areas lie chiefly along the Atlantic Coast from Long Island southward ; along the Gulf Coast ; up the lower Mississippi Valley ; along the Pacific Coast ; with compara- tively few scattered, relatively small areas throughout the middle and western United States. In addition to this, the water- fowl, chiefly ducks, that winter in Mexico are gathered into about six important areas, from which unfortunately very little information was received during the past year, and which must needs be cov- ered adequately in order to supplement the information now available. Among the most important of the other facts brought out by these waterfowl censuses are the movements of the bulk of the waterfowl east and west, as well as north and south, particularly during migration, the location of the bulk of the birds dur- ing different months, and monthly fluctua- tions in these movements. To show these facts, a series of pre- liminary maps has been prepared indicat- ing conditions and locations of the bulk of waterfowl on each of the waterfowl census dates in the United States and southern Canada, from which areas the most satisfactory information has hitherto been received. These maps ai'e filed in the Biological Survey offices, as well as the other information gathered through these waterfowl censuses, and will become more serviceable when all necessary data can be more carefully analyzed and exam- ined and any errors eliminated, for in handling a project of such magnitude it is of course necessary and desirable to exor- cise all possible precaution to see that the deductions from the data considered rep- resent the true conditions. One of the most encouraging features of the past year's organization and conduct of these waterfowl censuses has been the almost universal interest and cordial of- fers to cooperate that have been met with everywhere. The purposes of these censuses are apparently appreciated and the method fully approved by those to whom it has been explained, and the future success of the work seems assured. The Biological Survey hopes to enroll additional ob- servers as soon as possible, particularly in Canada and Mexico, to cover all the important concentration areas, so that the facts gathered may approximate as nearly as possible the exact waterfowl conditions over the North American continent. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 311 DIVISION ACTIVITIES The Division of Fish and Game was very well represented at the recent meet ing of the International Association of Fish and Game Commissioners at Seattle. Meeting was held jointly with the West- ern Association of Fish and Game Com- missioners and the American Fisheries Society from August 27 to September 1. Commissioner Zellerbach was elected president of the Western Association for the coming year. The date for the meet- ing next year has not been selected but the meeting will be held in San Francisco some time in the fall. Both Mr. Zeller- bach and Mr. Bennett took an active part in the discussions at the meetings, as did Mr. Scofield of the Commercial Fisheries Department. David H. Madsen, of Utah, was elected president of the International Association. Our California Division of Fish and Game was represented on the executive board by J. S. Hunter. The next meeting of the International Asso- ciation will be held in Minneapolis, Min- nesota, the week of September 9, 1929. In conjunction with the American Fish- eries Society, W. F. Thompson, formerly of the California State Fisheries Labor- atory, gave a paper on the work of the International Fisheries Commission be- tween the United States and Canada ap- pointed for the study of the halibut of the North Pacific. A paper was also given by E. C. Scofield on the striped bass investigations which he has been carrying on for the Division. Other especially interesting papers given were: "The De- velopment of the Oyster Industry of the Pacific," by Professor Trevor B. Kincaid, and "The Harbor Seals of Northwest Coastal Country," by Theodore H. Scheffer. Department of Patrol A total of $9,141 was imposed in fines as a result of the 240 arrests made during July. These figures exceed those of any other month this year. A few of the more interesting cases which were made during the summer are as follows : One San Francisco citizen started out on his vacation. He neared Modesto at dinner time and being hungry, and seeing a nice flock of quail crossing the road, he proceeded to kill some. Deputy Magladry happened to be in this vicinity and took him into Judge Rice's court, where he was fined $200. A man of Dos Palos Avished to treat one of his San Francisco friends to a feed of doves and a few nongame birds. He sent nine doves and three or four nongame birds by express to his San Francisco friend. Deputy J. L. Bundock found the package in the express office ; seized the birds, and Deputies Blewett and Gourley of the Los Banos district were notified. They located the violator in Dos Palos. He was fined $275 by Judge Hales. One of the Japanese citizens near Salinas wanted some deer meat. He went out into a canyon and killed a doe, with- out even procuring a license. Deputy Fred Post was watching for such people and arrested the man, took him before Judge King, of Salinas, who fined him $500 for killing a doe, and $100 for hunt- ing without a license. Deputies Hoke, of the Patrol Depart- ment, and Bonnot, of the Commercial Fisheries, arrested a fisherman in the Klamath River who was operating a set net. Mr. Davis, a new judge in Requa, fined him $250. Two young men of Santa Rosa decided they wanted some deer meat. They went into Deputy Harley Grove's territory and killed a doe. Deputy Groves took them before Judge Ellis, at Cloverdale, who fined them $250. Four Chinese operating seine and fike nets near Hood in the Hood Canal were apprehended by Deputy Charles Sibeck. Judge W. E. Everson at Elk Grove as- sessed each offender $200. Possession of deer meat on July 30, was a costly thing for A. B. Stocking, of Boul- der Creek. Deputies Forrest McDermott and Jules Vissiere, of Santa Cruz and Watsonville, following up a tip that Stocking had deer meat in his possession, made an investigation at the mill of the Santa Cruz Lumber Company. The de- fendant refused to tell who gave him the meat, but entered a plea of guilty when brought into court. Judge Younger gave him the alternative of paying the fine or spending 250 days in jail, and after lec- turing him severly suspended $50 of the sentence. In checking the summer monthly re- ports of the volunteer deputies it was found they had checked 7632 hunting and fishing licenses, patroled 100,198 miles of streams, game fields and coast lines, made and assisted in making 77 arrests for violations of the fish and game laws in which cases fines in the sum of $1,880 312 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. were imposed. The above mentioned re- ports do not include fines in the sum of $950 imposed for arrests made by county fish and game wardens who hold volun- teer deputy appointments in the southern part of the state. Department of Fish Culture The summer months are busy ones for the Department of Fish Culture. Special care must be taken to guard against dis- ease and losses due to warm water. This makes it necessary to plant surplus fish in the hatcheries to allow room for those to be aged. The preparations must be made also for the hatcheries to be ready to receive the eggs taken from the fall spawning trout. In the Yosemite National Park Hatch- ery there are several species of trout in the aquariums which were collected by Mr. Townsley, chief ranger for the National Park sei-vice, who was assisted by Gov- ernor C C. Young and employees of the ranger service of Yosemite National Park. An effort is being made to get rainbow trout from Lake Eleanor for the aquari- ums. Trout from the hatchery have been distributed in streams within the park and waters outside the park boundary. of the eggs were shipped to the Caledonia Hatchery, New York. An aquarium was set up outside the Big Creek Hatchery and the fish were brought down from Prairie Creek for experimental purposes. Brush was cut and a clearing made for a new road on the grounds. George A. Coleman, biologist for the fish culture department, has been investi- gating the bluestoning of lakes and reser- voirs in San Diego County. Reservoirs often serve as domestic water supply, rec- reation and fishing grounds. Therefore, bluestoning to kill algae must be super- vised to prevent killing of fish. The main sources of sport fishing in the county need safeguarding. Over 600,000 golden trout eggs were received at the Mt. Whitney Hatchery from Cottonwood Lakes. Of these, 55,000 were shipped to Bozeman, Montana and to the New York Aquarium at the request of Charles H. Townsend, Director. The take of golden trout eggs was above nor- mal this year. The Cottonwood Lakes were planted three years ago, and half of the eggs taken were from fish planted at that time. Twenty-five thousand more A survey was made of the lakes in the high Sierra with the end in view that these lakes might possibly furnish eggs to be hatched at the Mormon Creek Hatchery, near Sonora. However, it is believed that it would be too difficult to reach these lakes early enough to secure spawn. Fish were planted from the Kaweah Hatchery during the latter part of July. It was necessary to distribute them early as the water during mid-summer becomes full of algae and water moulds which are injurious to the young fish. For the second time, to the knowledge of the Department of Fish Culture, an epidemic broke out among the fish west of the Rocky Mountains. The disease, resulted in the loss of two-thirds of the fish at the Big Creek Hatchery. The hatchery was quarantined and specialists engaged to study the problem. Department of Commercial Fisheries During July, Dr. Henry B. Bigelow car- ried on intensive oceanographical study in the waters near Monterey. He was assisted by E. C. Scofield, of the Com- mercial Fisheries Department, and al- lowed the use of the patrol boat Albacore. It is hoped that from this work a better knowledge of ocean conditions will enable us to predict fluctuations in the abund- ance of sardines at Monterey. Work is being continued on the salmon investigations. A man was detailed to make a preliminary survey of the salmon spawning grounds. He later spent some time at Monterey taking scale measure- ments from salmon landed there. Investigational work is also being con- tinued on the striped bass. Since the Albacore was in use at Monterey, it was necessary to charter another boat. Salt, for the purpose of patrolling the closed district around Cata- lina Island. Many cases were made of purse seiners seeking bluefin tuna. They were compelled to pay several hundred dollars in fines for fishing and having nets in their possession in a closed district. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 313 Thornley and Company, San Diego, in- terested in the kelp industry, is undergo- ing a reorsanization and expects soon to ask for a lease on kelp beds. There are only two other companies interested in this industry, Philip R. Park, San Pedro and Pacific Marine Products Co., Chula Vista. Two new fish bulletins are completed and available for distribution. Fish Bul- letin No. 12 by Dr. Frances N. Clark points out the significance of the length- Bureau of Research A predatory animal trapper was sta- tioned during June in Game Refuge l-O in El Dorado County. This assignment was made upon receipt of information that there was a large number of coyotes in this district that were destroying game. The chemical laboratory which was for- merly located at the offices of the Di- vision in the Postal Telegraph Building Pig. 100. Convicts working on fish ladder at Folsom dam. Dead eels in pool beyond. Photograph by G. I. Pleckenstein, July 2, 192 8. weight relationship in sardines. Fish Bulletin No. 13 by C. B. Andrews deals with seasonal trends in average size of sardines at Monterey. Other bulletins are partially completed and will be ready for publication sometime next year. The State Fisheries Laboratory has as- sisted Mr. H. L. Kelly, who is connected with the Division of Fish and Game of the Agriculture and Forestry Department, of the Territory of Hawaii, in procuring some clams and abalones for shipment to Honolulu. was moved to the Hooper Foundation for Medical Research, where added facilities are available. E. C. O'Roke, the parasitologist em- ployed by the Bureau of Research, is continuing his work on the investigation of blood parasites of quail. His first re- port appeared in California Fish and Game, Volume 14, Number 3. Dr. Henry Van Roekel was employed to conduct pathological investigations. He is working at the Hooper Foundation 314 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. under the supervision of Dr. K. F. Meyer, director of the foundation. Dr. Van Roekel has undertaken research problems at the Yountville Game Farm. During the summer, investigations were made at Buena Vista Lake regarding the "duck sickness" which has been previ- ously reported upon in California Fish AND Game. The ducks had all migrated and but few mud hens remained. Sam- ples of water and soil were taken. The amount of decaying organic matter found in the water would indicate that another outbreak of "duck sickness" can be ex- pected as soon as the birds begin to arrive in that section unless there is a very ma- terial improvement in the situation. Bureau of Education The director returned to the office on August 20. He reported some splendid accomplishments. The nature guide service in Yosemite took 2500 more peo- ple on field trips during the past summer than in the preceding one. The School of Field Natural History graduated twenty students, who will return to their homes to carry on conservation work. The new Boy Scout Conservation Training Camp, which stimulated interest of the boys in methods of conserving wild life, gave training to twenty-eight eagle scouts. He also reported worthwhile experiences in the various national parks visited while working with an educational committee appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. The exhibit showing miniature moun- tain sheep in a natural setting has been started on a year's trip over the state, and will be shown from Lakeport to San Diego. The trip was made possible by an arrangement through the California Development Association whereby each local Chamber of Commerce takes charge of the exhibit and places it in a desirable location. The first showing was at the San Francisco T. M. C. A., from which place the exhibit was sent to the Hotel Oak- land, at Oakland, for two weeks. Fol- lowing a schedule carefully worked out by G. N. Holmes, it was shown at Berke- ley, San Mateo, Palo Alto and San Jose. During the ensuing weeks it will be dis- played at Santa Cruz, Hollister, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles (four weeks), Glendale, Pasa- dena, Long Beach, Santa Ana, San Diego (two weeks). El Centro, Riverside, San Bernardino, Bakersfield, Visalia, Hanford, Fresno (two weeks), Madera, Merced, Modesto, Stockton, Sacramento (two weeks), Auburn, Marysville, Oroville, Chico, Willows, Red Bluff, Redding, Yreka, Eureka, Ukiah, Lakeport, Santa Rosa, Napa, Vallejo and Martinez. A second miniature exhibit depicting hatchery operations at the Mount Shasta Hatchery has been completed by E. S. Cheney. Already it has been on display at a number of different places. Built to scale and with motor attachment mov- ing a truck laden with fish cans, this ex- hibit represents a faithful and realistic portrayal of a familiar scene at the Mount Shasta Hatchery during trout planting time. The exhibit is fitted with a moving scroll which gives a knowledge of the scope of the division's fish cultural activities. A series of four field trips and four evening lectures were given the members of the Labor School held at Guerneville, Sonoma County, from August 24th to 27th. About thirty people from various labor organizations were present and at- tended all field trips and lectures en masse. The morning field trip on August 24th was organized to study plants and birds, primarily, while the evening lecture, il- lustrated with motion pictures, dealt principally with nongame birds and their relation to man's interests. The field trip on the 25th was devoted to a study of mammals and birds. The evening lecture dealt mainly with deer and mammals and was illustrated with motion pictures. Another lecture was given the local Guernewood resort at the request of E. H. Maize, proprietor. About ninety people attended. The morning field trip of the 26th started out to be a botanical trip, but geology cropped up on the discovery of a quartz vein, and a long geological dis- cussion took place on the spot. So much interest was shown in geology that a blackboard lecture was given that evening before the pictures were shown. The following morning found the group working on subjects of interest along the stream side. This new work is most valuable in that it reaches the working class and is car- ried back by the members of the school to their various organizations throughout the major part of the