373 C3X | FISH CALIFORNIA FISH** GAME “CONSERVATION OF WILD LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION” Volume 4 Sacramento, J anuary, 1918 Number 1 RURLINGAME. PUBLIC LIB. BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. Commissioners appointed by the Governor, by and with the consent of the Senate. Term at pleasure of Governor. No compensation. FM. -NEBWBERT;,: President-.2%2.. 323523 Shoe ee ee ee Sacramento M. J:. CONNELL, Commissioner.i_ 52-2202 She ee ee Los Angeles BD. BOSQUI, Commissioner: =o = os ee eee San Francisco CARL WESTERFELD, Executive Officer__.._._.-_----___--- ee San Francisco J.S. HONTER, Assistant Dxecutive Officer__..--.....-_---_----___ San Francisco RED. DUBB) eA ttonme yee ne oa a SO OE a a a San Francisco A. D. FERGUSON, Field Agent_ ssh es Se Oe ate eS ne ee Fresno | DEPARTMENT OF FISH CULTURE. W. H. SHEBLEY, In Charge Fish Culture____-.__--..-_--_-.-_-- San Francisco BE. W. HUNT, Field Agent; Dept.. Fish Culture-_-....___-_-__---_- San Francisco G. H. LAMBSON, Superintendent, Sisson Hatchery______-__--_-__--_-____ Sisson F. A. SHEBLEY, Superintendent Mount Whitney Hatchery and Rae Lake Egg Collecting “Station £1 es ee ee an ne Sea eee Independence W. O. FASSETT, Superintendent Fort Seward Hatchery_____--__-__ Fort Seward G. E. WEST, Foreman in Charge Tallac and Tahoe Hatcheries____________ Tallac H. L. NEHF, Foreman in Charge Brookdale Hatchery___-________-_-_- Brookdale BE. V. CASSELL, Foreman in Charge Almanor Station-_____-_-_+---___-__ Keddie L. PHILLIPS, Foreman in Charge Bear Lake Station_-______---__ San Bernardino R. I. BASSLER, Foreman in Charge Klamath Stations_______.____.___ Hornbrook JUSTIN SHEBLEY, Assistant in Charge Ukiah Hatchery____--__-----___ Ukiah — J. B. SOLLNER, Assistant in Charge Wawona Hatchery_-___----_--___- Wawona s s s * SCREEN, LADDER AND WATER POLLUTION DEPARTMENT. W. H. Shebley, in Charge. A; *E.:DONDY;, Wish Ladders. 32 22 eee ee eee San Francisco A} BCULV DR; Wish*Serceng 2 ee eee ee San Francisco A. M. FAIRFIELD, Water Pollution_-...---.--___-_--~-__---_-_- San Francisco DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. Ni B.. SCOPINLD: :In> Charge: 822-3 eee eo ee ee San Francisco B.-B:sNIDEVER;:Assistante: {222 52 2- e e San Francisco Ww: Hs THOMPSON; Assistant 322022 Coe ia rd ee ees Long Beach 4 DARLH, DOWNING, Assistants 8 Ne aaa Oe San Francisco ee STATE GAME FARM, ahh W. N. DIRKS, Superintendent, State Game Farm__------------------- Hayward — BUREAU OF EDUCATION, PUBLICITY AND RESEARCH. DR. H. G BRYANT, In Charge wt a Berkeley CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME “CONSERVATION OF WILD LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION” Vale 4 SACRAMENTO, JANUARY, 1918 Nigaheral CONTENTS. Page. THE SKATES AND RAYS OF CALIFORNIA WITH AN ACCOUNT OF SUR RROACI Sy Sie r ie Stve ie as Be Neca g a Se Ee ad E. C. Starks il THE QUINNAT SALMON IN NEW ZEALAND____-------_N. B. Scofield 16 BIGHORN SHEEP IN THE VICINITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA BOREAS SDNY. SUES Re et ea LPL) OEE An Ok Le Et pd ¢ L. L. Gardner 17 DEDR LICKS OF THE TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST GAME REFUGE H. OC. Bryant 21 LAE ES ENG WW AIOR ST i BURR HINT eo oe eee em Tes ie J. G. Tyler 26 1 OTST ERSTE 2) Bre I SSS NEY Se le Se DSc a 30 ESTE Ears (Br1 es ecg NE te le 45 AE COY LAVIN ERGY TOAST Cj RUT Sy ETH ED Wage NODE BS aes es ee ee 49 FTE SO CSIC By mE) DIS ie Ee a aap ee ee oe eee st) REPORTS— . Bishenve Eroductsenduly: stom september, Lone on" = oe ee 52 Violations: ofeHish) and Gamie! Tiaws=o2= == ee eis ea 2a Ee 54 SSLSTCABIT SY RE 2A SE FE whee RE BI ag Ie (I Nm hc ep Ie RE 5D: inane enor y= 2 Ghee ee Bale ee | oe Ses, Oe ee NCD THE SKATES AND RAYS OF CALIFORNIA, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE RAT FISH.* By Edwin Chapin Starks. This account of the skates and rays of California may be considered a continuation of the account of the sharkst that appeared in the last number of this journal, for the skates and rays are closed related to the sharks, and may be regarded as an offshoot developed from them. The appearance of the skates on the earth was much later than that *This is the second of a series of articles the first of which was entitled ‘“‘The Sharks of California.’ Attention is called to still another shark, commonly called the bonito shark (Isuropsis glauca), which should be included among the sharks of our coast. It resembles the mackerel shark and the great white shark in having a projecting keel on each side of the tail, It may be known from the white shark by the smooth-edged teeth, and from the mackerel shark by the first dorsal being behind the pectorals instead of almost directly over them. It is more slender than the mackerel shark. A specimen thirteen feet in length was taken at Santa Catalina Island a few years ago, where small ones are reported by the late C. F. Holden to be common. It is otherwise known from Japan and the Hawaiian Islands. +The author wishes to also call attention to a mistake made in printing the article on sharks that appeared in the last number of CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. The first three lines on page 153 should be below the next six lines instead of above them. In the copies of the article that were separately printed the mistake was corrected. ines BURLINGAME PUBLIC uB. 2 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. of the sharks, fossils of which are known back almost to the first of the animals with a backbone. Though the typical sharks and the typical skates do not look at all alike, we have sharks that do look very much lke the skates, such as the angel-shark; and skates, on the other hand, that are rather shark- like. The character that may be most readily used to separate them is the position of the gill slits. In the sharks the gill slits are on the side of the body; sometimes extending down on the lower surface, but the upper end is always on the side. The skates and rays have the gill slits altogether on the lower surface of the body. There are several other characters that separate the sharks from the skates and rays, but they are internal and need not be considered here. The skates and rays are specialized for life on the sea bottom. They are not swift swimming fishes hke the sharks that feed on other fishes, but they depend on crabs and clams and such forms of animal life for their food. The body by the development of the pectoral fins, which extend forward along the side of the head, is flattened and disk-like. The caudal fin may, or may not, be present. When it is not the tail is more or less whip-like. None of them have an anal fin, and in many the dorsals are also absent. When present the dorsals are far back on the . Fig. 1. Bonito shark. Jsuropsis glauca. body or tail. The teeth may be in the form of a pavement, sometimes being perfectly flat for crushing, or they may be with fine points. The spiracle, which in the sharks is a small pore behind the eye, or else is entirely absent, is in the skates and rays a large opening through which water is introduced to the gills for breathing purposes. This avoids the introduction of sand or sediment into the gill chamber as would prob- ably happen did they take water through the mouth (as the sharks do) when they lie flat on the sea bottom. The skates like the sharks have claspers in the male. These in the young extend scarcely past the ventral fins, but in the adult they develop to a large size (see figs. 5, young, and 10 and 11, adult). I have changed the form of this paper from that on the sharks by giving first a description of the different families of the skates and rays. This saves repeating all of the characters under each species. Hence in identifying any fish of this group it will be necessary to first find its family. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 3 FAMILIES OF CALIFORNIA SKATES AND RAYS. Caudal fin developed. ‘Tail thick and with two dorsal fins on top of it. Ventral fins not notched on outer edget (see fig. 6 for notched ventrals). Skin rough with scattered spines. Color not uniformly blaek. 1. The Guitar Fishes (family Rhinobatide). Page 4. Caudal fin developed. Tail thick and with two dorsal fins on top of it. Ventral fins not notched on outer edget (see fig. 6 for notched ventrals). Skin everywhere perfectly smooth. Color uniformly black. 2. The Electric Rays (family Narcobatide). Page 6. Caudal fin absent, or represented only by a shght fold of skin. Two dorsal fins crowded together near tip of tail. Ventral fins notched on outer edge (as in fig. 6). Skin rough with scattered spines. 3. The Skates (family Rajida@). Page 7. Tail slender, often whip-like. No dorsal fin. Caudal fin present or absent. Back of tail with a long spine or sting (sometimes duplicated, oceasionally absent.) Eyes not at edge of head. 4. The Sting Rays (family Dasyatide). Page 11. Tail whip-like, without caudal fin. A single dorsal fin just in front of sting. Sting often duplicated. Eyes at edge of head. Teeth large and flat, forming a tile-lke pavement. 5. The Eagle Rays (family #tobatide). Page. 13. Tail whip-like, without caudal fin. A single dorsal fin opposite ventral fins. Sting behind dorsal or absent. Eyes at edge of head. Teeth small and numerous. Head with a pair of horn-like arms just under the front of it. Size enormous. 