state. Conservation and the knowledge of wild life were the keynotes of the work. J. L. Kerchen of the University of Cali- CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 315 fornia Extension Division, director of the school, apreciated the cooperation and has asked for aid for next year. Bureau of Hydraulics Numerous inspections of streams were made to determine whether fish screens and fish ladders were necessary. Recom- mendations were made to some companies that new fish screens and ladders be in- stalled, and in some cases different loca- tions were suggested. discharge water is now free from visible signs of oil. About $50,000 was spent on these improvements. It has been reported that as a result of the oil cleanup in the waters in the vicinity of Ventura, fish have been seen in the Ventura River for the first time in several years. While no accurate figures are available, it is believed that over $200,000 has been spent in this field to avoid pollution. Following repeated warnings which ap- FiG. 101. Site of proposed southern California game farm near Chino. Photograph by Paul J. Fair, July, 1928. The Pacific Gas and Electric Company at Vallejo has built earthen dikes to keep the asphaltum beds and waste prod- ucts that have accumulated there for ten years or more from spreading and finding their way into the channel. In addition, they have installed pumps so that the water is recirculated and the opportunity for pollution is lessened. The Union Oil Company at Oleum has placed its collecting sumps in such a condition that the discharge water pass- ing out into the bay is now free from oil. The Standard Oil Company at Rich- mond has improved its sumps so that the parently had no effect, three oil com- panies, the Carson Hill Oil Company, Marine Corporation and the Bush-Vor- hiss Company, operating in the Signal Hill field, were taken into court and en- joined from the placing of oil in the nat- ural drainage channel, from which it eventually found its way into the storm drains and into the Pacific Ocean. The three cases came to trial before Judge Morgan Galbreth of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, and were vigorously prosecuted by the Division. The Marine Corporation put up a stub- born defense in spite of the fact that the other two defendants defaulted. After hearing the evidence and inspecting the 316 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. property in question, Judge Galbi'eth ren- dered a decision to the effect that the companies must keep the oil out of the natural drainage or be in contempt of court. Deputy Ed Chan of the southern district secured the evidence in the cases. Bureau of Public Relations In addition to the regular publicity work of the Bureau of Public Relations, a 2500 word story relating to the plant- ing of golden trout in barren waters of California, illustrated with a number of appropriate photographs, will appear soon in the Sunset Magazine. It covers in considerable detail the history of the work done with the golden trout in the state since the first plant in the seventies. Bureau of Game Farms On June 27th the first plant of the 1928 crop of birds was made at Redding and Willows. These birds, 682 in number, were transported to their destination by the farm truck with the loss of but one bird. They were six weeks old and were accompanied by the domestic hens that had raised them. The Bureau of Game Farms has ap- proved the site at the Los Serranos Country Club near Chino, San Ber- nardino County, as a suitable location for a second game farm that will serve the southern part of the state. The stock for the new farm will be sent from the Yount- ville Game Farm. It will not be neces- sary to buy breeding stock of any kind. One of the best ways of acquainting the public with the work of the division is by showing them first hand through exhibits what the Division is doing and the way in which it is being done. Op- portunity to display game bird production by the Bureau of Game Farms was availed of in three important localities of the state during the recent fair season. At the Kern County fair, Bakersfield, the State Fair, Sacramento, and the Pacific Southwest Exposition, Long Beach, at- tractive exhibits of pheasants, quail, Hungarian partridges and turkeys con- veyed to the sportsmen of the state that thousands of suitable birds were being propagated for liberation in depleted covers. An employee possessed with the neces- sary training and knowledge to present intelligently the bureau's work to the people was in attendance during the course of each exhibit. A number of beautifully plumaged golden, silver and Reeves pheasants are being supplied public parks upon re- ceipt of application. The parks that se- cure the birds must guarantee that suit- able pens will be provided and that attendants be trained to properly care for the birds and see that the right food is given them. The pheasants are to become a permanent educational exhibit and are furnished without charge. COMMERCIAL FISHERY NOTES N. B. ScOFiELD, Editor. CRAB SEASON CORRECT There is some dissatisfaction in regard to the present closed season on crabs in Humboldt County and a desire on the part of some to have the season close earlier. The closed season as now constituted — July 31 to November 14, inclusive — was arrived at after a number of years of trial and investigation, and it is believed to fit the conditions in the region of San Francisco. The season may not exactly fit the conditions at Eureka. There is evidence that the crab's breeding season and moulting time is a little later at Eureka than it is at San Francisco. The breeding season, which is coincident with the shedding of the shell by the female crabs, commences here at San Francisco at least by the middle of June, a month and a half before the season closes. The question then naturally arises — What is the object of the closed season? The ob- ject of the closed season on crabs is not to protect the crabs during the breeding season. The object is to cover the period during which soft crabs ivould enter the nets. The female crabs are protected at all times, as it has been found that they carry eggs, either internally or externally, practically the year round. The males are protected by a 7-inch minimum size limit, which protects them until after they have passed through one or two CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 317 breeding seasons. It is evident, there- fore, tliat witli the protection given the females, and with the size limit on males, the crab supply of any region can not be seriously depleted if the laws are enforced. But in addition we have the closed season which saves from loss the male crabs which would be discarded after they have been cooked, due to the watery condition of the meat following the shedding of the shell. At the breed- ing time males and females are paired and there is no inclination on the part of either sex to seek food and thus get caught in the nets. Then the shell is shed and for a considerable time the crab is unable to move about in search of food for the reason its shell is too soft. When the old shell is cast off the new soft shell underneath is capable of stretching and does stretch as the crab expands after being released from the hard shell which had become too small. This expanding of the soft crab is accompanied by the absorption of water by the crab's tissues and it is this absorption of water by the tissues that renders the crab worthless for food. The new shell then hardens and the tissues get rid of much of the water after it has answered its purpose. The crabs then take on a pithy or woody texture which renders them as unpalatable as the excess of water. After the shell is firm enough the crab moves about for food, and after the tissues have become firm again the season is supposed to open. A question which often arises is : Why is our crab not good to eat when its shell is soft the same as the blue crab of the Atlantic coast? The answer is: The east- ern blue crab is taken and held in live cars until it sheds its shell, and it is used for food before the tissues have filled themselves with water. Our Pacific coast crab could be eaten in the same way if it could be taken just at the time it sheds its shell. The evidence that the breeding and shedding season is possibly a little later at Eureka than at San Francisco is : After the season opens at San Francisco on November 15, no "watery" or what is called "pithy" or "woody" crabs are taken. At Eureka the fishermen have told our deputies that November 15 is too early for the season to open, for at that time a good many of the crabs are still soft and the meat not good to eat. At San Francisco a very small number of soft crabs are taken just before the season closes on July 31, while I have never heard that this occurs at Eureka. After the crabs shed their shells these shells are often washed ashore. The oast shells first make their appearance along the shore in this vicinity as early as the middle of June, and large num- bers have been observed by the end of June. The reports available indicate that most of the shells are washed ashore in the vicinity of Crescent City and Lit- tle River during September. Therefore if any change is necessary in the season at Eureka, it should be a little later rather than earlier. But in reality the closed season is to prevent the catching and waste of soft or "watery" crabs. Of course if evi- dence, which can be easily obtained from crab fishermen at Eureka, shows that soft crabs are taken in numbers in the crab nets before July 31, then the closed season should start earlier. From the evidence already in our possession, the season should not open any earlier. SEASON ON SALMON AND BASS RESULTED IN POOR CATCH When the season on salmon and bass closed this fall on the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, fishermen reported the poorest season in years. The fish- erman's union announced they would ask for a later opening and for further re- strictions on the taking of salmon. LIBRARY OF CALIFORNIA STATE FISHERIES LABORATORY People interested in fish and fisheries who have not discovered the library of the California State Fisheries Laboratory (situated at East San Pedro) have a most gratifying surprise awaiting them. Organized in 1919 at the time of the founding of the laboratory, the library has increased rapidly until it now con- sists of about four thousand volumes and comprises the major portion of the litera- ture dealing with fisheries problems. Here can be found government and other pub- lications on fisheries biology in every language from Finnish to Japanese. Prac- tically all the literature published on the great fisheries of the North Sea is to be found on these shelves. Mediterranean fisheries literature is well represented and English and American publications are nearly complete. The library covers not only the scientific aspects of the fisheries problems but also includes publications issued by commer- cial organizations. The important fish- eries trade journals of America, England, ■, France and Germany are shelved here. He who wishes to know the market con- ditions for Norwegian herring or the prob- lems confronting the German carp ponds finds this information awaiting him. 318 CAtiiPOENIA FiSH AND GAME. Besides literature immediately con- nected with fisheries work, this library has extensive series of publications on oceanography, for to understand our fish- eries industries and the behavior of fishes, we must try to understand the waters in which these fish live. Also, any biological study of today demands statistical analysis of the data at hand. The library fills this need by furnishing all modern texts on statistical subjects and current and past issues of statistical journals. In addition to detailed literature on the scientific aspects of fisheries biology, this library contains works on general biology, general zoology, hydrology, meterology and fisheries technology. Here the in- quiring mind may secure information on the life history of the whale, the water temperature of the Pacific, the ocean cur- rents in the North Sea, the air tempera- ture of Los Angeles, or how to tan shark's skin. As varied as the scope of the literature contained in this library, are the types of people who come to consult its volumes. The major users are the fisheries biol- oijists working at the laboratory, but also fisheries workers fi'om the whole Pacific coast avail themselves of its resources, both by visiting the library in person and by borrowing books through other libraries and directly by mail. The bibliographical resources are such that specialists in other fields of biology come to this library to consult its vast lists of publications. Also in this library frequently are to be seen members of the fishing industry : A commercial fisherman who has found an unusual fish which he wishes to iden- tify ; a fish canner who wants informa- tion on some new or old method of pre- serving fish ; a man planning to develop a fishing industry in a foreign port, want- ing to learn the types of fishes available ; another with a new idea about utilizing a by-product and seeking all previous knowledge available; a lawyer asking about the migrations of whales on which question hangs a lawsuit. People with whom fishing is a hobby find many ques- tions answered in this fisheries library. Foremost among these questions are the names of peculiar fishes, and occasionally information is sought about special gear, how to make plankton nets, and what will be the effect on fish life, of structures built in streams or bays. Also, high school and college students come in their turn to get information on which to base term papers and theses. In all cases the personnel is most wil- ling to be of service and prompt attention is given to questions relating to fisheries. THE EFFECTS OF STREAM POLLU- TION ON FISHES AND THEIR FOOD A paper by Stephen A. Forbes with the above title has just come to our notice and on account of its intrinsic in- terest is reviewed although it first ap- peared in 1926.* Since 1894, the Natural History Sur- vey of Illinois has been studying pollu- tion conditions of the Illinois River and in 192S started observations on the Illi- nois portion of the Rock River. The Water Survey of the state of Illinois cooperated by handling the chemical and bacteriological questions. Sewage pollutions are of two principal kinds, organic, and chemical or mineral. The former is from households, slaughter houses, dairies, tanneries, pulp mills, etc. ; and the latter from gas plants, metal in- dustries, chemical industries, oil refineries and salt works. Organic wastes are sub- ject to decomposition and during the process use up oxygen and add carbon dioxide to the water in quantities injur- ious to the fish. Chemical wastes do not decay and their effect on fish life ranges from harmless to fatal, and is the result of the poisons acting directly on the tis- sues, especially the gills. The difference in reaction of fishes to the two kinds of pollution is interesting. The more sensitive (and more desirable as food) avoid water badly polluted with organic waste while the less sensitive, such as carp and buffaloes, seem to be attracted by it. Chemical poisons do not repel fish and in some cases appear to attract them. Occasionally fish are killed outright with chemical poisons but never with organic. In all cases fish living in polluted water absorb unpalatable flavors. Experiments on the Illinois River in 1915 showed 5180 pounds per acre of small bottom animals such as make up the food of fishes. In 1920 after five years of increased pollution there were only 240 pounds per acre, a reduction of 96 per cent. This river is large and slow moving and shows a strong contrast with :he Fox River, which is smaller and shallower and practically normal 2i miles below the towns that use it for sewage disposal. * Read to the Annual Convention of the Izaak "Walton L,eag:ue of America, in Chi- cago, April 9, 1926. Reprinted from Out- door America, September, 1926, by Illinois Department of Registration and Educa- tion, Natural History Division. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 319 There are three marked phases of river pollution. In the earliest the organic con- tents are unchanged and are eaten by adult scavenger fishes. No young fishes of any kind are found in this section. As decomposition takes place the clean water animals disappear and are replaced by sewage fungi, sludge worms, midge larvae. It is easily seen that the bottom condi- tions are worse than those of the water since the water is purified by contact with the air, whereas the stream bed is contin- ually being coated deeper with filth. The gases forming on the bottom cause worm- shown that it has an abundance of food for a larger stock of fish than it carries. Then one must conclude that food is not a limiting factor and that an added sup- ply does not increase the number of fish. — Genevieve Corwin, September 4, 1928. REGULATION OF HALIBUT FISHERY PROPOSED Birger R. Headstrom, of Medford Hill- side, Massachusetts, made the following interesting summary of a report submitted by the International Fisheries Commis- sion, in Science, August 31, 1928 : HA Fig. 102. Successful lion hunters with their Icill. Charlie Leadshaw and Ross Harry secured these two lions on the north fork of the main Stanislaus River in March, 1928. Photograph by John Balestro. and-larvae filled cakes of sediment to break away and rise to the surface. Fur- ther decomposition brings about the third stage in which nitrites and nitrates are formed and act as fertilizing agents of the stream. A more abundant growth of plants and animals results, than is found normally. An interesting question then arises : does this added enrichment compensate for the loss farther upstream, and make possible a denser fish popula- tion? Before this question is answered another must be settled : is food a limiting factor for the number of fish in a stream? Observations on the Illinois River have "A recent report by the International Fisheries Commission reveals that, should the present rate of halibut fishing be con- tinued for any length of time, the indus- try will be reduced to insignificance. Accordingly, a movement to save it is well under way, and stringent regulatory measures have been proposed. "It is pointed out that not only has there been a fall in the abundance of fish, especially on the older banks, which has fallen to 16 per cent of the abund- ance in 1906, but there has been a de- crease in the size of fish, this being re- garded as especially serious because of 320 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. the very slow growth of halibut, As an adult fish is from twelve to twenty-five years old, the fish to be caught in the next ten years are already hatched and the yearly abundance for that period has been established. If these fish are greatly reduced in numbers and the present in- tensity of the fishery is maintained, ac- cording to the Commission, the outlook for a stock of spawning fish suflicient to maintain the supply is rather hopeless. In fact, few mature fish are now found on the older banks. "Although there is a complete cessation of halibut fishing for three months each year, this measure is not adequate. The Commission recommends as a minimum re- quirement that the halibut fishing be limited annually to some fixed proportion of the existing stock. In agreement with the best scientific opinion, it concludes that the taking of a fixed proportion of the halibut equal to that at present taken might ultimately stabilize the industry, since there are indications that the fish could survive under such conditions. Another measure proposed is the closing of two 'nursery areas,' one off Massett Graham Island, B. C, the other off Noyes Island in southwestern Alaska. In fact, the ultimate closing of all such areas is recommended. Furthermore, general re- strictions are regarded as indispensable." LIFE HISTORY NOTES DUCK MIGRATION BEGINS For several years I have watched the migration of ducks on Mission Bay, San Diego County. As a rule, the southward flight of pintails begins about the mid- dle of July. This year, although I saw fifteen birds on that day, the main flight has been later than usual. These ducks appeared in increasing numbers until about September 1, when the full flight was on. Apparently these birds stop for but a short time and then proceed farther south. Two black sea brant and three pintail ducks have remained on the waters of Mission Bay throughout the summer. — Ad. B. Pearson, North San Diego, Cali- fornia. FEMALE PHEASANT ASSUMES MALE PLUMAGE There is in our collection of mounted birds a beautiful specimen of the ring- necked pheasant {Phasianus torquatus) , female. This bird was presented to us alive on the third day of January, 1928, by our mutual friend, Mr. Clarence L. Hopkins of this city, who raised it from a chick, and at the time it came into our possession was about eight years old. During its life time it laid about 280 eggs, many of which were hatched under a bantam hen, as she never evidenced any desire to set, although at diverse times she would gather a few eggs to- gether, evidently for the purpose of nest- ing. In the year 1926 she quit laying, and from that time on commenced to dis- play an abnormal plumage, commencing at first with flecks about the head, then a ring on the neck, feathers on crown, neck, back changing to that of the male, a well developed ring around the neck, tail elongated and barred, rump feathers, breast and belly the same as the male bird. To all appearances one would take it to be an immature male, except that there are no signs of comb, gills nor pouts feathers from the ears. When the bird was killed in the interest of science an examination of the body was made by the writer. It was very fat, particularly on the breast and intestines ; the heart, lungs, liver, gizzard and other vitals seemed to be normal. An examination of the genital organs revealed that the ovaries were completely atrophied, not a semblance remaining, and the ovarian duct had dwindled to the size and color of a slate pencil. We are at a loss as to what may have caused this abnormal change in the plumage. — W. F. Peacock, Marysville, California. CONSERVATION IN OTHER STATES MAINE CLOSES SEASON ON MOOSE Last year the state of Maine opened the season on bull moose. This was the first time for many years that this game animal was allowed to become the mark of the gunner. It is believed that the total kill amounted to 100 animals. How- ever, a statement from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Game is to the effect that moose are not plentiful enough in Maine to warrant another open season for some time to come. This great American game animal is available to the hunter only in the state of Wy- oming, the territory of Alaska and the provinces in Canada. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 321 PENNSYLVANIA RELEASES 80,000 RABBITS The Pennsylvania State Game Com- mission has announced the release of the largest number of cottontail rabbits ever purchased and released for stocking pur- poses in any one year, says a bulletin of the American Game Protective Associa- tion. A total of 80,564 rabbits were dis- tributed during the latter part of the win- ter. All of these animals were procured from dealers in Missouri and Kansas, who guarantee that no stock handled by them is affected by the dreaded and mys- terious tularemia or rabbit fever. All animals are in perfect condition when leaving the dealers' hands. Upon their arrival at the various points in Penn- sylvania where they are to be released they are promptly cared for by the game protectors, and any sick or imperfect animals are weeded out. They are shipped in new, clean crates and are given the best of attention on their journey. The game protector often finds it ad- visable to keep the crated animals for a time until weather conditions are pro- pitious. Sometimes it is necessary to take the animals for some distance. If they are released in the winter months the protector considers it part of his duty to see that food is placed in accessible situations for the animals. These rabbits are released to provide shooting for Penn- sylvania sportsmen. REESTABLISHMENT OF BIRD REFUGE IN WYOMING There has been an area set aside for the use of the Department of Agriculture embracing 22,700 acres on the North Platte River, central Wyoming, through executive order of President Coolidge. The lands involved have been withdrawn for use for other purposes and are under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior. Within the area is con- structed a reservoir for the use of the Reclamation Service in the irrigation of lands. The establishment of this refuge furnishes nesting grounds, as well as feed- ing and resting places, for migratory waterfowl, especially for ducks, in a re- gion where open water areas are ex- tremely scarce. Within the refuge hunt- ing and trapping is forbidden by law, except under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture. LICENSE BUTTONS FOR MICHIGAN HUNTERS With the hunting season approaching, seekers of game are looking forward to donning the new license buttons that the Michigan Department of Conservation is issuing. The buttons, about 480,000 in number, have been shipped out to dis- tribution points, so that all is in readi- ness for the license rush. Conservation Department officers predict that the but- ton plan will materially cut down the number of hunters who fail to secure licenses. The badge is large enough to be seen at a distance. — The American Field, September 15, 1928. NORTH CAROLINA SECURES DEER A deal was recently completed by the North Carolina Department of Conser- vation and Development with former State Senator J. E. Burleson whereby approximately 400 acres of mountain land became the property of the state of North Carolina. This area contains about 350 deer, which will be kept intact, and the increase will be used for stocking those parts of the state which have become depleted, other state refuges, and some will be transferred to the state game farm of North Carolina. The fawns will be transferred, as it has been found that the older animals are frightened and kill themselves. MISSISSIPPI REFUGE ENLARGED A conservation measure recently ap- proved by the President is a joint reso- lution authorizing the Secretary of Agri- culture to accept from James B. Munn of New York City, on behalf of the United States, a gift of certain lands in Clayton County, Iowa, to become a part of the Upper Mississippi River Wild Life and Fish Refuge. These lands, to- taling 488 acres in area and estimated to be worth thirty or forty thousand dol- lars, were donated to the government by Mr. Munn through his interest in the ob- jects of the refuge. — Science, August 31, 1928. STATE SUPPLIES PHEASANT EGGS Ringneck pheasant eggs for hatching will be supplied free to New Jersey farmers by the State Fish and Game Commission this year as long as the sur- plus supply of these eggs is available from the game farms at Forked River and Rockport. Application for these eggs, the commission announces, is made to county wardens. The breeding flocks at the game farms produce quantities of eggs beyond the hatching capacity of the establishments. A few years ago the State Fish and Game Commission inaugurated the practice of sending out settings of these surplus pheasant eggs to farmers interested in 322 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. increasing the game supply in their re- spective communities. This plan has been increasingly successful, and thou- sands of pheasants reared on home farms now supplement the supply released di- rectly by the state Avarden. OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF NEW MEXICO CONSERVATION COMMISSION In the September, 1928, number of the 'New Mexico Conservationist there ap- pears a section entitled "Progress in offices game birds, birds of prey and small game animals for educational pur- poses. (5) Publication and wide circu- lation of the Neio Mexico Conserva- tionist. "In cooperation with the State Game Protective Association, other undertak- ings of far-reaching consequence have been carried through, most important of which are publication of the Birds of New Mexico; the protection of bears through legislative enactment, and bet- tor organization of sportsmen throughout Fig. 103. Mt. Shasta Hatchery grounds, with Mt. Shasta in background. Photograph by Sidney Snow. Game Restoration and Conservation," in which the outstanding accomplishments are summarized as follows : "(1) Completion of the survey of the wild life resources of the state, and pub- lication and wide circulation of the report covering the survey. (2) Approximat- ing the completion of the big game refuge system, and good progress in the establishment of a system of game bird and waterfowl refuges. (3) Increase and dissemination of game through arti- ficial means — introduction and trans- plantation. (4) Collecting, mounting and exhibiting at the game department the state and, thi-ough education, stronger public support in game conservation." A WORTHY BILL THAT FAILED The bill which provided for the estab- lishment of a five-year constructive and development program for the United States Bureau of Fisheries passed both houses of congress, but was subject to a pocket veto by the President which pre- vented it becoming a law. This bill pro- vided for the consolidation of several separate bills concerned with the estab- lishment of federal fish hatcheries and fishcultural and research stations CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 323 throughout the country over a period of five years. However, as the same con- gress will be in power this winter, it is entirely possible that the bill may be passed and the Bureau of Fisheries given a wider opportunity for service. ENTOMOLOGIST EMPLOYED BY MIS- SOURI STATE GAME AND FISH COMMISSION The Missouri State Game and Fish Commission is making investigations of plant and animal life that may be used for fish food. K. C. Sullivan, assistant professor of entomology at the University of Missouri, in charge of this work, has found that the Niangua is one of the best fish streams in the state, and the food it contains upon which trout and bass thrive will serve to guide the Commission in its work of restocking other Missouri streams. The Commission will then be able to place the fish produced in its eight state fish hatcheries in streams best adapted to their growth and development. NEW TYPE OF FISH FOOD The increasing cost of liver as a fish food due to the enormous consumption for human use in the cure of anaemia has forced research departments of state fish and game commissions to search for some satisfactory substitute. A small freshwater animal which has more the characteristics of an unlikeable insect, but goes under the name of Gammarus, or freshwater shrimp, is expected to solve this problem for the Oregon State Game Commission. Although each specimen is only one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch long in the adult stage, a mouthful of these little animals seems to satisfy the appetite of trout and salmon in this region. Therefore, Matt Ryckman, superintendent of hatcheries for the Ore- gon Game Commission, has ordered sev- eral million of these freshwater shrimps shipped to Oregon hatcheries from Utah and Nevada for breeding purposes. As rapidly as this new type of food can be produced in usable amounts, it will be adopted by hatcheries as standard fish food to take the place of ground liver. OREGON ADOPTS CONTINUING PRO- GRAM The state game protective associations and many local associations have given approval to a plan of the State Game Commission of Oregon for a continuous program and policy in fish and game restoration, some of the objectives of which are the following : Protection of streams against pollu- tion. Protection of streams against destruc- tion, provision for efficient fish ladders at power and irrigation dams, and screens for irrigation ditches and power canals and outlets. Scientific study of propagation, dis- tribution and consei-vation of wild life. An educational program including a textbook on Oregon wild life and the out- doors for schools ; systematic distribution of public information, and the establish- ment of a department of marine biology and game administi-ation in one of the state institutions of higher education. It is recognized that research is neces- sary to obtain the facts needed in the formation of any constructive policy for management of the fish and game re- sources of the state. The American Game Protective Association continually advocates the establishment of a depart- ment in some university in evei-y state for study of the problem of administra- tion of fish and game and other wild life resources. — American Field, August 18, 1928. 