6. The Sea-Devils (family Mantide). Page 13. GLOSSARY. The names of the fins may be learned from fig. 2. Claspers. Rod-like organs, one attached to the inner edge of each ventral fin in the male. Not projecting beyond the fin in the young. Disk. The flattened part of the body made by the projecting pectoral and ventral fins. _ Rostral ridges. The ridges running forward from in front of the eyes to the tip of the snout. Shagreen. The skin when it feels like fine sandpaper. Snout. The part lying directly in front of the eyes. Spiracle. The hole just behind the eye. ¢Do not mistake the notch formed by the presence of a clasper in the male for a notched fin. 4 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, 1. THE GUITAR FISHES (Family Rhinobatide). The Guitar Fish (Rhinobatus productus). This is often called shovelnosed shark, especially on the southern coast. This name should be discouraged, as it is not a shark, and as we already have a shark (Hexanchus) known by this name. Fig. 2. The guitar fish Rhinobatus productus. Adult male. The guitar fish is not much expanded and disk-like, being sharply wedge-shaped in front and tapering into a thick tail behind. Two dorsal fins and a caudal fin are well developed. The body is covered with shagreen and there are rows of hooked spines along the middle line of the back and tail, and a small bunch at the shoulder. The young fish has small spines around the inner border of the eye and along the rostral ridges. The color is uniform dull brownish on the upper surface and white on the lower. This fish is found from San Francisco to San Diego and southward. South of Point Concepcion it is very common. It reaches a length of 3 or 4 feet. e-- ia ar ss - Torey rah rand porep Si ~~~ Vig 3. ‘The prickly skate Zapteryx exvasperatus. Young female. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, cm) The Prickly Skate (Zapteryx exasperatus). The front margins of the disk are undulating and together form an angle less than a right angle. The snout is prominent but blunt at the tip. The front of the first dorsal fin is only a little behind the hind edge of the ventral fins. The upper surface of the body is covered with close-set prickles of different sizes, rather than shagreen as in the next species. There is a row of enlarged spines along the middle of the back and the tail, and 2 short rows on each shoulder of 2 or 3 spines each. There are no spines on the sides of the tail. The color is grayish brown with indications of clouded crossbars. There is a large black blotch on the lower surface of the pectoral at its hind end. This species has been recorded only from southern California, being scarcely known outside of the bay of San Diego. Nearly 38 years ago, when this fish was first described, males were reported to be abundant in San Diego Bay. No female has ever been recorded until now. Recently I was loaned two young specimens by Dr. Ritter of the Scripps Laboratory at La Jolla, one of which was a female. Aside from the absence of claspers, it is identical in all of its characters with the male. It is 74 inches long and is the specimen here figured. This species reaches a length of nearly 3 feet, and appears to be very rare. The Round Skate (Platyrhinoidis triseriatus). This species may be known from the other members of its family by the disk being rounded in front; the curve being unbroken by the snout. The front of the first dorsal fin is nearer to the beginning of the caudal fin than it is to the point where the ventral fin joins the body. Both surfaces of the body are covered with shagreen. Coarse prickles follow Fig. 4. The round skate Platyrhinoidis triseriatus. Adult female. the front margin of the pectorals. There is a small bunch of spines at the tip of the snout, and a few around the inner margin of the eye. A long series of spines follows the middle line of the back and tail, and a row at each side of it on the tail. There are 2 small bunches of spines on each shoulder of 1 or 2 spines each. It is grayish brown in color. This species reaches a length of 2 feet, and is found in some abund- ance in the bays on the coast below Point Concepcion. It has been taken once or twice as far north as San Francisco. 235303 BURLINGAME PUBLIC 6 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, 2. THE ELECTRIC RAYS (Family Narcobatide). The Electric Ray (Tetronarce californica). This is the only member of its family on our coast, and may be recog- nized by its broad circular disk, covered with smooth black skin without spines or prickles anywhere, and by its well-developed caudal fin and two dorsal fins. The eyes are very small, and the small mouth is pro- vided with fine sharp teeth. It is blue-black, or dark lead color, above and white on the lower parts. The electric ray is said to reach a length of 3 feet, though it is seldom seen much over a foot in length. It is known from central California southward to the Santa Barbara Channel, being rather common in deep water in Monterey Bay. Fig. 5. The electric ray Tetronarce californica. Young male. This ray is provided with an electric organ composed of hexagonal cells, reaching from the skin of the upper surface to that of the lower, and situated at each side of the head and gill chambers. The electricity discharged from this ray has the properties of other electricity. such as rendering an iron bar magnetic, decomposing chemicals, and pro- ducing a spark. Stories vary as to the volume of the discharge, but even a small ray is capable of inflicting considerable pain. After a few discharges the fish becomes exhausted and must rest before its electric organs are again functional. It is of interest to note that the first record we have of the application of electricity is of the time of Anthony and Cleopatra, whose court physician recommended the elec- tricity of an electric ray for medical purposes, especially for pains in the head. Later it was prescribed for the eure of gout. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, 7 3. THE SKATES (Family Rajaide). The Long-nosed Skate (Raja rhina). This skate may be known by the long projecting snout, making the front outline of the disk deeply concave. (Compare the straight line drawn from the tip of the snout to the outer pectoral angle, in its relation to the outline of the front of the disk, in the figure of this species with that of the next.) When the front edge of the ventral fin is held at a right angle with the tail its outer edge is concave as in fig. 7. The rostral ridges are grown together along their front half. Very small spines are scattered over the outer edges of the body and back behind the shoulders, but leaving large areas of smooth skin. Coarser Fig. 6. The long-nosed skate Raja rhina. Adult female. ones at front edge of body, snout, and between eyes. Enlarged spines around inner edge of eyes, along middle of back (usually absent in ‘large specimens) and on back of tail. The male has a row of long, sharp spines near the outer angle of the body. The color is dark sienna-brown with irregular dark blotches sometimes present. There is a spot at the base of the pectoral in the form of an irregular ring, always present in the young and sometimes in the adult, but usually present as an indis- tinct spot. This is never wider than the space between the eyes. This skate is found from the Gulf of California to Alaska, and on the California coast is common nearly everywhere. It reaches a length of 34 feet. The egg cases of this skate are 3 or 4 inches long, and usually contain only a single egg. The Common California Skate (Raja inornata). The snout in this skate is not so projecting as in the long-nosed skate. The region at each side of the snout is concave, as is the region toward the outer angle of the pectoral, while the region midway between these 8 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. points is convex. When a straight line is drawn from the snout to the outer angle of the pectoral the middle of the line nearly, or quite, touches the body. Ventral fins as described for the long-nosed skate 4 ‘ (0) Co) Fig. 7. Ventral fins of Raja inornata, show- Fig. 8. Ventral ing the front edge of the ventral fin held at showing the front edge of the ventral fin a right angle with the tail making the outer held at a right angle with the tail, making edge concave. Fig. 9 shows the fin notched the outer edge nearly straight. Fig. 10 as in normal position. shows fin concave as in normal position. fins of Raja Obinoculata, (see fig 7). The rostral ridges are grown together along their front half. Small prickles are scattered over the outer edges of the pectorals and along the middle line of the back. Larger ones are on the snout and between the eyes. Enlarged spines are around the inner edge of Ae ee em me we eww erm Fig. 9. The common California skate Raja inornata. Adult female. the eye, and from 3 to 5 rows of them on the back of the tail. The color is dark brown, with usually a small ring composed of irregular spots at the base of the pectoral. This skate is known from San Diego to San Francisco and somewhat northward, but has never been recorded beyond the California coast. It reaches a length of 24 feet. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 9 The Big Skate (Raja binoculata). This skate may be known from any others of its family by the shallow notch in the ventral fins. When the front edge of the ventral fin is held at a right angle with the tail, its outer edge is nearly straight, as in fig. 8. The rostral ridges are grown together along their front fourth only. The upper part of the body is everywhere covered with very small prickles, uniform in size, and as fine or finer than those that compose shagreen, but not nearly so closely placed. These are absent in the young. There are from 1 to 3 rows of irregular spines along the back of the tail. The color is dull olive brown, or drab, with a large dusky spot at the pectoral base blended into the body color, Light Fig. 10. The big skate Raja binoculata. Adult male. spots as large as the eye are scattered over the body and form a ring around the pectoral spot. The diameter of the ring is always much ereater than the space between the eyes. This skate is common from Monterey Bay northward to Alaska. It reaches a length of over 6 feet. Its egg cases are nearly a foot in length, and each contains from one to six eggs or young. The Starry