324 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. REPORTS FISH CASES April, May, June, 1928 ' Number Violation arrests Angling License Act 161 Commercial Pishing License Act 12 Trout: closed season; over limit 81 Striped bass: over limit; undersized 49 Black bass: closed season; undersized; over limit 25 Sunfish, perch, crappie 25 Catfish : sale of undersized 2 Salmon: illegal sale 1 Barracuda: undersized 6 Clams: undersized; over limit 36 Abalone : undersized ; over limit 92 Crabs: undersized; illegal shipment 8 Fish spear, illegal possession 5 Illegal fishing: within 250 feet of fishway 2 Fishing, closed district 37 Nets, traps, lines: illegal possession or use 17 Explosives: water pollution 8 Totals 567 Jail sen- Pines tences imposed (days) $3,750 40 185 2,965 130 1,460 115 550 520 50 60 155 785 190 2,405 20 240 125 55 1,200 75 2,125 700 $17,270 630 I GAME CASES April, May, June, 1928 Number Violation ] arrests Hunting License Act 11 Deer: closed season 43 Deer: does, fawns, spiked bucks 3 Rabbits: cottontail, brush; closed season 37 Ducks: closed season 1 Doves: closed season 4 Pigeons: closed season 6 Quail: closed season 8 Pheasants: closed season 2 Nongame birds: killing, possession 1 Shooting from automobile 1 Fur trapping regulations 3 Totals 120 Jail sen- Fines tences imposed (days) $275 3,910 150 100 715 210 25 50 200 280 375 25 25 30 $6,010 360 SEIZURES OF FISH AND GAME April, May, June, 1928 Deer meat pounds 764 Deer hides 1 Deer — fawns (alive) 3 Rabbits — cotton, brush 61 Ducks 3 Doves 8 Quail 19 Pheasants 2 Nongame birds 5 Trout 1.019 Black bass 171 Sunfish, perch, crappie 329 Striped bass pounds 232 Shad 3 Salmon pounds 64 Catfish pounds 10 Barracuda pounds 11,128 Spotfin croaker pounds 450 Crabs „95 Clams 1.223 Abalones 205 Nets, traps 8 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 325 SUMMARY FUR-BEARING MAMMALS Estimated No. Species — 1926-27 1927-28 Skunlc 39,074 56,438 Musltrats 13,261 24,736 Raccoon 15,527 19,182 Gray fox 8,498 14,242 Coyote 9,631 13,941 Wild cat 7,015 12,250 Civet cat 4,839 9,425 Mink 4,867 5,854 Ringtailed cat 3,477 4,368 Opossum 1,064 2,208 Badger 742 1,216 Kit fox 2,145 844 Beaver 692 700 Weasel 347 661 Marten 479 495 Bear 291 239 River otter 158 163 Red fox 23 123 Mountain lion 68 88 Fisher 32 29 Totals 112,230 167,202 Average price Estimated value 1926-27 1927-28 1926-27 1927-28 $1,203 $1,564 $47,006.02 $88,269.03 .818 .709 10,847.50 17,537.82 5.639 5.474 87,556.75 105,002.27 2.132 2.504 18,117.74 35,661.97 5.07 6.452 48,829.17 89,947.33 2.242 2.829 15.727.63 34,655.25 .656 .636 3,174.38 5,994.30 7.057 7.782 34,346.42 45,555.83 2.633 3.281 9,154.94 14,331.41 .80 .786 851.20 1,735.49 1.709 2.143 1,268.08 2,605.89 2.166 2.366 4,646.07 1,996.90 12.905 14.097 9,530.26 9,867.90 .765 .918 265.46 606.80 10.485 15.302 5,022.32 7,574.49 8.49 6.935 2,470.59 1,657.47 14.456 17.742 2,284.05 2,891.95 21.50 6.489 494.50 798.15 19.654 12.853 1,336.47 1,131.06 42.357 39.281 1,355.42 1,139.15 $304,284.97 $468,960.46 The above is based on reports furnished by licensed trappers, and is an estimate of the total catch made by licensed commercial trappers. No attempt has been made to include an estimate of the animals trapped by minors under the age of 18 years, or those taken for private use, or those killed in predatory animal control campaigns. 1926-27 1927-28 Number of trapping licenses issued 3,790 5,243 Number of trappers reporting 2,619 3,402 Per cent reporting 69.1 64.9 STATEMENT OF INCOME For the Period April 1, 1928, fo June 30, 1928, of the Seventy-ninth Fiscal Year License sales: Detail Total AngUng,1927 --- 815,441 00 Angling, 1928 68,675 00 Hunting. 1927-28 " 32,278 00 Hunting, 1928 2,381 00 Market fishermen's, 1027-28 1,210 00 Market fishermen's, 1928-29 21,850 00 Wholesale fish packers' and shell fish dealers', 1927-28 95 00 Wholesale fish packers' and shell fish dealers', 1928-29 170 00 Game breeders, 1928 115 00 Fish breeders, 1928 40 00 Trapping, 1927-28 310 00 Trapping, 1928-29 102 00 Deer tags, 1928 3 00 Kelp-. .' . 20 00 Totallicense sales 5142,690 00 Other income: Court fines S23,957 04 Fish packers' tax 36,902 57 Kelp tax - 3 44 Fish tag sales.. 1,519 57 Game tag sales 7 14 Miscellaneous sales 248 00 Crawfish inspection 150 00 Interest on bank deposits 733 15 Total other income 03,520 91 Totalincome $206,210 91 326 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 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Humboldt - lO o CM CM CM CD CM iCi w "T^ I-- 00 C^ CO lO ^ o g o o ^•S fc-a i; G (S o ( O l-S^ S M eS :a CD S.S <3 «^ fe-M M o o "S "3 ' S ' I ' ' ' ' I I §m^3 c^ g c s § o a; 3 O Ct-3o3ca=^rt^ ^ S !3 S !3-S"S-a S °*i5-;fl S h 1= 5 5 3 i-^ S D S'O— c ti^ « ca c3 c« c3 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 327 CO CO 0(M woo o la •a-s" w II (M ■^ CO o_oo_ co'io" O W rt m « rt 10" o" -HO OeO Ort< I>- CO CT. CO »oo CD O . kO ■ 0 WIO CI irt) to !.— ! 00 CO -^ CO »-4 C^ < >a *0 328 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. ui < if i I a. o < ^ li. Z 0 g CO B 1 r O Q s „- o 2 >.§^-= 1 CD lO 'CO-* »0 lO t^ lO Ol t^ b- iO f- CD 0O-* O CC CS) ,-H Tfi c: CO '-H t^ OO GO "Tji 1—1 Tjl T— < Oi C^ lO !>. Oi O C^ -rf t>. »0 -* iC CM tM »0 1-1 M - CO m tM OlCO CO I-" t>.'co" =) O cJ S ?= C3 K S osja a^^^ 2J3-H ScQaa__LJ< P-os.^ii ^^^w, as:S O^J3 c3 c3 c3 ca o o cv^^j:^~a~^M a CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 329 Oi r-( t^ lO OS — ■ C4 OC W5 Oi CD t^ W CM »0 1— .tOlOtCOQOOiTOO'— <00C^i-hO O . CM *— CO Oi "Tf OO -^ (M »o cq' C^i CO T— .— I oo Oj CO ^ »o IOCS! 00 CO OS (» CO "^ O W3 (M O CO CO OCX) h- CS CO O t-- CD O t-H O t^ O:>U0 ■i-H(MOSlO'— iCOM^OOfM CO_'— ' lO O OO lO CD I>- iC C« CO_(M^ i-T ■*' i-T o" '-'' co" cd' (m cT o' o~ COc-iHE-i?^l>i-i,.ii -7, o-a - QJ g vj ■o<:00000200m -5 J: O ^-TD ^ . ti H S-s en »^ ■-KM od'ei' H.S 3 C3 CO i o TJ .-H ^ ^ •* r^ 330 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES For the Period April 1, 1928, to June 30, 1928, of the Seventy-ninth Fiscal Year Function Materials and supplies Salaries and wages Service and expense Property and equipment Total Administration: Executive and legal _ -. S90 87 203 65 $4,195 00 5,049 49 $570 15 880 59 2,095 59 52 38 1,811 46 958 52 713 52 $560 52 198 34 $5,416 54 Clerical and office _ - 6,332 07 Rent -- - - - 2,095 59 112 27 164 65 Telephone and telegraph 1,811 46 958 52 Freight cartage and express 713 52 4,824 10 4,824 10 Accidpnt and dpf^th claims 471 30 102 75 471 30 riommissionp.rpi 102 75 Total adTninistratinn S5,230 89 SSQ 42 $9,244 49 S3,775 00 S825 00 S3,129 99 720 00 $7,656 25 $845 39 $122 06 $619 29 60 116 46 174 11 42,518 81 909 77 226 30 2,220 00 327 90 306 53 $758 86 $1,418 09 $22,890 50 Education: Director and assistants $6,097 90 Publicity: Director $947 06 Conservation and protection: Chief and assistants - $3,749 28 Clerical and office . - _ . S163 12 S48 03 931 75 Rent .-- _- --- -.- 116 46 Automobiles - - 580 43 55 63 410 83 7 90 51 19 1,279 45 762 44 50.239 98 525 00 600 00 92,865 61 Patrol launches . -- .- 3,125 05 826 30 2,220 00 Fish planting . . -- 126 40 39 75 630 00 646 71 2,725 48 3,809 78 Refuge posting 992 99 Total conservation and protection, _ SI, 376 16 S81 22 1.025 47 569 00 157 16 563 82 $56,491 68 $2,160 00 6,163 50 1,185 00 1,465 00 8,294 33 $47,419 77 $679 42 1.823 89 253 28 83 73 1.889 04 1 00 3.750 00 88 16 14,112 05 $142 28 2 90 149 70 $109,399 66 $3,062 92 Commercial fisheries: Chief and assistants - . - Deputies _ 9,015 76 Patrol launches . _ 2,156 98 Statistical 1,705 89 Laboratory - - 427 08 11 174 27 Salmon taeeine . _ _ . .. . . 1 00 Botulism. _ . . 3,750 00 Automobiles 187 27 19 05 275 43 Carp eradication . 19 05 Total nnmmprcial fisheries S2,602 99 $19,267 83 $1,050 00 1,038 29 $8,568 52 S13 25 9 70 61 55 188 86 6,566 77 $721 96 $31 161 30 Fish culture: Chief and assistants _ $1,063 25 Clerical and office .. S79 10 1,127 09 Rent - .-- . --- - 61 55 Automobiles ___ 1.404 61 19,253 90 $4,523 76 9.809 31 17,527 33 71 02 6,117 23 Hatcheries 36,509 68 72 139 66 Hatcherips. additions and betterments 17,527 33 Special field investigation _. 62 70 2,261 00 1,482 91 3,877 63 Total fish culture.. . . 820,800 31 SlOl 74 $40,858 97 $1,410 00 750 00 $8,323 04 $555 98 $31,931 42 $1,650 35 $101 913 74 Hydraulics: Chief and assistants $3 718 07 Cooperative research work _ 750 00 Total hydraulics SlOl 74 $2,135 66 10 60 $2,160 00 $2,390 50 $555 98 $541 88 5 00 $1,650 35 $1,035 77 $4 468 07 Game propagation: Game farm, Yountville... $6 103 81 Automobiles . . . _ . . . 15 60 Game farm, Southern Cahfornia... . 97 02 97 20 Total game propagation Research: Chief and assistants S2,146 26 ?224 00 $2,390 50 S3,062 00 $546 88 S493 80 $9,424 45 $1,132 79 $106 84 S6.216 43 $3 886 64 T.icp.nsp cnmmiRsinns $9 424 45 Totals, Division of Fish and Game $32,541 77 $138,075 47 $83,956 15 $41,832 36 $296,405 75 INDEX TO VOLUME 14 Abalone, 67, 79, 152, 238; safe from ex termination, 87. Red, 67, 87. Abbott, Clinton G., 226. Acorns as a duck food, ?l-9f- Advisory committee appomted.^ii. Africa, south, wants herrmg, 85. Ainsworth, A. R., 161, 239. Aix sponsa, 91. , ,^„ Alameda Duck Club, 162. Albacore, 39, 48, 249. Alhacore, 79, 242 243 312 Albright, Horace M., 138, isy. Albula vulpes, 285, 286. Albulidae, 286. Alfred, B. O., 238. Allen, A. A., 221. Allen, W. E., 65, 66. Allred, K. P., 53, 72. American Field, Z2,l, 226. American Fisheries Society, 63, 302, ciUd, 311 American Forests and Forest Life, 222, 226. American Forest "Week, 156. American Game, 137. ■ ^- „ American Game Protective Association, 254, 321, 323. American Ornithologists Union, 227. Amidostomum, 287, 288. 289, 290. Anas j)latyrhynchos, 2^1. _ ■r>-=t,.ir.t Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District, 245. Anderson, Curry, 161. Anderson, J. R., 238. Andrews, C. B., 313. Anfmal, blind, a famous, 62; predatory, 64 • seashore, of the Pacific Coast, 67-68 • game, killed in forest even by slow ground fires, 71 ; diseases, facts you should know about — an ele- mentary talk, 107-114. Antelope, 64, 217, new preserve for Nevada, 256. Prong-horned, 160. Archer, C. E 239 Arm.strong-, VVm., 14b, 163, ^Jy. Arnold. L,., 161, 238. Ascaridia, 289, 294. Ascaridia lineata, 287. Ashbrook, Frank G., 160, 232. Associated Oil Company, 167, 246. Associated Press, 167. Associated Sportsmen's convention, 55. Association states aims, 220. Atherinidae, 17. Atherinops affinis Uttoralis, 17, 18 ; insularinn linsidariom . 17. Atherinopsis calif orniensis, 17, 18. Auk, 154. B Babcock, J. P., 48, 302. Bacterium tularense, 157. Bade, August, 216. . Badger, 152, 325 ; the California, 204-208 Baird, Georg», 76. Baird, Ralph, 248. Balanesi, A., 238. Balestreri, Peter, 74. Balestro, John, 319. Ballow, J., 236. Bananafish, 285. Banding, bird, on Lake Merritt, 141. Barnes, C. F., 235. Barnes, Earl P., 251. Barracuda, bootleg, 84-85, Bass, 76, 87, 254, 323 ; season on salmon and, resulted in poor catch, 317. Black, 144, 296, 298, 305 ; large mouth, 296. l!Hped,"i6!^4^2. 74, 296, 305, 312 ; studies 29-37; strangles, 253-254; supply of California, 265-272. White sea, 169, 275. Baum. Jacob, 213. - , Bear 56, 152, 325 ; special license needed to kill, in New Mexico, 9 4. Bear River project, 306. Beaver, 152, 325; farming in cut-over lands promises profit and interesting work, 70 ; muskrat and, in Imperial County, 175. Bedwell, R. E., 74, 247. Bellecci, Steve, 239 , Bennett, Eugene D. 55, 138 139 30Z 311- new executive officer, 50 , our policies, 114-116 ; sound value, 211. Betten, H. L., 213. Bibliography, 29 6. Bickford, E. L., 251. Bigelow, Henry B., 242, 312. ^^^^.^ Bill, auxiliary game refuge 94, Senate passes federal game refuge, 213 , a worthy, that failed, 322 ; Bear River migratorv bird refuge, 230-231. Anthony-Norbeck, H. R. 5467, 152. King-Colton, 306 iro McNary-Woodruff Forestry, 152. Norbeck Migration, 213. Phipps, 57. Bill, Mrs. Frank, 124. ^ ak i7 ■ Biological requisites for lake trout 45-47 survey seeks cooperation of hunting Bird? "tate, to be selected. 68 ; and grapes, 92- food of, 92; various conditions regulating, population and migration, l'>9-134 • game farm will experiment wTth new, 139 ; banding on Lake Merritt, 141 ; dangers attendant upon introduction of foreign, 150-1d1; census takers wanted, 160; mislead- ing names in various common, l^u- 171- how, respond to protection, 21b: imported wild, not easily established here 228-229 ; Mexican game, pro- pagated, 308 ; refuge, reestablishment of, in Wyoming, 321. Bisell, Frank, 243. Bison, 16. Black, H. E., 162. Blackburn, P. A., 62. Blackwell, J. D., 239. Blanchard, Bert, 304. Blewett, W. C, 311. Bluefish, 168. Bluegill, 298. Board of Health, 81. + i c9 • Boats, two speed, added to patrol, 6 2 , purse seine, 79. Bolsa Chica Oil Company, 167. Boneflsh — overlooked by California sports- men, 285-286. ^^ ^^ Bonnot, Paul, 79, 243, 308, 311; the sea lions of California, 1-16. Books, lost fish receipt, 94. _ . Bounty paid on muskrats to save irriga- tion ditches, 147-148. Bouton, Charles, 239. Boy Scouts of America, 304; and conser- vation, 220 ; training camp, 314 ; con- servation training camp for, opened in Yosemite, 303-304. Brady, Matthew T., 74. _ Brant, black sea, on Mission Bay, 174. 332 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Branta canadensis canadensis, 288. canadensis hutcMnsi, 288. nigricans, 173. Breuer, H. J., 138. Brittan, Harry, 238. Brocker, Otto, 162. Brownlow, O. P., 76, 163, 234. Brownlow, Mrs. O. P., 215, 244. Bruce, Jay, 139, 234, 304; lion hunter, breaks record, 67. Bryant, H. C, 52, 53, 125, 138, 237, 243; seashore animals of the Pacific Coast, 67-68 ; albino quail, 90 ; the wealth of the sea, 153-154 ; a nature almanac, 224-225 ; George Thompson, in memo- riam, 302. Buche, 276, 279. Buck, the, law, 146. Buckingham, Nash, association states aims, 220. Buffalo, 64, 147; Canada leads in, con- servation, 155-156. Bullard, F. A., 213, 239. Bullard, R. J., 239. Bulletin, sea lion, prepared, 308-309 ; Teachers, No. 10, 308. Bundock, C. L., 74, 235, 239. Bundock, J. L.. 311. Bureau of. Animal Industry, 69. Education, 60, 79, 138, 165, 214, 243, 244, 304, 314-315. Fish Rescue and reclamation, 297, 305 ; new, established, 305. Game Farms, 81-82, 165-167, 247-248, Hydraulics 80-81, 149, 167-168, 245- 247, 315-316. Public Relations, 138, 167, 245, 316. Public Roads, 68, 306. Research, 55, 83, 149, 165, 174, 244- 245, 286, 313-314. Burke, Frank A., 236. Burke, Jack, 239. Burleson, J. E., 321. Burlington, H. J., 176. Bush-Voorhiss Co., 315. Butchart, Alex, 123, 124. Butchart, James, 123, 124. Cabrillo Beach, grunion on, 273-274. Cady, Frank, 304. Cain Irrigation Company, 81. Calder, James A., 174. Caldwell, Earl, 74. Caldwell, Horace N., 239. Caley, Cash, 237. California Academy of Sciences, 8, 156. California Audubon Society, 68. California Development Association, 314. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, 26, 27, 42, 43, 51, 89, 90, 153, 314. California, Gulf of, the totuava fishery on the, 275-281. California Petroleum Company, 167. California Monthly, 65. California State Fisheries Laboratory, 21, 23, 37, 47, 48, 79, 84, 86, 265, 273, 275, 313 ; library of, 317. California State Redwood Park, 214. California trout, 121-122. Callorhinus, 13. Calypte, 154. Canadian Field Naturalist, 150, 176, 227. Canners, fish, organize, 169. Car ex nudata, 285. Carp, 254 ; catch increased by novel method, 227. Carpenter, S. J., 162. Carson Hill Oil Company, 315. Carter, George, 124. Cascade Estates Company, 245. Cascade Land Company, 168. Cat, 158 ; pheasants and, 64—65, Civet, 152, 325. Wild, 325, unusually large, captured 173. Ringtail, 152, 325. Catch, figures and fish supply, 37-42 ; record, recorded, 249 ; season on sal- mon and bass resulted in poor, 317. Catfish, 76, 297, 305. Cathartes aura septentrionalis, 173. Census, 72, 141, 142 ; government to take waterfowl, 64 ; Pismo clam, 86 ; a continent-wide waterfowl, 119-120 ; bird, takers wanted, 160 ; North Caro- lina undertakes a game bag, 256 ; waterfowl, of biological survey developing valuable conservation data, 310. Cervus giganteus, 156. Chachalaca, 308. Chambers, Chester, 74. Chan, E. A., 247, 316. Chapman, Frank M., 137. Chappell, La Rue, 72. Cliausse^ir Francais, 159. Cheney, E. S., 145, 243, 314. Chen hyperboreus hyperhoreus, 288. Rossi, 288. Chipmunk, yellow-bellied, 148. Chute, George Roger, 227 ; the totuava fishery on the California gulf, 275- 281 Claberg', Walter, 161. Clam, 67. . Cockle, 249. Gaper, 68. Mixed, 249. Pismo, 78, 79, 162, 243, 249 ; census, 86. Rubberneck, 68. Soft-shell, 24 9. Clark, Frances N., the smelts of the wholesale fish markets, 16-21 ; Pismo clam census, 86 ; grunion at La Jolla, 89-90; grunion on Cabrillo Beach, 273-274. Clark, G. A., 30. Clark, M. S., 161. Clarke, Milton, 247. Clarkson, George, 53, 138. Classic, Ralph, 243. Clover Valley Lumber Company, 81. Cloverdale Citrus Show, 165. Clubs, biological survey seeks coopera- tion of hunting, 70. Cod, 87. Coffin, Francis H., 306. Coffton, F. G., 238. Coleman, George A., 78, 140, 312 ; bio- logical requisites of lake trout, 45— 47. Colthurst. J. E., 162. Commercial fishery notes, 83-89, 168-169, 249-250, 316-320. Commission activities ; See Division Activities. Committee, report of the, on species destructive to game, 134-137 ; ad- visory, appointed, 213. Condor, the, 64. Condor, California, 68, 132. Conservation, new plan for duck, 57 ; the relation of parasitism to wild life, 128-129 ; schools take interest in, 148- 150 ; major, projects, 152—153 ; Canada leads in buffalo, 155-156 ; lessons as aids to classroom instruction, 214— 216 ; training camp for boy scouts opened in Tosemite, 303-304 ; data, waterfowl censuses of biological sur- vey developing valuable, 310 ; out- standing accomplishments of New Mexico, commission, 322 ; in other states, 93-94, 176, 254-256, 320-323. Continent-wide waterfowl census, 119—120. Convention, Associated Sportsmen'*s, 55 ; high lights of the, 138-139. Coolidge, Calvin, 157, 255, 321. Cordura Irrigation District, 167, CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 333 Correction, a, 51-52. Corvine, 72. Corwin, Genevieve, European biological stations, 86-87 ; the effects of stream pollution on fishes and their food, 31S-319. Costly lesson, a, 65. Court decision divides jurisdiction over Kaibab deer, 66. Cowden, Ben, 236. Coyote, 152, 153, 158, 313, 325 ; not strictly carnivorous, 151. Crab, 74, 94, 201, 249 ; season correct, 316-317. Hermit, 286. Crabtree, G. B., 162. Craig, Joe A., catch figures and fish sup- ply, 37-42 ; untangling the names of fishes, 168-169 ; the striped bass sup- ply of California, 265-272. Crane, 131, 133, 217; Little brown, 132; Sandhill. 132; Whooping. 132. Crappie, 76, 254, 296, 297, 298. Croaker, 169, 285. Crockett, Dan, 230. Crow, 72. Crowding and the birthrate, 140-141. Cuenin, J. P., 307. Curlew, 75. Long-billed, a note on the food of, 173. Curry, Allen, 239. Cutthroat ; see trout. Cyprinidae, 282. Cyprinoid, 282. Dafila acuta, 289. Dams, the building of, 305. Davis, Alphus, 124. Davis, Judge, 311. Davison, John W., 251. Deer, 56, 71, 110, 146, 147, 149, 159, 163, 211, 254; kill of, season 1927, 53-54; kill statistics, 181-187 ; food of, 211- 223 ; North Carolina secures, 321 ; court decision divides jurisdiction over Kaibab, 66 ; tag, 83 ; protecting orchards from, 221 ; what, eat, 221— 223 ; a tick infested, 252-253. Burro, 52. Fallow, 156. Mule, lumber companies protect, 305- 306. Wliite-tailed, 51, 71. DeGroot, Dudley Sargent, 64. De La Montanya, H., 238. De Laveaga, J. V., 144. Denmead & Goldman discuss problems of game preservation, 158-159. Department of, Architecture, 77, 164. Commercial Fisheries, 2, 21, 22, 25, 30, 38, 39, 42, 48, 51, 78-79, 84, 149, 169, 199, 242-243, 312-313. Finance, 138. Fish Culture, 76-78, 163-165, 240-242, 312. Health, 201. Interior, 255. Natural Resources, 50, 214. Patrol, 73-76, 161-163, 235-240, 311- 312. Deputy, volunteer, 117-119, 234-235 ; face new problem, 217 ; killed by violator, 304. Dewey, Earl T., 232. Diorchis, 287, 289. Disease, outbreak of duck, 55-56 ; duck, 83; of duck, 287, 314; animal, facts you should know about — an ele- mentary talk, 107-114 ; parasites and parasitic, in the California valley quail, 193-198. Distemper, on fox farms to receive care- ful study, 69-70 ; fox, being investi- gated, 232-233. Distribution, trout, for 1928 planned, 55. Division activities, 72-83, 161-169, 233- 248, 311-316. Division of State Parks. 214. Fish and Game ; See Fish and Game Commission. Dixon, Joseph, 139, 195, 221. Dondero, J. D., 72, 76, 239 ; protecting orchards from deer, 221. Dorothy, 48. Donner Lake Co., 245. Dove, 73, 254. White-winged in Imperial County, 252. Dow, H. B., 236. Drake, Sir Francis, 87. Duck, 53, 56, 64, 74, 75, 112, 120, 131, 133, 161, 217, 225, 306, 307, 310; com- mercial, clubs licensed, 52-53 ; out- break of, disease, 55-56 ; new plan for, conservation, 57 ; express shipments of, inspected, 61 ; opening of, season encouraging, 61 ; acorns as a food, 91-92 ; annual kill of, 141 ; salvaging, on Buena Vista Lake, 141-143 ; view- point changes on route taken by, 148 ; nests, destruction of, by irrigation water, 220-221; time (a poem), 309; disease, 245 ; inestinal parasites of wild, and geese, 286-296; migration begins, 320. Canvasback, 147, 160, 291. Lesser scaup, 147, 160. Mallard, 147, 148, 291, 293; N. Y. suc- ceeds in introducing, 176. Pintail, 55, 147, 148, 173, 289, 293. Red-head, 147, 160. Ruddy, 147. Shoveller. 55, 147, 148, 291. Sprig, 289. Surf scoter, 147, 160. Widgeon, 173. Wood, 91, 217; increasing. 227. Dunne, Frank E., 163. Dyche, L. L., 8. Dyer, John L., 43. E EDITORIALS : Eugene D. Bennett, new executive officer, 50 ; the retiring executive officer, 50-51 ; special fish planting truck, 51 ; a correction, 51-52 ; com- mercial duck clubs licensed, 52-53 ; patrol conference, 53 ; KMN goes on the air, 53 ; kill of deer, season 1927, 53-54 ; Hungarian partridges pur- chased, 54-55 ; associated sportsmen's convention, 55 ; trout distribution for 1928 planned, 55 ; outbreak of duck disease, 55-56 ; pot-hunting and shoot- ing ethics, 56 ; what is a "forked horn," 56—57 ; new plan for duck con- servation, 57 ; an elk refuge needed, 58 ; volunteer wardens, 58-60 ; educa- tion in California, 60-61 ; express shipments of ducks inspected, 61 ; Tahquitz game refuge, 61 ; opening of duck season encouraging, 61 ; fish planting, 61 ; sage hen given protec- tion, 61—62 ; a famous animal blind, 62 ; two speed boats added to patrol, 62 ; resolutions of western associa- tion, 62-64 ; government to take waterfowl census, 64 ; habits of the California clapper rail, 64 ; main- tenance of wild life on reservations, 64 ; pheasants and cats, 64-65 ; a costly lesson, 65 ; the food of fishes, 65—66 ; court decision divides juris- diction over Kaibab deer, 66 ; lion hunter Bruce breaks record, 67 ; mosquito fish a success, 67 ; seashore animals of the Pacific coast, 67-68 ; state bird to be selected, 68 ; game restoration program inaugurated, 68 ; reflooding of lower Klamath lake held impracticable, 68-69 ; distemper on 3M CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. fox farms to receive careful study, 69-70 ; beaver farming in cutover lands promises profit and interesting worlc, 70 ; biological survey seeks cooperation of hunting clubs, 70 ; waterfowl shooting permitted on parts of upper Mississippi, 70 ; forests play important role in regulation of streamflow, 70—71 ; game animals killed in forest even by slow ground fires, 71 ; study made of magpie in relation to agriculture, 72 ; annual fur law summary issued, 72 ; high lights of the convention, 138-139 ; game farm will experiment with new birds, 139 ; reflooding of Klamath lake considered impracticable. 139-140 ; game wardens' duties multifarious, 14 0 ; Johnson bill would provide wild- fowl refuges, 140 ; Klamath river sal- mon epidemic, 140 ; crowding and the birthrate, 140-141 ; the annual kill of ducks, 141 ; museums help in nature education, 141 ; bird banding on Lake Merritt, 141 ; salvaging ducks on Buena Vista Lake, 141-143 ; a re- markable display of wildfowl, 143- 145 ; accomplishment of a private game farm, 145 ; desert mountain sheep, 145 ; Japanese sportsmen or- ganize protective association, 146 ; the buck law, 146 ; accomplishments of a woman game warden, 146—147 ; still game to eat, 147 ; wild questions, 147 ; bounty paid on muskrats to save irrigation ditches, 147-148 ; view- point changes on route taken by ducks, 148 ; schools take interest in conservation, 148-150 ; dangers at- tendant upon introductions of foreign birds, 150-151 ; fur research at Uni- versity of Minnesota, 151 ; coyote not strictly carnivorous, 151 ; California's kill of fur-bearers, 151-152 ; county wardens help enforce game laws, 152 ; the lecture program. 152 ; major conservation projects, 152—153 ; what is a forked horn, 153 ; the wealth of the sea, 153—154 ; California hum- mingbirds, 154-155 ; Canada leads in buffalo conservation, 155—156 ; the Irish elk, 156 ; by the President of the United States of America, a proc- lamation, 156-157 ; public warned to guard against tularemia, 157-158 ; Denmead and Goldman discuss prob- lems of game preservation, 158—159 ; tern banded in Labrador found dead in France, 159—160 ; new leaflet tells how to raise minks in captivity, 160 ; bird census takers wanted, 160 ; answers, 160 ; a look to the future, 211 ; sound value, 211 ; in memoriain, David E. Roberts, 211-212 ; Frank Machado, 212 ; more knowledge needed, 212-213 ; advisory cominittee appointed, 213 ; senate passes federal game refuge bill, 213 ; pack train to transport golden trout, 213-214 ; a full program for summer resorts, 214 ; more state parks mean more game refuges, 214 ; conservation les- sons as aids to classroom instruc- tion, 214—216 ; how birds respond to protection, 216 ; another blue jay hunt, 216-217 ; looking backward, 217; deputies face new problem, 217; wild fowl refuge functioning, 217 ; streams closed to angling, 218—219 ; state parks and game propagation, 219-220 ; boy scouts and conservation, 220 ; association states aims, 220 ; destruction of ducks' nests by irri- gation water, 220-221 ; protecting orchards from deer, 221 ; cause of ruffed grouse epidemics still un- known, 221 ; a solution suggested, 221; what deer eat, 221-223; a plea for shorebirds, 223 ; game law en- forcement, 223—224 ; sportsmen vs. landowners, 224 ; a nature almanac, 224-225 ; gamekeepers' school estab- lished, 225 ; nesting habits of band- tailed pigeon, 225-227 ; carp catch in- creased by novel method, 227 ; wood ducks increasing, 227 ; refuges most important in saving wild life, 227— 228 ; imported wild birds not easily established here, 228-229 ; upper Kla- math wild life refuge established, 229—230 ; migratory bird treaty act regulations amended, 230 ; forest serv- ice plans novel campaign, 230 ; Bear River marshes, Utah, saved for mi- gratory birds, 230-231 ; Utah man will head Bear River bird refuge project, 231—232 ; fox distemper being investi- gated, 232-233 ; head office moved, 29 9 ; obligations, 299 ; more state parks needed, 299—300 ; division's work subject of visual study, 300- 301 ; in memoriam, Eugene William Hunt, 301 ; George Thompson, 302 ; game commissioners meet at Seattle, 302-303; hunter vs. farmer, 303; a changed viewpoint needed, 303 ; con- servation training camp for boy scouts opened in Yosemite, 303-304 ; deputy killed by violator, 304 ; state lion hunter seriously injured, 304 ; new bureau established, 305 ; the building of dams, 305 ; national waterfowl refuge law, 305 ; a new game farm, 305 ; Folsom fish way re- paired, 305 ; state fair exhibit, 1928, 305 ; lumber companies protect mule deer, 305-306 ; muskrats in Kern County, 306 ; the Bear River project 306 ; game administration, 306-307 the restoration of marshes, 307 winter feeding, 307 ; migration of trout studied, 307 ; to study life his- tory of Pacific eel, 307-308 ; giant tortoise brought to San Diego, 308 ; Mexican game bird propagated, 308 ; fry and fingerlings, 308 ; teachers' bulletin No. 10, 308 ; sea lion bulletin prepared, 308-309 ; a game survey, 309 ; duck time, 309 ; resolution demands study of whale, 309-310 ; waterfowl censuses of biological sur- vey developing valuable conservation data, 310. Edna Christensen, 81. Education, in California, 60 ; museums help in nature, 141 ; New Zealand uses, method, 9 4. Eel, 87, 273. Pacific, to study life history of, 307- 308. Effects of stream pollution on fishes and their food, 318-319. Eggs, of eel, 308; of smelt, 255; of grun- ion, 273. Egg collecting stations : Forsee Creek, 241. Gull Lake, 76. Prairie Creek, 78, 164. San Gabriel, 241. Shackelford, 241. Snow Mountain, 164, 241. Egret, 16. Ehmann, E. W., 141. Elanus leucurus. 169. Elder, A. W., 162. Elk, 147, 159, 217 ; refuge needed, 58 ; the Irish, 15 6 ; Yellowstone, thrive in Canada, 176 ; Humboldt County, 251. Elk Lumber Company, 245. Elliott, R. H., 239. Ellis, Jack, 126. Ellis, Judge, 311. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 335 Ellis, Ray, 161, 239. Ellsworth, Rodney S., 301. Emerick, Walter, 74, 117, 161, 1G7. Emporium Country Club, 245. Endicott, Wendell, 2S5. England, C. F., 162, 163, 239. Entomologist employed by Missouri State Game and Fish Commission, 323. Epidemic, salmon, Klamath River, 14 0. Eumctoirias stelleri, 2, 10. European biological stations, 86-87. Evans, Samuel, 137. Evermann, Barton W., 213. Everson, AV. B., 237, 311. Exhibit, 233, 316 ; state fair, 1928, 305 ; a forest tragedy, 79 ; mountain sheep, 243 ; Mt. Shasta Hatchery, 314. Facts you should know about animal diseases — an elementary talk, 107— 114. Fair, Paul J., 301, 315. Falco columbarius, 171. Falcon, prairie, 91, 136. Fanan, R. A., 237. Farmer, hunter vs., 303. Fanning, beaver, in cutover lands pro- mises profit and Interesting work, 70. Farm, distemper on fox, to receive care- ful study, 69-70. Feliz, John D., 124. Ferguson, A. D., 307. Fernald, Reginald, 53. Ferris, G. F., 14, 198. Field and stream, 153, 254. Finch, house, 92. Fingerlings, fry and, 308. Finley, T. R.. 9. Fish, the smelts of the wholesale, markets, 16-21 ; catch figures and, supply, 37- 42 ; an historical review of the legal aspects of the use of food, for reduc- tion purposes, 42-44 ; special, plant- ing truck, 51 ; the food of, 65 ; lost, receipt books, 9 4 ; untangling the names of, 168-169 ; canners organize, 169 ; screens in California irrigation ditches, 208—210 ; rescue and reclama- tion, 296-298 ; effect of stream pol- lution on, and their food, 318-319 : new type of, food, 323 ; sable, 16 ; mosquito, a success, 67. Fish and Game Commission, 2, 7, 8, 9, 21, 25, 30, 35, 38, 42, 43, 48, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 60, 61, 74, 79, 89, 118, 119, 121, 126, 138, 142, 148, 149, 152, 174, 211, 214, 243, 244, 286, 299, 304, 306. British Columbia, 39. Hawaii, 79. ' Idaho, 2 55. Louisiana, 86. Michigan, 307, 321. Missouri, 93 ; entomologist employed bv, 323. New Jersey, 176, 321. New York, 147, 176. North Carolina, 256. Oregon. 323. Pennsylvania, 321. Fish and Game Protective Association : Pajaro Valley, 146. San Diego, 162. Fish, car 01, 55; ladder, 81, 313, 315; planting, 61 ; screen, 315 ; tag, 243. Fisher, 152, 325. Fisher, A. K., 137. Fisher, C. O., destruction of ducks' nests by irrigation water, 220-221 ; Canada geese nest on Honey Lake, 252. Fishway, Folsom, repaired, 305. Fishery products, commercial, report, 102-105, 188-191, 260-263, 326-329. Fisheries, to save the, of the great lakes, 87-89; totuava, on the California Gulf, 275-281 ; halibut, regulation of, proposed, 319-320. Fishing, drag-net, has depleted halibut supply, 85 ; New Mexico, undertakes, water survey, 9 3 ; off southern Cali- fornia beaches growing in popularity, 250. Fishing Gazette, 227. Fitzhugh, Wm. M., 156. Fleckenstein, G. I., 305, 313. P'licker, screech owl vs., 251—252. Red -shafted, 92, 173. Flounder, 169. Fluke, 287. Follett, W. I., a note on the squawfish and one of its relatives, 282-285 ; the boneflsh — overlooked by California sportsmen, 285-286. Food, of fishes, 65—66 ; acorns as a duck, 91-92 ; for game, New York provid- ing, 254 ; effects of stream pollution on fishes and their, 318-319 ; new type of fi.sh, 323. Forbes, Stephen A., 318. Ford, H. E., 237. Ford. Pearl, 72. Forest and Stream, 225. Forests play important role in regulation of streamflow, 70-71. Forked-horn, what is a, 56-57, 153. Fortuna Union High School, 149. Found, W. A., 48. Fox, distemper on, farms to receive care- ful study, 69—70 ; distemper being in- vestie-ated. 232-233. Gray, 152, 325. : i i LI Kit, 325. . , Red, 152, 325. ' " Fox, Herbert, 108. Freeman, Miller, 48. • French, J. F.. 235. Frisco, Joseph, 124. , ,.,• Frog, 285. •' ' • ' Fry and fingerlings,. 308. Pry, Walter, the California badger, 204- 208. Fur bearers, value of, 136 ; California's kill of, 151-152. Fur Journal, 151. Fur research at University of Minnesota, 151. Gage, Lyinan, 7. Galbreth, Morgan, 315. Galloway, John W., 304. Gamhusia, 67. Game, restoration program inaugurated, 68 ; animals killed in forest even by slow ground fires, 71 ; report of the committee on species destructive to, 134-137; still, to eat, 147; Denmead and Goldman discuss problem of pre- servation, 158—159 ; rearing vs. pur- chasing, 176 ; North Carolina under- takes, bag census, 256 ; restoration, 299 ; commissioners meet at Seattle, 302-303 ; administration, 306-307 ; game survey, 309. Game Farm, 54, 57, 216, 300, 314, 315, 316 ; will experiment with new birds, 13 9 ; private, accomplishments of, 145 ; a new, 305. Evans, 137. Hay ward, 125. New York, 176. North Carolina, 321. Southern California, 316. Gammarxis, 323. Gardner, Lawrence, 161. Gentry, J. Dale, 213. George, J., 237. Ginis A. 239. Glidd'en,"E. H.. 162, 240; muskrats and beaver in Imperial County, 175 Globe Cotton Oil Mills, 42. 336 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Goat, mountain, 176. Golden Gate Park Museum, 165. Golden, John M., 74, 163. Goldfinch, willow, 92. Goldman, Denmead and, discuss problems of g-ame preservation, 158-159. Goldman, E. A., 58. Goodyear Redwood Company, 81. Goose, 120, 131, 147, 161, 162, 217, 225, 310 ; intestinal parasites of wild ducks and, 286-296. Canada, 160, 288, 293 ; nest on Honey Lake, 252. Egyptian, 144. Hutchin's, 288, 293. Lesser snow, 288. Mag-ellan, 144. Ross snow, 131, 288, 293. Gnisa, S., 238. Gopher, 174, 175, 207; pocket, 135, 158. Gould, Sam, 239. Gourley, C. L., 239, 311. Government to take waterfowl census, 64. Gray, H. P., 141. Green, Robert G., 69, 232. Greene, B. D. Marx, 50, 55, 138, 169 ; an historical review of the legal aspects of the use of food fish for reduction purposes, 42—44. Greene, Frank A., 235. Greenman, Raymond, 216. Grey, Zane, 285. crimes, E. G., 218, 219. Groat, C. H., 243. Grose, R. M., 163. Grouse, 167, 217. Ruffed, 158 ; cause of, epidemics still unknown, 221. Groves, Harley, 311. Grunion, 17, 18, 19, 20 : at La Jolla, 89- 90; and smelt, 249; on Cabrillo Beach, 273-274. Gull, 169. 