Skate (Raja stellulata). This skate may be known from others of its family by the almost entire absence of the rostral ridges, the rostral cartilages being very slender rods that can scarcely be detected. It also differs from all but the rock skate in having the body at each side of the snout convex instead of concave, and in having a straight line drawn from the tip of the snout to the outer pectoral angle, everywhere passing inside of the outline of the body. Small sharp prickles are scattered everywhere over the upper surface of the body, and a series of enlarged spines runs down the middle of the back and tail. The color is grayish brown with small dark spots scattered over the back. A large, irregular, yellow spot ringed with brown is sometimes just behind the middle of the body 10 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, on base of each pectoral; a smaller, round one, just inward from it, and a third one just outward from the eye. These spots are often absent. This skate is found in rather deep water from southern California northward to Alaska. It reaches a length of 23 feet. Fig. 11. The starry skate Raja stellulata. Adult male. The Rock Skate (Raja montereyensis). This skate resembles the starry skate in having the region at each side of the snout convex in outline, and in having a straight line (if drawn) from the snout to the outer pectoral angle included within the outline of the body. In all of the others such a line would pass outside of the outline. It may be known from the starry skate by the rostral ridges, Fig. 12. The rock skate Raja montereyensis. Adult male. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. aM which are strong and well developed as in the other skates. The rostral ridges meet close to their tips. The upper surface is everywhere covered with prickles, which are coarsest and most numerous on the middle of the back and between the eyes. A band of larger spines follows the front outline of the body. Two or three enlarged spines are around the inner edge of the eye, or they may be absent in large specimens. A row of enlarged spines follows down the middle line of the back and tail, and may be present on each side of the tail. The region in front of the mouth is rough on the under side of the body. The color is slaty brown with some darker mottlings. Small dark spots make irregular bars across the space between the eyes. A dark spot sur- rounded by a broken ring of small spots occupies the base of the pectorals. A short distance behind this is a small white spot. Little is known as to the distribution of this skate, as it has only recently been recognized by science, though it seems to be known to fishermen, who pronounce it the best table fish of all of the skates. It does not reach a large size. The only specimens known have been taken in deep water off Santa Cruz. 4. THE STING RAYS* (Family Dasyatide). The Round Sting Ray (Urclophus halleri). This is sometimes called the little sting ray. It may be known from other members of its family by the tail being shorter than the rest of Fig. 13. The round sting ray Urolophus halleri. Adult male. the body, and the width of the body being less than the entire length. The outline of the disk is cireular, and the skin is smooth or without spines. A narrow, long caudal fin is present, but no dorsal fin. The color is dark brown or slaty brown above, and is usually with lhghter *Should a person be so unfortunate as to be stung by one of these rays, he will appreciate the advice to hold the wounded part in hot water. This will usually take the pain away immediately for as long as the treatment is continued, and the patient will be very ready to continue it, even for several hours, to escape the almost unbear- able pain. The wound should, of course, be disinfected. 12 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, spots, but not always. The spots may be clear cut and separated, or blended and more or less run together. This is the smallest of our sting rays, but its numbers and activity make it one of the most dreaded by bathers. It scarcely exceeds a foot in length, and is found on the coast south of Point Concepcion and southward to Panama. In sheltered bays on shallow sand or mud flats it occurs in almost countless numbers. The Rat-Tailed Sting Ray (Dasyatis dipterura). This is known from other sting rays of California by its long whip- like tail, longer than the rest of the body, and in addition the eyes are on top of the head, not near the edge of the disk. There is no dorsal or caudal fin, but the tail is provided with a long vertical fold of skin above and below. The outline of the disk is somewhat circular, though the front edges are nearly straight and meet at a slight angle at the snout. The skin is very shghtly rough to the touch, and large speci- mens have a row of enlarged spines along the middle of the back, and a couple of spines at the shoulder. The color is plain bluish