171. H Habits of the California clapper rail, 64. Hadley, Alden H., 137. Haemoiiroteus, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198. Hales, D. E., 161, 311. Halibut, 22, 39, 169, 249 ; progress in, in- vestigations, 47-49 ; drag-net fishing has depleted, 85 ; supply, regulation of, fishery proposed, 319-320 ; north- ern, 88 ; northern, in Southern Cali- fornia, 89. Hall, E. Raymond, a correction, 51-52. Hallwood Irrigation District, 167, 245. Hammack, Brice, 162. Hamor, F. A., 164. Hanson, Karl B., 232. Hardhead, 282, 284. Hares, varying. New York introduces, 176. Harris, Manly, 213. Harrison, H. R., 237, 238. Hart, M. D., 158. Hartley, Roland H., 63. Hatchery, Big- Creek, 242, 312. Brookdale, 242. Burney Creek, 78, 164. Clear Creek, 77, 241. Cold Creek, 78, 241. Domingo Springs, 77, 241. Fall Creek, 27, 163, 241. Feather River, 242. Fort Seward, 78, 241. Kaweah, 164, 242, 312. Kern River, 164, 242. Kings River Experimental, 218, 219, 242. Mormon Creek, 164, 242, 312. Mount Shasta, 75, 76, 78, 85, 148, 149, 163, 164, 214, 240, 300, 322. Mount WTiitney, 75, 76, 77, 164, 240, 312. Tahoe, 77, 164, 242. Tallac, 164. Wawona, 241. Yosemite, 77, 78, 164, 241, 304, 312. Hawk, 131, 171, 308. Broad-winged, 136. Cooper, 136. Duck, 172. Marsh, 91, 134. Pigeon, bill of fare, 171-173. Red-shouldered, 136. Red-tailed, 136, 170. Rough-legged, 136. Sharp-shinned, 136. Sparrow, 172. Swainson, 136. Heacock, Ray, 304. Headstrom, Birger R., 319. Heath hen, 132. Henderson, Judge, 167. Henshaw, H. W., 145. Hensil, V. W., 237. Heron, A. R., 138. Herring, 87, 168, 249 ; South Africa wants, 85. Herrington, W. C, 48. Herz, L. E., albacore, 249. Hewitt, C. Gordon, 156. Hewson, L., 239. Hexigramidae, 169. Hills, H. S., 238. Hippoqlossus hippoglossus, 88, 89. Historical review of the legal aspects of the use of food fish for reduction pur- poses, 42-44. Hoffmann, P. C, 247. Hoffschneider, A. P., 145. Hogaboom, Charles, 302, 304. Hoke, G. L., 236, 311. Holderman. Albert E., 239. Holladay, C. E., 238. Holmes, G. N., 314. Hooper Foundation for Medical Reserch, 56, 193, 201, 286, 313. Hopkins, Clarence L., 320. Hoppe, Wm., 237. Hornaday, W. T., 156. Hudson Bay Company, 159 Hudson, W. H., 155. Hummingbirds, California, 154-155. Costa, 154, 155. Anna, 154, 155. Humphrey, J. W., 71. Hunt, Eugene Wm., 139 ; in memoriam, 301. Hunter, J. S., 72, 139, 161, 302, 311; post- ing of game refuges, 116-117. Hunter, state lion, seriously injured, 304. Hunter vs. farmer, 303. Hurlbut, E. S., 73. Hymenolepsis anatina, 287, 289, 290, 291, 294. lanceolata, 287, 288, 294. I Ibis, 75. Illinois Sportsman, 309. Imperial Valley Irrigation District, 147. In memoriam, 211-212, 301-302. International Association of Fish, Game and Conservation Commissioners, 63, 302, 311. International Fisheries Commission, 319. International News Service, 167. Introduction, dangers attendant upon, of foreign birds, 150-151. Investigation, 55 ; salmon, 25. Ireland, Asher, 230. Irvine, R. J., 83. Izaak Walton League of America, 58, 227, 318. J Jacks, Lyle T., 74. Jackrabbit, 114. Jacksnipe, 75. Jackson, Carl R., 18. Jakeway, C. A., 63. Japanese sportsmen organize protective association, 146. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 337 To y Y2 Blue, "another hunt, 216-217. California, 173. Jeffries, R. E., a solution suggested, 221. Jellyfish, 66. Jessup, L. T., 68. Johnson bill would provide wildfowl re- fuges, 140. Johnson, C. A., 237. Johnson, Fred S., 127. Johnson, Frederick M., 127. Johnson, Myrtle Elizabeth, 67. Johnson, Thomas, 123, 124. Jones, F. B., 238. Jones, Wm., 239. Jordan, David Starr, 67. Junco, 172. K Kaliher, Wm., 238, 239. Kalmbach, E. R., 72. Kauffman, Earl, 138. Keaton, Morgan, 9. Keep, Josiah, 67. • Kellogg, Frank B., 157. Kelly, H. L., 313. Kelly, L. H., 79. Kelp, 313. Kerchen, J. L.., 314. Kibbe, Bessie W., 244 ; California hum- mingbirds, 154-155 ; nesting habits of band-tailed pigeon, 225-227. Kincaid, Trevor, 302, 311. King, Henry, 238. King, Judge, 311. Kingfisher, 135. Kite, swallow-tailed, 132. Wliite-tailed, 132, 171 ; near Hollister, 91; a plea for the, 169-170. KMN goes on the air, 53. Knight, A. P., 212. Kofoid, C. A., 194, 286. Koppel, I. L., 237. Kunkel, N. C, 243. Kuramoto, K., 88, 89. L Labor school, 314. Ladyflsh, 285. "Lake Miraflores," 42. Lambson, G. H., 85. Landes, Bertha K., 63. Larkin, Captain, 305. Larson, Winford P., 151. Law, annual fur, summary issued, 72 ; the buck, 146 ; county wardens help enforce game, 152 ; game, enforcement, 223-224 ; Florida enacts advanced, 254; national waterfowl refuge, 305 Webb, 169. Clarke-McNary, 157. Laws, Bert, 237. Laws, G. O., 80, 145. Lecture program, the, 152. LeCompte, E. Lee, state parks and game propagation, 219-220. Lee, Pete, 162. Legislation, recent, in Kentucky, 254. Leigh ton, Fred, 168. Leopold, Aldo, 309. Leuciscinae, 283. Leuresthes tenuis, 17, 18. Libby, Gretchen, 60. Library of California State Fisheries Laboratory, 317-318. License, special, needed to kill bear in New Mexico, 94 ; buttons for Michi- gan hunters, 321. Life history notes, 89-92, 169-175, 251- 254, 320. Linnet, 92. Lion, mountain, 152, 325. Lister Institute, 144. Little, Robert J., 61, 75. Lloyd, Hoyes, 175. Lobster, 152. Spiny, 67, 68, 249. London, Taylor, 139, 236. Long, Walter I., 65, 162. Look to the future, 211. Looking backward, 217. Los Angeles Museum, 8. Los Serranos Country Club, 305. Lough, McPherson, 23 8. Louisiana shrimp industry, 85-86. Ludlum, Roy, 109, 141, 142, 302. Lyon, Charles W., 8. Lyons, S. H., 116, 117, 163. M Macabi, 285. Machado, Frank, in memoriam, 212. Mackerel, 249 ; canning, 250. MacVicar, A. G., 137. Maddox, Coburn, 243. Madsen, D. H., 57, 69, 231, 302, 306, 311. Magladry, Geo., 239, 311. Magpie, study made of, in relation to agriculture, 72. Yellow-billed, 68. Maize, E. H., 314. Mallagh, Wm., 243. Malone, C. J., 237. Mammals, fur-bearing, summary of, 325. Mareca americana, 290. Marila valisineria, 291. Marine Corporation, 315. Markley, Ross W., 162, 243. Marten, 325. Maryland Conservationist, 224. Matheson, Duncan, 138, 139. Matthews, N. M., 243. Maynard, L. A., 239. McAllister, M. Hall, Canada leads in buf- falo conservation, 155-156. McAuliff, E., 239. McClellan, A. H., 234. McCloud Lumber Company, 306. McDermott, Forrest, 235, 238, 311. McDonald, C. E., 162. McKeon Drilling Corporation, 167. McLean, Donald, 79, 308 ; white-tailed kites near Hollister, 91; acorns as duck food, 91-92 ; birds and grapes, 92 ; various conditions regulating bird population and migration, 129-134 ; misleading names in various common birds, 170-171 ; the pigeon hawk's bill of fare, 171-173 ; a note on the food of the long-billed curlew, 173 ; screech owl vs. flicker, 251-252. Meakin, Perc, 143, 144, 253 ; a striper strangles, 253-254. Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, 153. Mendocino Lumber Company, 81, 168. Mercer, E. L., 235. Merriam, C. H., 8. Meyer, K. P., 56, 139, 193, 196, 197, 213, 245, 286, 314 ; facts you should know about animal diseases — an elementary talk, 107-114. Migration, various conditions regulating bird population and, 129-134 ; of trout studied, 307 ; duck, begins, 320. Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 70, 228 ; regu- lations amended, 230. Miller and Lux Company, 58, 133, 161. Miller, Tate, 243. Miner, A. D., 162, 235, 238. Millett, Andrew H., 235. Mink, 152 ; new leaflet tells how to raise in captivity, 160. Minnow, 282. Missouri Game and Fish News, 9 4. Mockingbird, western, 92. Mollusk, 38, 201. Monterey Sardine Canners Association, 169. Moody, E. D., 236. Moore, Chester, 237, 238. 338 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Moose, 156 ; Maine opens season on, 93 ; Maine closes season on, 320. Moran, Nathan, 213. More knowledge needed, 212-213. Morris, Louis J., 238. Motion picture, 230, 244. . • Moulton, P., 124. - ■ ■ ■: . Mouse, 113, 169, 207. ■ ■■ Deer, 158. . . ' • House, 158. ■ • Mud-hen, 120. Murphy, Jack, 237. Murphy, Robert Cushman, 227. Munn, James B., 255, 321. Museums help in nature education, 141. Museum, of Vertebrate Zoology, 139. Yosemite, 304. Muskrat, 152, 325 ; bounty paid on, to save irrigation ditches, 147-148 ; and beaver in Imperial County, 175 ; in Kern County, 306. Mussel, 64, 245, 286 ; poisoning in Cali- fornia, 201-202. Mylopharodon conocephahis, 282, 283, 284, 285. Mytilus calif ornianus, 201. N Names, misleading, in various common birds, 170-171 ; untangling the, of fishes, 168-169. National Association of Audubon Societies, 256, 303. National Automobile Club, 245. National bison range, 94. National Forest, Flathead, 71. National Game Conference, 152. National Sportsmen's Magazine, 68. Nature almanac, 224-225. Nature Magazine, 225. Neale, George, 296, 300, 305 ; in memoriam, David E. Roberts, 211-212 ; fish rescue and reclamation, 296-298. Nelligen, John, 304. Nelson, Edward W., 155. Nereidae, 285. Net, drag, fishing has depleted halibut supply, 85. : , , . , . Illegal, 236. : ■ : • Gill, 36. ■ ■', ^ Lampara, 84, 250. ' ' Purse seine, 42, 84, 312. ; ■ ' Nettion carolinense, 290. Newbert, J. E., 212. Newman, Ben, 239. New Mexico Conservationist, 223, 322. Newsome, J. E., 73, 76, 234. Newsome, Ralph, 238. New York Development Association, 254. New York Zoological Society, 8. Nidever, H. B., 8, 78 ; bootleg barracuda, 84-85. Nightingale, H. W., 302. . Niskey, Frank E., 238. • ■ ■' Noack, H. R., 90. Norbeck migration bill, 213 Notocotylus, 287, 288. Novotny, Vencel, 162, 163. -■ Oberholser, H. C, 138, 139, 217 ; a con- tinent-wide waterfowl census, 119- 120. Obligations, 299. O'Brien, Daniel, 74. O'Connell, Jack, 237, 253, 304. O'Connor, George, 165. Odocoileus c. scaphiotus, 52. hemionus calif amicus, 52. h. erimicnis, 52. Office, head, moved, 299. Oil operators. Inc., 80, 167, 246. Old Tom, 62. O'Malley, Henry, 48, 302. Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, 90. Opossum, 152, 158, 325. Orange County Refining Company, 246, Orca, 13. Orchestoidea californiana, 173. Orlando, Mike, 239. O'Roke, E. C, 165 ; the relation of para- sitism to wild life conservation, 128- 129 ; parasites and parasitic disease in California valley quail, 193-198 ; intestinal parasites of wild ducks and geese, 286-296. Osborne, Robert, 238. Osmeridae, 17. Otter, 204. River, 152, 325. .' ' - Sea, 16. Our policies, 114-116. Outdoor Life — Recreation, 256. Owl, 308. Barn, 136. Barred, 136. Great horned, 135. Long-eared, 136. Screech vs. Flicker, 251-252. Short-eared, 136. Snowy, 136. Oyster, in California, 203-204. Pacific American Petroleum Company, 246. Pacific Fisherman, 48, 208. Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 305, 315. Pacific Southwest Exposition, 233. Pack, Arthur Newton, 22,4. Packard, William, 124. Palmer, Beckie, 124. Palmer, E. Laurence, 224. Pan-American Petroleum Company, 81. Panzarotto, 17, 18, 19, 20. Parakeet, shell, 9 0. Parasites, and parasitic disease in the Cali- fornia valley quail, 19 3-19 8; intes- tinal, of wild ducks and geese, 286- 296. Parasitism, the relation of, to wild life conservation, 128—129. Parks, state, mean more game refuges, 214; and game propagation, 219-220; more needed, 299-300. Partridge, 147, 217 ; vs. sharptail, 150. Hungarian, 57, 149, 150, 151, 165, 167, 225, 248, 300 ; purchased 54 ; in Pennsylvania, 256. Patrol, conference, 53 ; two speed boats added to, 62. Pavey, Harold, 238. Peacock, W. F., female pheasant assumes male plumage, 320. Peafowl, 167. Pearl, Raymond, 140. Pearson, Ad. B., black sea brant on Mis- sion Bay, 173 ; duck migration be- gins, 320. Pearson, T. Gilbert, 256, 303. Pelican, 131. Peralta, 42. Perch, 76. Peterson, Emile, 215. Phalarope, red, 170. Pheasant, 58, 139, 147, 165, 225, 254; and cats, 64-65 ; planting map, 264 ; female, assumes male plumage, 320 ; eggs, state supplies, 321-322. Golden, 166, 300, 316. Lady Amherst, 167. Reeves, 166, 316. Ringnecked, 64, 81, 165, 166, 176, 247, 300, 320. Silver, 316. Versicolor, 167. Philadelphia Zoological Gardens, 287. Philco Campfire, 243. Phillips, John C, 137, 145, 228. Phipps Bill, 57. Phipps, Senator, 306. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 339 Pierce, Wright M., 171, 172 ; a plea for the white-tailed kite, 169-170. Pig-eon, band-tailed, 217 ; nesting habits of, 225-227. Pike, Sacramento, 160, 282, 283. Pike, Warburton, 156. Pile worm, 285. Pillsbury, "Warren H., 43. Pinnotheres pisum, 201. Pipit, 172. Planchard, Mitchell, 89. Planting, fish, 61. Plover, black-bellied, 170. Plumage, female pheasant assumes male, 320. Plymouth Marine Biological Station, 86. Pochard, Baer's, 144. Policies, our, 114-116. Pollock, Alvin, 239. Pollution, 80, 153, 247, 315, 323 ; effects of stream, on fishes and their food, 318- 319 Poole, Charles G., 151. Porcupine, 158, 160. Porpoise, 3. Post, P. H., 162, 238. Posting of game refuges, 116-117. Pot-hunting and shooting ethics, 56. Potter, L. B., 150. Pradier, Robert, 159. Prairie chicken, 132. Proclamation, by the president of the United States, a, 156-157. Program, Oregon adopts continuing, 323. Progress in halibut investigations, 47-49. Project, Bear River, 306. Propagation, state parks and game, 219- 220. Protection, how birds respond to, 216. Protozoa, 294. Ptychocheilus grandis, Girard 282, 283, 284, 285. Lucius Girard, 283. Quail, 79, 134, 147, 158, 217, 234 ; albino, 90 ; shooting in California today and fifty years ago, 122-128 ; disease, 245 ; Mis- souri imports, 254. Bobwhite, 145. Chinese bamboo, 167. Gambel, 145. Mexican, 256. Mountain, 131, 145, 167. Valley, 68, 90, 92, 145, 167, 300; para- sites and parasitic disease in, 193— 198. Quarterly Review of Biology, 140. Queenfish, 168. Questions, wild, 147; answers, 160. Questionnaire, 60—61. Quinnat, 162. Rabbit, 150, 176 ; Pennsylvania releases 80,000, 321. Brush, 92. Cottontail, 92, 135, 157. Jack, 135, 157. Snowshoe, 157. Raccoon, 152, 325. Rail, clapper, 132 ; habits of the Cali- fornia, 64. Rainbow, patrol boat, 253. Ralston, Enos, 123, 124. Rat, 207. Cotton, 137. Norway, 64. Wood, 147, 158. Rathbun, S. F., 64. Raynaud, Ernest, 304. Reckers, Geo. B., 162, 163. Redington, Paul G., 68, 69, 70, 157, 158, 227, 302. Reduction, an historical review of the legal aspects of the use of food fish for, purposes, 42-44. Reflooding of lower Klamath Lake held impracticable, 68-69 ; considered im- practicable, 139-140. Refuge, game, 149, 217 ; an elk, needed, 58 ; Kansas after wildfowl, 9 3 ; game auxiliary, for Missouri, 94 ; new bird, in Florida, 94 ; game, posting of, 116 ; Johnson bill would provide wildfowl, 140 ; New York plans series of 176 ; Nova Scotia creates, 176 ; game. Sen- ate passes federal, bill, 213 ; more state parks mean more, 214 ; wild- fowl functioning, 217 ; most important in saving wild life, 227-228 ; upper Klamath wild life, established, 228— 230 ; bill. Bear River migratory bird, 230-231 ; Utah man will head Bear River bird, project. 231-232 ; New Brunswick gains important addition to, system, 254 ; Pathfinder bird, re- established in Wyoming, 255 ; upper Mississippi, enlarged, 255—256 ; Geor- gia creates, 256 ; National waterfowl, law, 305 ; reestablishment of bird, in Wyoming, 321 ; Missisippi, enlarged, 321. Alaska Railroad Muskrat and Beaver, 64. Curry Game, Bird and Fish, 64. 1-H, 73. l-I, 73. 1-K. 234. l-O, 73, 313. 1-Q, 61. .; ' 3-A, 73. . . 3-E, 73. . . 3-P, 73. 3-G, 73. 4-A, 237. 4-C, 234. 4-E, 234. Lapreau Game, 254. Mt. Hamilton, 244. Tamalpais Game, 147, 238. Tahquitz Game, 61. Upper Mississippi River Wild Life and Pish, 64, 70, 228, 321. Regulation of halibut fishery proposed, 318-319. Relation of parasitism to wild life con- servation, 128-129. Report, financial, 99-100, 177-178, 258- 259, 325, 330; on sardine canneries 1926-27, 95 ; violation, 98-99 ; 178- 179, 257-258, 324 ; of committee on species destructive to game, 134-137. Rescue, fish, and reclamation, 29 6-29 8. Research, fur, at University of Minnesota, 151. Reservations, maintenance of wild life on, 64. Resolutions of western association, 62-64 ; demands study of whale, 309-310. Resource, how a natural, ia being ad- ministered, 21-25. Restoration of marshes, 307. Retiring executive officer, 50—51. Rice Ranch Oil Company, 246. Richfield Oil Company, 246. Ricketts, E. D., 75 ; white-winged dove in Imperial County, 252. Roberts, D. E., 235 ; pheasants and cats, 64-65 ; in memoriam, 211-212. Robertson, E. S., 239. Robertson, John McB., notes on a captive turkey vulture, 173-175. Robin, 172, 217. Roccus lineatus, 265. Rockfish, 249. Rod and G^m in Canada, 212. Rodent, 147, 169. Rodolph, George J., 304. Rohrback, D. W., 162. Romeo, A., 74. Rowley, John, 8. 340 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Rule, A. E., 73. Russell, E. D., 87. Rutter, Cloudsley, 8. Ryan, John J., 74. Ryckman, Matt, 323. Sacramento Development Co., 81. Sadler, R. J., fishing' off southern beaches growing- in popularity, 250. Sage hen given protection, 61-62. Salmo clarkii, 121. Henshawi, 121. Irideus, 121. ■ Regalis, 121. Salmon, 22, 42, 81, 94, 168, 249, 273; in- vestigation, 25—29. Klamath River, epidemic, 140 ; season on, and bass resulted in poor catch, 817. Atlantic, 122. Chinook, 78, 243. King, 85. Humpback, taken off Santa Monica, 90- 91. Quinnat, 76, 163. Salt, 312. Sampson, A. W., 222. Sanctuary ; See refuge. San Diego Museum of Natural History, 141. San Diego Society of Natural History, 170. San Diego Zoological Society, 162, 165. Sandpiper, spotted, 170. Redbacked, 170. Sanducha, 285. San Felipe Camp, 277, 278. San Francisco Examiner, 307. San Francisco Police Department, 138. San Francisco Relief Home, 161. Sans, E. R., 256. Sardine, 44, 48, 168, 233, 249, 313 ; scar- city at Monterey, 83-84 ; report on, canneries, 1926-27, 95 ; seasons at Monterey and Los Angeles harbor, 198—200; why California, are caught at night rather than by day, 250. Saunders, W. E., wood ducks increasing, 227. Scandia, 48. Scheffer, T. H., 302, 311. Schneider, J. C, 236. School, gamekeeper's, established, 225. Labor, 314. Science 8 321. Scofield' E. C, '302, 311, 312 ; striped bass studies, 29-37. Scofield, N. B., 2, 3, 48, 90, 302, 311 ; com- mercial fishery notes, 83-89 ; 168-169 ; 249-250; 316-320; sardine scarcity at Monterey, 83-84 ; south Africa wants herring, 85 ; Louisiana shrimp indus- try, 85-86 ; abalone safe from exter- mination, 87 ; to save the fisheries of the great lakes, 87-89 ; oysters in Cali- fornia, 203-204 ; why California sar- dines are caught at night rather than by day, 250. Scofield, W. L., how a natural resource is being administered, 21—25 ; mackerel canning, 250 ; sardine seasons at Monterey and Los Angeles harbor, 198-200. Scoter ; See duck. Screech owl vs. flicker, 251-252. Screens, fish, in California irrigation ditches, 208-210. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 65. Sea lion, 135 ; of California, 1-16 ; bulletin prepared, 308-309. California, 2, 11. Guadalupe fur, 309. Steller's 2, 10, 309. Seal, fur, 13. Northern elephant, 309. Seale, Alvin, 5. Sears, A. W., 236. Seashore animals of the Pacific coast, 67- 68. Season, opening of duck, encouraging, 61 ; Maine opens on moose, 93 ; sardine, at Monterey and Los Angeles harbor, 198-200; crab, correct, 316-317; on salmon and bass resulted in poor catch, 317 ; Maine closes, on moose, 320. Sea-worm, 285. Seid, M. J., 13 9. Sellmer, Walter, 55, 72, 74, 217, 238. Sellmer, Mrs. Walter, 73, 146, 147. Sequoia National Park, 164, 204, 206, 207. Service Bulletin, 167. Shad, 272. Buck, 249. Roe, 249. Shark, 13, 318. Sharptail, partridge vs., 150. Shaw, Edgar A., 127. Shaw, John, 127. Shebley, J. V., 301. Shebley, W. H., 139, 305 ; Eugene W. Hunt, in memoriam, 301. Sheep, 64, 176 ; mountain desert, 145 ; suc- cessfully introduced in Montana, 9 4. Shelldrake, Paradise, 144. Shell Oil Co., 246 ; refinery, 80. Shillinger, J. E., 69, 232. Shorebird, a plea for, 223. Shrew, 169. Shrimp, 67, 249 ; Louisiana, industry, 85- 86 ; freshwater, 323. Sibeck, Charles, 311. Sinkey, R. L., 237. Skipjack, 249. Skunk, 325. Smalley, E. W., 76. Smelt, bay, 17 ; of the San Pedro whole- sale fish markets, 16-21 ; grunion and, 249 ; freshwater, Idaho to introduce eggs of, 255. Jack, 17, 18, 19, 20. Least, 17. Silver, 17. Smith, W. Leland, 308. Smithsonian Institution, 223. Snodgrass, R. B., 8. Snook, Harry James, 67. Snow Mountain Water and Power Co., 164. Snow, Sidney, 57, 58, 59, 322. Snyder, Fred, 238. Snyder, J. O., 138 ; salmon investigation, 25-29 ; California trout, 121-122. Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manu- facturers' Institute, 309. Society, American Bison, 156. National Association of Audubon, 256, 303. Royal Geographic, 156. Sole, 169, 249. Sound value, 211. Sparrow, chipping, 92. English, 92, 150, 228. Gambel, 92. Golden-crowned, 92. Java, 90. Lark, 92. Savannah, 172, 173. Western Savannah, 92. White-crowned, 92. Spatula clypeata, 291. Spencer, John, fish screens in California irrigation ditches, 208-210. Spoonbill, 291, 293. Sportsmen vs. landowner, 224. Squawfish, 76, 160 ; a note on the, and one of its relatives, 282-285. Squid, 249. Squires, Richard, 304. Squirrel, ground, 114, 137, 207. California, 158. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 341 Columbia, 158. Desert, 158. Fisher, 206. Pine. 71, 158. Utah, 158. Standard Oil Co., 315. Stanford University, 14. Stanley, A. J., 238. Starks, E. C, 8. Starling, 150. . oc a? Stations, European biological, 8b-8(. Steinhart Aquarium, 5. Sterna hirundo, 159. paradisaea, 159. Stevenot, Fred G., 218. Stillman, Albert E., 225. Streams, closed to angling, 218-219. Study made of magpie in relation to agri- culture, 72. Sullivan, K. C, 323. Summer resorts, full program for, 214. Sunfish, 296, 297, 298. Sunset Magazine, 316. Surf-fish, 285. ^ ^ , « , • „ Survey, New Mexico undertakes fishing water, 93 ; a game, 309. Swan, 120, 225, 248, 310. Trumpeter, 132. White, 248. Swift, 313. Talbott, W. S., 75. Tapeworm, 287. Taverner, P. A., 150. Taxidea taxus neglecta, 204. Taylor, Judge, 65, 162. Taylor, Clarence, 239. Taylor, Roy, 239. Teal, green-winged, 55, 290, 293. Tendick, C. B., 267. . . ^ • Tern banded in Labrador found aeaa m France, 159-160. Arctic, 159. Common, 159. Texas Company, 246. Thallium, 83, 244. Thompson, Ernest, 156. Thompson, George, 238, 304, in memoriam, 302. . ^ ,. Thompson, Pwuth Miller, progress in hali- but investigations, 47-49. Thompson, Samuel, 237. Thompson, W. F., 39, 48, 302, 311. Thornburg, J. W., 161. Tinamou, 139, 167. Crested, 248. Titcomb, John W., 302. Toms, Webb, 162. Toole, Hubert, 161. Tortoise, giant, brought to San Diego, 308. Totuava fishery of the California gulf, 275-281. Townsend, Charles H., 312. Trawl, otter shrimp, 86. Trempe, A. D., 141. Tressler, Donald K., 153. Tripp, R. O., 123. . , Trout, 24, 55, 75, 135, 212, 323 ; biological requisites for lake, 45-47 ; distribu- tion for 1928 planned, 55; California, 121-122 ; migration of, studied, 307. Black-spotted, 147, 240, 242, 300. Cutthroat, 160. Eastern brook, 76, 78, 163, 241, 242. German brown, 163, 300. Golden, 122, 240, 307, 312 ; pack train to transport, 213-214. Loch Leven, 76, 163, 164, 241, 242. Rainbow. 121, 143, 240, 241, 242, 266, 282, 285. Roosevelt golden, 214. Royal silver, 121. San Gorgonio, 122. Sea 169 Steelhead, 81, 121, 241, 242. Tahoe cutthroat, 121. Truck, special fish planting, 51. Tularemia. 114 ; public warned to guara against, 157-158. Tuna, 312. Bluefln, 249. „,„ Turkey, wild, 158, 165, 167, 248. Twigli, Jack, 161. U Union Oil Co., 168, 245, 315. United Press, 167. , „. , . , o,,,- United States Bureau of Biological Sui- vey. 55, 58, 68, 69, 70, 72, 94, 138, 141 151, 159, 160, 217, 227, 229, 231, 232, 244, 256, 310. ^. ^ . ,. _(. United States Bureau of Fisheries, 45, 8b, oQ 297 323 United States Department of Agriculture, 7, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 176, 227, 310. United States Fish Commission, 7, 8. United States Fisheries Association, 309. United States Forest Service, 61, 6b, Z6^}, United States Public Health Service, 114. University of California, 17, 67, 139, lyb, 201, 286. University of Kansas, 8. University of Minnesota, 232 ; medical school, 69 ; fur research at, 151. V Van Camp, Gilbert, 89. Van Camp Sea Food Co., Inc., 44. Van Roekel, Henry, 313. Van Senden, G. H., 80. Van Volkenberg, H. L., 232. Van Vorhis, L. G., 239, 243. Vargos, Tony, 239. Various conditions regulating bird popu- lation and migration, 129-134. Vaughan, H. H., 17. Victor Emanuel, 9 0. Viewpoint, changed, needed, 30d. Violator, deputy killed by, 304. Vissiere, Jules, 311. Volunteer deputies, 58-60, 117-119, 234- 235. Von Arx, V. E., 162. Vore, F. H., 138. Vulture, turkey, notes on a captive, \is- 175. W Walcott, Frederick C, 137. Waldbillig, H. W., 163. Waldo, Fullerton, 156. -^ .-v. ^. ■„ Walford, L. A., northern halibut m southern California, 89; humpback salmon taken off Santa Monica, 90- 91. Wallace, Charles. D., 247. Walters, C. J., 73. Warbler, Audubon, 92, 173. Ward, Lewis T., 235. ^^^ard, Matthew, 239. Warden, Missouri increases, force, 9^ , game, duties multifarious, 140; woman game, accomplishments of. 146-147; county help enforce game laws, 152. Volunteer, 58-60, 73, 138. Waterfowl, government to take, census, 64 • shooting permitted on parts of upper Mississippi, 70 ; a continent wide census, 119-120 ; censuses of bio- logical survey developing valuable conservation data, 310. Wayne, C. M., 238 Wealth of the sea, 153-154. Weasel, 152, 325. Welch Walter, 7, 138 ; volunteer war- dens, 58-60; 117-119; 234-235 ; quail shooting in California today and fifty years ago, 122-128 ; in memoriam, Frank Machado, 212. 342 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. Wells, Farg-o and Co., 124. Western Association of State Game Com- missioners, 57, 183, 302; resolutions of, 62-64. Western Water Co., 142. Wetmore, Alexander, 22 S. Whale, 318 ; resolution demands a study of, 309-310. Killer, 13. Whitney, Casper, 156. Whitney, J. Parker, 155. Whittier, 246. Widgeon, 29S. American, 290. Wildcat, 152 ; unusually large, captured, 173. Wildfowl, a remarkable display of, 143- 145. Wild questions, 147 ; answers, 160. Wiley, S. M., unusually large wild cat captured, 173. Willard, A. H., 236. Williams, O. L., 286. Winsor, L. M., 231, 306. Winter feeding, 307. Wolverine, 152, 204. Woodchuck, 158. Woods, Robert S., 154. Work, division's, subject of visual study, 300-301. Wright, George M., a tick infested deer, 252-253. Yellow-bill, Abyssinian, 144. Yellowstone National Park, 138. Yellowtail, 249. Yosemite nature guide service, 304. Yosemite Nature Notes, 253. Yosemite School of Field Natural His- tory, 214. Young, C. C, 218, 304, 312. Young, Richard, 73. Younger, Judge, 311. Zader, Willis E., 89, 90. Zalophus californianus, 2, 11. Zellerbach, I.. 53, 55, 138, 139, 169, 302, 311. Ziegler, Newell R., 232. Zon, Raphael, 71. Zygocotyle ceratosa, 287, 290. 62149 11-28 9500 CALIFORNIA FISH """GAME hcONSERVATION OF WILD LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION'' COMMERCIAL FISHERIES NUMBER 5639a DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. DIVISION OF FISH AND GAME. Sacramento, California. Fish and Game Commission appointed by the Governor. Term at pleasure of Governor. No compensation. I. ZELLERBACH, President San Francisco GEORGE B. CLARKSON, Commissioner Los Angeles REGINALD S. FERNALD, Commissioner Santa Barbara EUGENE D. BENNETT, Executive Officer and Attorney San Francisco Mrs. P. A. Ford, Secretary to Commission San Francisco J. S. Hunter, Assistant to Executive Officer San Francisco Ralph W. Scott, Assistant Attorney San Francisco Postal Telegraph Building, San Francisco. Phone Sutter 6100. DEPARTMENT OF FISH CULTURE. W. H. SHEBLEY, Director Sacramento E. W. Hunt, Field Superintendent Sacramento G. H. Lambson, Superintendent Mt. Shasta Hatchery and Klamath River Stations Mt Shasta E. V. Cassell, Foreman in Charge Fall Creek Hatchery Copco Guy Tabler, Foreman in Charge Yosemite and Wawona Hatcheries Yosemite C. L. Frame, Foreman in Charge Brookdale Hatchery Brookdale J. C. Lewis, Foreman in Charge Fort Seward Hatchery Alderpoint J. W. Ricker, Foreman in Charge Ukiah Hatchery Ukiah J. Shebley, Foreman in Charge Feather River Hatchery Clio Ed. Clessens, Foreman in Charge Kaweah Hatchery Hammond Geo. McCloud, Superintendent Mt. Whitney Hatchery Independence Geo. E. West, Superintendent Tahoe Hatchery Tahoe F. F. Anderson, Superintendent Domingo Springs Hatchery Westwood D. A. Clanton, Foreman in Charge Bear Lake Hatchery Pine Knot F. B. Hamer, Foreman, Mormon Creek Experiment Hatchery : Sonora L. W. Strauss, Foreman, Burney Creek Hatchery Burney J, H. Vogt, Kern River Hatchery . Kernville L. Phillips, Superintendent of Car No. 01 Mt. Shasta Ross McCloud, Superintendent of Car No. 02 Mt. Shasta DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. N. B. SCOPIELD, Director San Francisco B. D. Marx Greene, Attoi-ney San Francisco H. B. Nidever, Supervising Captain Terminal Island S. H. Dado, Supervising Captain San Francisco R. F. Classie, Captain Monterey Cobum F. Maddox, Captain San Diego W. L. Scofield, Acting Director State Fisheries Laboratory Terminal Island W. F. Thompson, Consultant, State Fisheries Laboratory Terminal Island COMMERCIAL FISHERIES PATROL. F. P. Bacon Terminal Island Ross W. Markley Pismo Paul Bonnot San Francisco Tate F. Miller Terminal Island N. C. Kunkel Terminal Island L. G. Van Vorhis Pittsburg LAUNCH PATROL. Walter Engelke Launch "Albacore," San Pedro M. M. Tritch Launch "Albacore," San Pedro 0. A. Crosbie Launch "Steelhead," Monterey BUREAU OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS. H. R. DUNBAR, Assistant Executive Officer and in Charge Sacramento BUREAU OF EDUCATION. DR. H. C. BRYANT, Director San Francisco Rodney S. EUsworth, Assistant San Francisco BUREAU OF PUBLIC RELATIONS. FRANK H. YORE, Director San Francisco BUREAU OF HYDRAULICS. (Screens, Ladders and Pollution.) JOHN SPENCER, In Charge San Francisco Clarence EUiger, Assistant San Francisco BUREAU OF GAME FARMS. AUGUST BADE, Superintendent Yountville BUREAU OF RESEARCH. R. E. LUDLUM, Director San Francisco RobL J. Irvine, Chemist San Francisco PATROL SERVICE. K. P. ALLRBD. Acting Chief of Patrol San Francisco M. S. Clark, Assiatant Chief of Patrol for Northern California San Frandsoo O. S. Bander, Assistant Chief of Patrol for Southern California Los Angeles O. P. Brownlow, Captain, In Charge Fish Planting San Francisco Walter Welch, Captain, In Charge Volunteer Wardens San Francisco Earl P. Barnes Eureka T, M. Benson Fortuna H. E. Black San Luis Obispo S. R. Briggs Hollister O. L. Bundock San Francisco Office J. L, Bundock Oakland Jack Burke Daly City F. A. Burke King City T. K. Duncan Concord 0. E. Holladay Morgan HiU 1. L. Koppel San Jose G. O. Laws Weaverville Taylor London Requa McPherson Lough Eureka R. C. Marshall Douglas City E. V. Moody Santa Cruz Ralph Newsome Monterey Fred H. Post Salinas H. S. Prescott Crescent City J. P. Vissiere Watsonville LA RUE CHAPPELL Pasadena B. H. OBER Big Pine W. E. Adkinson El Toro R. E. Bedwell Ventura E. A. Chan Santa Ana A. F. Crocker Big Pine C. S. Donham Mecca Walter Emerick Ventura B. H. Glidden San Diego J. H. Gyger Perris W. L. Hare Owensmouth R. J. Little Banning S. H. Lyons Solvang W. C. Malone San Bernardino D. R. Oliver Lone Pine E. D. RickettB Brawley R. J. Sadler Venice Carmi Savage Ontario W. S. Talbott -Los Angeles C. L. Towers Los Angeles Webb Toms San Diego J. W. Thomburg Thermal Albert Veil Escoudido C. J. Walters Independence D. E. ROBERTS Sacramento Office G. I. Fleckenstein Folsom Euell Gray PlacervUle R. C. O'Connor Grass Valley Nelson Poole Sacramento Office C. Sibeck Sacramento Office R. L. Sinkey Woodland A. H. Willard Rocklin WM. LIPPINCOTT Yreka Ray Diamond Orleans J. F. French Fall River MUls S. R. GiUoon Mt. Shasta F. A. Greene Redding B. L. Hammack Fort Jones A. A. Jordan Alturas Fred R. Starr Macdoel S. J. CARPENTER Maxwell R. W. Anderson Orland Harry N. Brittan Red Bluff L. W. Dinsdale Maxwell Albert Sears Maxwell J. V. Shearin Stonyford A. J. Stanley Chico Geo. Thompson Gridley J. D. DONDERO Lakeport E. R. Caldwell Covelo Ovid Holmes Fort Bragg J. H. HeUard WiUits G. N. Johnson Napa B. F. Macklin Ukiah K. J. Ransdell Middletown HENRY LBNCIONI Santa Rosa J. H. Groves Cloverdale V. E. Von Arx Sebastopol W. B. SELLMER Fairfax Wm. Armstrong Vallejo Lee Atkinson Crockett C. M, Bouton San Rafael C. F. England San Rafael R. James Yates San Rafael JOSEPH H. SANDERS Truckee C. J. Barnes Portola C. O. Fisher Susanville W. I. Long Westwood A. Miner Quincy Oscar Schumaker Truckee J. E. NEWSOME Newman W. C. Blewett Los Banos C. L. Brown Mariposa C. L. Gourley Gustine L. W. Longeway Sonora Geo. Magladry Modesto H. I. Pritchard Atwater Geo. R. Smalley Madera JOHN O'CONNELL Stockton W. J. Black Jackson Wm. Hoppe Walnut Grove Bert Laws Rio Vista Geo. Pickering San Andreas E. W. SMALLEY Hanford A. R. Ainsworth Taft L. Arnold Bakersfield F. A. Bullard Dunlap R. J. Bullard Visalia Ray Ellis Fresno W, T. Smalley Porterville C. R. Taylor Coalinga C. B. Tibbetts Kemville „ _ LAUNCH PATROL. W. B. SELLMER, In Charge Fairfax C. M. Bouton Launch "Quinnat," San Rafael Wm. Armstrong Launch "Hunter," Vallejo STATE LION HUNTER. Jay C. Bruce San Lorenw) Captains Indicated In capitals. CALIFOBNIA STATE PBINTINO OFFICE SACBAMENTO, 1938 CAUFORNIA FISH- GAME I Volume 14 San Francisco, April, 1928 Number 2 1 J '^^^M 1-^=^1 ^^5j CONVENTION NUMBER S8645 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. DIVISION OF FISH AND GAME. Sacramento, California. Fish and Game Commission appointed by tiie Governor. Term at pleasure of Governor. No compensation, I. ZELLERBACH, President San Francisco GEORGE B. OLARKSON, Commissioner Los Angeles REGINALD S. FERNALD, Commissioner Santa Barbara EUGENE D. BENNETT, Executive Officer and Attorney San Francisco Mrs. P. A. Ford, Secretary to Commission San Francisco J. S. Hunter, Assistant to Executive Officer San Francisco Ralph W. Scott, Assistant Attorney San Francisco Postal Telegraph Building, San Francisco. Phone Sutter 6100. DEPARTIVIENT OF FISH CULTURE. W. H. SHEBLEY, Director Sacramento E. W. Hunt, Field Superintendent Sacramento G. H. Lambson, Superintendent Mt. Shasta Hatchery and Klamath River Stations Mt Shasta E. V. Cassell, Foreman in Charge Fall Creek Hatchery Copco Guy Tabler, Foreman in Charge Yosemite and Wawona Hatcheries Yosemite C. L. Frame, Foreman in Charge Big Creek Hatchery Santa Cruz J. C. Lewis, Foreman in Charge Fort Seward Hatchery Alderpoint J. W. Ricker, Foreman in Charge TJkiah Hatchery Ukiah J. Shebley, Foreman in Charge Feather River Hatchery Clio Ed. Clessens, Foreman in Charge Kaweah Hatchery Hammond Geo. McCloud, Superintendent Mt. Whitney Hatchery Independence Geo. E. West, Superintendent Tahoe Hatchery Tahoe F. F. Anderson, Superintendent Domingo Springs Hatchery Westwood D. A. Clanton, Foreman in Charge Bear Lake Hatchery Pine Knot F. B. Hamer, Foreman, Mormon Creek Experiment Hatchery Sonora L. W. Strauss, Foreman, Burney Creek Hatchery Burney J. H. Vogt, Kern River Hatchery Kernville L. Phillips, Superintendent of Car No. 01 Mt. Shasta Ross McCloud, Superintendent of Car No. 02 Mt. Shasta DEPARTIVIENT OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. N. B. SCOFIELD, Director San Francisco H. B. Nidever, Supervising Captain Terminal Island S. H. Dado, Supervising Captain San Francisco C. H. Groat Terminal Island R. F. Classic, Captain Monterey Cobum F. Maddox, Captain San Diego W. L. Scofield, Acting Director State Fisheries Laboratory Terminal Island W. F. Thompson, Consultant, State Fisheries Laboratory Terminal Island Commercial Fisheries Patrol. F. P. Bacon Terminal Island Ross W. Markley Pismo Paul Bonnot San Francisco Tate F. Miller Terminal Island N. C. Kunkel Terminal Island L. G. Van Vorhis i.Pittsburg Launch Patrol. Walter Engelke Launch "Albaeore," San Pedro M. M. Tritch Launch "Albaeore," San Pedro BUREAU OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS, H. R. DUNBAR, Assistant Executive Officer and in Charge Sacramento BUREAU OF EDUCATION. DR. H. C. BRYANT, Director San Francisco Rodney S. Ellsworth, Assistant San Francisco BUREAU OF PUBLIC RELATIONS. FRANK H. VORE, Director San Francisco BUREAU OF HYDRAULICS, (Screens, Ladders and Pollution.) JOHN SPENCER, In Charge San Francisco Clarence EUiger, Assistant San Francisco BUREAU OF GAME FARMS. AUGUST BADE, Superintendent YountviUe BUREAU OF RESEARCH. R. E. LUDLUM, Director San Francisco Robt. J. Irvine, Chemist . San Francisco PATROL SERVICE. K, P. ALLRED, Acting Chief of Patrol San Frandsco M. S. Clark, Assistant Chief of Patrol for Northern California San Frandsoo O. S. Bauder, Assistant Chief of Patrol for Southern California Los Angelea O. P. Brownlow, Captain, In Charge Fish Planting San Francisco Walter "Welch, Captain, In Charge Volunteer Wardens San Francisco Earl P. Barnes Eureka T. M. Benson Fortuna H. E. Black San Luis Obispo C. L. Bundock Hollister Jack Burke Daly City J. C. Schneider King City T. K. Duncan Concord 0. E. Holladay Morgan Hill 1. L. Koppel San Jose G. O. Laws Weaverville Taylor London Requa McPherson Lough Eureka Wm. F. Kaliher Loleta F. J. MeDermott Santa Cruz R. C. Marshall Douglas City E. V. Moody- San Francisco Office Ralph Newsome Monterey Fred H. Post Salinas H. S. Prescott Crescent City J. P. Vissiere WatsonviUe LA RUE CHAPPELL Pasadena E. H. OBER Big Pine W. E. Adkinson El Toro R. E, Bedwell Ventura E. A. Chan Santa Ana A. F. Crocker Bridgeport C. S. Donham Hemet Walter Emerick Ventura E, H. Glidden San Diego J. H. Gyger Perris W. L. Hare Owensmouth R. J. Little Banning S. H. Lyons Solvang W. C. Malone San Bernardino D. R. Oliver Lone Pine E. D. Ricketts Brawley R. J. Sadler Venice Carmi Savage Ontario W. S. Talbott Los Angeles C. L. Towers Los Angeles Webb Toms San Diego J. W. Thornburg Markleeville Albert Veil Escondido C. J. Walters Independence L. T. WARD Sacramento Office Q. I. Fleckenstein Folsom Euell Gray Placerville R. C. O'Connor Grass Valley Nelson Poole Sacramento Office Albert Sears Colfax C. Sibeck Sacramento Office R. L. Sinkey Woodland A. H. Willard Rocklin WM. LIPPINCOTT Yreka Ray Diamond Orleans J. F. French Redding S. R. Gilloon Mt. Shasta A. H. Millett Fall River Mills B. L. Hammack Fort Jones A. A. Jordan Alturas Fred R. Starr Macdoel S. J. CARPENTER Maxwell R. W. Anderson Orland Harry N. Brittan Red Bluff L. W. Dinsdale Maxwell J. V. Shearin Stonyford A. J. Stanley Chico Geo. Thompson Gridley J. D. DONDERO Lakeport E. R. Caldwell Covelo Ovid Holmes Fort Bragg J. H. HeUard WilUts G. N. Johnson Napa E. F. Macklin Ukiah K. J. Ransdell Middletown HENRY LENCIONI Santa Rosa J. H. Groves Cloverdale V. E. Von Arx Sebastopol W. B. SELLMER Fairfax Wm. Armstrong Vallejo Lee Atkinson Crockett C. M. Bouton San Rafael C. F. England San Rafael R. James Yates San Rafael JOSEPH H. SANDERS Tnickee C. J. Barnes Portola C. O. Fisher Susanville W. I. Long Westwood A. Miner Quincy Oscar Schumaker Tallac J. E, NEWSOME Newman W. C. Blewett Los Banos C. L. Brown Mariposa O. L. Gourley Gustine L. W. Longeway . Sonora Geo. Magladry Modesto H. I. Pritchard Atwater Geo. R. Smalley Madera JOHN 0'CONNELL__, Stockton W. J. Black Jackson S. R. Briggs Tracy Wm. Hoppe Walnut Grove Bert Laws Walnut Grove Geo. Pickering , San Andreas E. W. SMALLEY Hanford A. R. Ainsworth Taft L, Arnold Bakersfield F. A. BuUard Dunlap R, J. Bullard Visalia Ray Ellis Fresno W. T. Smalley Porterville C. R, Taylor Coalinga C. B. Tibbetts KemviUe Launch Patrol, W. B. SELLMER, In Charge Fairfax O. M. Bouton Launch "Quinnat," San Rafael Wm. Armstrong Launch "Hunter," Vallejo STATE LION HUNTER. Jay C. Bruce _.San Lorenio Captains indicated In capitals. CALirOBNU STATE PRINTINa 0F7ICB SACRAMBNTO. 1928 CALIFORNIA GAME AND tONSERVAriON OF WILD LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION^' 60g29 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. DIVISION OF FISH AND GAME. Sacramento, California. Fish and Game Commission appointed by the Governor. Term at pleasure of Governor, No compensation. I. ZELLERBACH, President San Francisco GEORGE B. CLARKSON, Commissioner _ Los Angeles REGINALD S. FERNALD, Commissioner Santa Barbara EUGENE D. BENNETT, Executive Officer and Attorney San Francisco Miss K. T. Hogan, Secretary San Francisco J. S. Hunter, Assistant to Executive Officer San Francisoo Ralph W. Scott, Assistant Attorney . San Francisco Postal Telegrapii Building, San Francisco. Phone Sutter 6100. DEPARTIVIENT OF FISH CULTURE. W. H. SHEBLEY, Director Sacramento E. W. Hunt. Field Superintendent ..Sacramento G. H. Lambson, Superintendent Mt. Shasta Hatchery and Klamath River Stations Mt Shasta E. V. Cassell, Foreman in Charge Fall Creek Hatchery Copco Guy Tabler, Foreman in Charge Yosemite and Wawona Hatcheries Yosemite C. L. Frame, Foreman in Charge Big Creek Hatchery Santa Cruz J. C. Lewis, Foreman in Charge Fort Seward Hatchery Alderpoint J. W. Ricker, Foreman in Charge TJkiah Hatchery Ukiah J. Shebley, Foreman in Charge Feather River Hatchery Clio Ed. Clessens, Foreman in Charge Kaweah Hatchery Hammond Geo. McCloud, Superintendent Mt. Whitney Hatchery Independence Geo. E. West, Superintendent Tahoe Hatchery Tahoe F. F. Anderson, Superintendent Domingo Springs Hatchery Westwood D. A. Clanton, Foreman in Charge Bear Lake Hatchery Pine Knot F. B. Hamer, Foreman, Mormon Creek Experiment Hatchery Sonora L. W. Strauss, Foi'eman. Burney Creek Hatchery Burney J. H. Vogt, Kern River Hatchery Kernville L. Phillips, Superintendent of Car No. 01 Mt. Shasta Ross McCloud, Superintendent of Car No. 02 Mt. Shasta. DEPARTIVIENT OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. N. B. SCOFIELD, Director San Francisco H. B. Nidever, Supervising Captain Terminal Island S. H. Dado, Supervising Captain San Francisco C. H. Groat Terminal Island R. F. Classic, Captain Monterey Cobum F. Maddox, Captain San Diego W. L. Scofield, Acting Director State Fisheries Laboratory Terminal Island W. F. Thompson, Consultant, State Fisheries Laboratory Terminal Island Commercial Fisheries Patrol. F. P. Bacon Terminal Island Ross W. Markley Pismo Paul Bonnot San Francisco Tate F. Miller Terminal Island N. C. Kunkel Terminal Island L. G. Van Vorhis Pittsburg Launch Patrol. Walter Engelke Launch "Albacore," San Pedro M. M. Tritch Launch "Albacore," San Pedro BUREAU OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS. H. R. DUNBAR, Assistant Executive Officer and in Charge Sacramento BUREAU OF EDUCATION. DR. H. C. BRYANT, Director San Francisco Rodney S. Ellsworth, Asf^istant San Francisco Mrs. Bessie W. Kibbey, Librarian San Francisco BUREAU OF PUBLIC RELATIONS. FRANK H. VORE, Director San Francisco BUREAU OF HYDRAULICS. (Screens, Ladders and Pollution.) JOHN SPENCER, Director San Francisco Clarence EUiger, Assistant San Francisco BUREAU OF GAME FARMS. AUGUST BADE, Superintendent TountviUe BUREAU OF RESEARCH. R. B. LUDLUM, Director San Francisco Robt. J. Irvine, Chemist San Francisco PATROL SERVICE. K P ALLRED, Acting Chief of Patrol San Francisco M S Clark. Assistant Chief of Patrol for Northern California San Francisco C ' S Bander, Assistant Chief of Patrol for Southern California Los Augelcs o" P Brownlow, Captain, In Charge Fish Planting San Francisco Walter Welch, Captain, In Charge Volunteer Wardens San Francisco S. R. Gilloon Mt. Shasta Millett Fall River Mills SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE . Earl P. Barnes Eureka T. M. Benson Fortuna H. E. Black San Luis Obispo J. L. Bundock Oakland C. L. Bundock Hollister Jack Burke ^Daly City J. C. Schneider King City T. K. Duncan Concord C. E. Holladay Morgan Hill I. L. Koppel San Jose G. O. Laws Weaverville G. L. Hoke Requa McPherson Ixjugh Eureka Wm. F. Kaliher Loleta F. J. McDermott Santa Cruz R. C. Marshall Douglas City E. V. Moody San Francisco Office Ralph Newsome Monterey Fred H. Post Salinas H. S. Prescott Crescent City J. P. Vissiere Watsonville LOS ANGELES OFFICE R. E. Bedwell Ventura >-^ S. Donham Hemet W. F. Emerick Ventura E. H. Glidden San Diego J. H. Gyger Perris R, J. Little Banning S. H. Lyons Solvang E. D. Ricketts Brawley Webb Toms San Diego A. C. Veil Escondido E. H. OBER Big Pine A. F. Crocker Bridgeport Dan R. Oliver Lone Pine W. S. Talbott Mammoth Lake J. W. Thornburg Markleeville C. J. Walters Independence LA RUE CHAPPELL Pasadena W. E. Adkinson El Toro E. A. Chan Santa Ana L. W. Hare Owensmouth W. C. Malone San Bernardino R. J. Sadler Venice C. L. Savage Ontario C. L. Towers Los Angeles L. T. WARD Sacramento Office G. I. Fleckenstein Folsom Euell Gray Placerville R. C. O'Connor Grass Valley Nelson Poole Sacramento Office Albert Sears Colfax C. Sibeok Sacramento Office R. L. Sinkey Woodland A. H. Willard Rocklin WM. LIPPINCOTT Treka Ray Diamond Orleans J. F. French Redding A. H. B. L. Hammack Fort Jones A. A. Jordan Alturas Fred R. Starr Macdoel S. J. CARPENTER MaxweU R. W. Anderson Orland Harry N. Brittan Red Bluff L. W. Dinsdale Maxwell J. V. Shearin Stonyford A. J. Stanley Chieo Geo. Thompson Gridley J. D. DONDERO Lakeport E. R. CaldweU Covelo Ovid Holmes Fort Bragg J. H. HeUard Willits G. N. .Johnson Napa E. F. Macklin Ukiah K. J. Ransdell Middletown HENRY LENCIONI Santa Rosa J. H. Groves Cloverdale V. E. Von Arx Sebastopol W. B. SELLMER Fairfax Wm. Armstrong Vallejo Lee Atkinson Crockett C. M. Bouton San Rafael C. F. England San Rafael R. James Yatea San Rafael JOSEPH H. SANDERS Truckee C. J. Barnes Quincy O. O. Fisher SusanviUe W. I. liong Westwood L. E. Mercer Portola Oscar Schumaker Tallac J. E. NEWSOME Newman W. C. Blewett Los Banos C. L. Brown Mariposa C. L. Gourley Gustine L. W. Longeway Sonora Geo. Magladry Modesto H. I. Pritchard Atwater Geo. R. Smalley Madera JOHN 0'CONNELL__ Stockton W. J. Black Jackson S. R. Briggs Tracy Wm. Hoppe Walnut Grove Bert Laws Walnut Grove Geo. Pickering San Andreas E. W. SMALLEY Hanford A. R. Ainsworth Taft L. Arnold Bakersfield F. A. Bullard Dunlap R. J. Bullard Visalia Ray Ellis Fresno W. T. Smalley PorterviUe C. R. Taylor Coalinga 0. B. Tibbetts Kernville Launch Patrol. W. B. SELLMER, In Charge Fairfax C. M. Bouton Launch "Quinnat." San Rafael Wm. Armstrong Launch "Hunter," VaUejo STATE LION HUNTER. Jay C. Bruce San Lorenzo Captains indicated in capitals. CALIFORNIA STATE PBINTINa OFFICOS SACBAICBNTO. 1928 CAUFORNIA FISH -GAME CONSERVATION OF WILD LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION f> 62149 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF FISH AND GAME Sacramento, California. Fish and Game Commission appointed by the Governor. Term at pleasure of Governor. No compensation. I. ZELLERBACH, President San Francisco GEORGE B. CLARKSON, Commissioner Los Angeles REGINALD S. FERNALD, Commissioner Santa Barbara EUGENE D. BENNETT, Executive Officer and Attorney San Francisco Miss K. T. Hogan, Secretary San Francisco J. S. Hunter, Assistant to Executive Officer San Francisco Ralph W. Scott, Assistant Attorney San Francisco Russ Building, San Francisco. Phone Sutter 6100. DEPARTMENT OF FISH CULTURE W. H. SHEBLEY, Director Sacramento L. Phillips, Assistant Field Superintendent Sacramento G. H. Lambson, Superintendent Mt. Shasta Hatchery and Klamath River Stations Mt. Shasta E. v. Cassell, Foreman in Charge Fall Creek Hatchery Copco Guy Tabler, Foreman in Charge Yosemite and Wawona Hatcheries Yosemite O. L. Frame, Foreman in Charge Big Creek Hatchery Santa Cruz J. C. Lewis, Foreman in Charge Fort Seward Hatchery Alderpomt .T. W. Ricker, Foreman in Charge Ukiah Hatchery Ukiah J. Shebley, Foreman in Charge Feather River Hatchery Clio Ed. Clessens, Foreman in Charge Kaweah Hatchery Hammond Geo. McCloud, Superintendent Mt. Whitney Hatchery Independence Geo. E. West, Superintendent Tahoe Hatchery Tahoe F. F. Anderson, Superintendent Domingo Springs Hatchery Westwood D. A. Clanton, Foreman in Charge Bear Lake Hatchery Pine Knot L. W. Strauss, Foreman, Burney Creek Hatchery Bumey Donald Evins, Superintendent of Car No. 01 Mt. Shasta Ross McCloud, Superintendent of Car No. 02 Mt. Shasta K. Shebley, Foreman in Charge Kings River Hatchery Fresno J. H. Vogt, Sierra County Hatchery DownieviUe DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES N. B. SCOFIELD, Director 7;;^^^. Francisco H. B. Nidever, Supervising Captain Terminal Island S. H. Dado, Supervising Captain "ri;^^^. * ^ancisco C. H. Groat, Captain Terminal Island R. F. Classic, Captain Monterey Ooburn F. Maddox, Captain -_ — ^.San Diego W. L. Scofield, Acting Director State Fisheries Laboratory Terminal Island Commercial Fisheries Patrol F P Bacon Terminal Island Ross W. Markley -> .__ Pismo PaurBonnot San Francisco Tate F. Miller Terminal Island N. C. Kunkel Terminal Island L. G. Van Vorhis Pittsburg Launch Patrol Walter Enselke Launch "Albacore," San Pedro M M!^Tritih--:i~~""~- Launch "Albacore," San Pedro BUREAU OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS H. R. DUNBAR, Assistant Executive Officer and in Charge Sacramento BUREAU OF EDUCATION DR. H. C. BRYANT, Director |an Francisco Rodney S. Ellsworth, Assistant |an F^anc sco Mrs. Bessie W. Kibbe, Librarian San Francisco D. D. McLean, Field Naturalist San Francisco BUREAU OF PUBLIC RELATIONS FRANK H. VORB, Director San Francisco BUREAU OF HYDRAULICS (Screens, Ladders and Pollution) JOHN SPENCER, Director |an f^^^^ Clarence ElUger, Assistant San b rancisco BUREAU OF GAME FARMS AUGUST BADE, Superintendent Tountville BUREAU OF RESEARCH Francisco R. B. LUDLUM, Director. San Franc s^ Robt. J. Irvine, Chemist— San * J^ncisoo Dr. Henry Van Roekel, Pathologist «»a^ J^raneisco PATROL SERVICE K. P. ALLRED, Acting Chief of Patrol San Francisco M. S. Clark, Assistant Chief of Patrol for Northern California San Francisco C. S. Bauder, Assistant Chief of Patrol for Southern California Los Angeles O. P. Brownlow, Captain, In Charge Fish Planting San Francisco Walter Welch, Captain, In Charge Volunteer Wardens San Francisco SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE Earl P. Barnes Eureka T. M. Benson Fortuna H. B. Black San Luis Obispo J. L. Bundock Oakland C. L. Bundock HoUister T. K. Duncan Concord R. J. Hawkins Paso Robles C. E. HoUaday Morgan HiU I. L. Koppel San Jose G. O. Laws WeavervUle G. L. Hoke Requa McPherson Lough Eureka Wm. F. Kaliher Loleta F. J. McDermott Santa Cruz R. C. Marshall Douglas City E. V. Moody San Francisco Office Ralph Newsome Monterey Fred H. Post Salinas H. S. Prescott Crescent City J. C. Schneider King City J. P. Vissiere Watsonville LOS ANGELES OFFICE R. E. BedweU Ventura F. J. Brians Santa Maria C. S. Donham Westmoreland W. F. Emerick Ventura E. H. Glidden San Diego J. H. Gyger Perris R. J. Little Banning S. H. Lyons Solvang E. D. Ricketts Thermal R. J. Tepper Fawnskin Webb Toms San Diego A. O. Veil Escondido S. H. OBER Big Pine A, F. Crocker Bridgeport Dan R. Oliver Lone Pine W. S. Talbott Santa Ana J. W. Thomburg Los Angeles C. J. Walters Independence LA RUE CHAPPELL Pasadena W. E. Adkinson El Toro E, A. Chan Long Beach L. W. Hare Owensmouth W. C. Malone San Bernardino R. J. Sadler , Venice C L. Savage Ontario C. L. Towers Los Angeles L. T. WARD Sacramento Office G. I. FleckensteiQ Folsom Euell Gray PlacervUle R. C. O'Connor Grass Valley Nelson Poole Sacramento ®ffice Albert Sears Colfax C. Sibeck Sacramento Office R. L. Sinkey Woodland A. H. Willard Rocklin WM. LIPPINCOTT Yreka Ray Diamond Orleans J. F. French Redding S. R. Gilloon Mt. Shasta A. H. Millett Fall River Mills B. L. Hammack Fort Jones A. A. Jordan Alturas Fred R. Starr Macdoel S. J. CARPENTER Maxwell R. W. Anderson Orland Harry N. Brittan Red Bluff L. W. Dinsdale Maxwell J. V. Shearin Stonyford A. J. Stanley Chico J. D. DONDERO Lakeport E. R. Caldwell Covelo Ovid Holmes Fort Bragg W. J. Harp Willits G. N. Johnson Napa E. F. Macklin Ukiah K. J. Ransdall Middletown HENRY LENCIONI Santa Rosa J. H. Groves Cloverdale V. E. Von Arx Sebastopol W. B. SELLMER Fairfax Wm, Armstrong Vallejo Lee Atkinson San Rafael C. M. Bouton San Rafael C. F. England San Rafael R. James Yates Crockett JOSEPH H. SANDERS Truckee C. J. Barnes Quincy C. O. Fisher Susanville W. I. Long Westwood L. E. Mercer Portola Oscar Schumaker Tallac J. E. NEWSOME Newman W. C. Blewett Los Banos C. L. Brown Mariposa O. L. Gourley Gustine L. W. Longeway Sonora Geo. Magladry Modesto H. I. Pritchard Atwater Geo. R. Smalley Madera JOHN O'CONNELL Stockton W. J. Black Jackson S. R. Briggs Tracy Wm. Hoppe Walnut Grove Bert Laws Walnut Grove Geo. Pickering San Andreas E. W. SMALLEY Hanford A. R. Ainsworth Taft L. Arnold Bakersfield F. A. Bullard Reedley R. J. Bullard Visalia Ray Ellis Fresno W. T. Smalley Porterville C. R. Taylor Coalinga C. B. Tibbetts Kernville Launch Patrol W. B. SELLMER, In Charge Fairfax C. M. Bouton Launch "Quinnat," San Rafael Wm. Armstrong Launch "Hunter," Vallejo Jay C. Bnice. STATE LION HUNTER San Lorenao Captains indicated In capitals. CALIFOBNIA STATE PEINTINQ OFFICE SACBAMENTO. 1928 *! I. ^CO-^V