brown without spots. This ray is found in southern California and is rather abundant in San Diego Bay. It reaches a length of 6 feet. Fig. 14. The rat-tailed sting ray Dasyatis dipterura. Young male. The Butterfly Sting Ray (Pteroplatea marmorata). This may be known from all other skates and rays by the great width of the disk and the very short tail. It is very much wider than the entire length of the body and tail. The tail is flattened and has a slight fold of skin above and below, but no dorsal or caudal fin is devel- oped. The skin is perfectly smooth and no spines or prickles are developed anywhere. The sting is very small or frequently absent. It is dark brown in color and mottled with small light drab spots and short irregular lines formed by spots running together. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. ne, Fig. 15. The butterfly sting ray Pteroplatea marmorata. Adult male. This ray is common south of Point Concepcion, frequenting the shallow tide flats of sheltered bays. It reaches a width of 44 feet. Its sting is short and the small movement it is able to give its tail makes it one of the least dangerous of the sting rays. 5. THE EAGLE RAYS (Family Atobatide). The Bat Fish or Eagle Ray, Sometimes Called California Sting Ray (Myliobatis californicus). This is the only representative of its family on our coast. The head stands above the disk at each side, and the eyes are on the side of the head close to the edge of the disk. The pectorals fins are sharp at the outer angles, and a single dorsal fin is present just in front of the sting. The tail is long, slender, and whip-hke. The skin is perfectly smooth without spines or prickles. The teeth are flat and pavement-like, resem- bling a tile floor. It is a uniform dark slate color above and white below. This sting ray reaches a length of 3 feet and is common south of San Francisco. It is very destructive to oysters, crushing them between its wide flat teeth. Its depredations in this way have caused the owners of oyster beds in California to protect their property by fences of closely set poles driven into the mud around the beds. 6. THE SEA DEVILS (Family Mantide). The Sea Devil (Manta birostris). This is a gigantic ray that may be known at once by a pair of pro- jecting arms from under the front part of the head. The body is shaped much as in the bat fish (Myliobatus) with a long whip-like tail and a single dorsal fin. The teeth are small and in many series. 3—35308 14 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, lig. 16. The eagle ray Myliobatis californicus. Young male. Fig. 17. The sea devil Manta birostris. Adult female. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 15 This giant ray has been seen in our region only by fishermen, who have reported an immense ray off the coast of San Diego. It is known from tropical American waters, and is not uncommon on West Indian and Florida coasts. It reaches a length of 20 feet. THE CHIM.©RAS. The group that includes the sharks and skates is usually subdivided into two groups. The sharks and skates form one group and the chimeras the other. Little as the chimeras resemble the sharks their relationship is distinctly with them as is shown by their anatomy and development. We have on our California coast one representative of this group. The Chimera or Rat Fish (Chimera colliei). The gills have only one external opening as in the majority of fishes. The skeleton is of cartilage. The skin is thin, smooth, and scaleless. The body is robust in the forward part, but tapers behind into a long tail ending in a fine point. The mouth is small under a blunt projecting snout, and is armed by thin plates formed by the united teeth. The first dorsal fin is triangular and has a long, sharp spine at its front edge, Fig. 18. The chimera or rat fish Chimera colliei. Adult male. while the second dorsal is long and low with a wide rounded notch at its middle that nearly divides it into two parts. The caudal fin is narrow, with the tail projecting from it in a point. The anal is absent and the pectorals are long and wing-shaped. A series of channels and pores forms a crooked line along the side and branches over the head. The male has several appendages that are absent in the female. One is club-shaped, curving downward on the forehead, and is armed with sharp spines; one protrudes from a sheath of skin in front of each ventral fin; and behind each ventral is a pair of claspers. The color, when the fish is alive, is silvery but reflecting golden metallic hues, and pale green, rose color and blue. The pupil is a beautiful pale greenish blue. Out of the water its brilliant colors soon fade. This peculiar fish is common along our entire coast, but as we go southward it is found in deeper and deeper water. In Puget Sound and northward it is taken in very shallow water. In Monterey Bay, though it is sometimes taken in shallow water, it is commonest in fifty or more fathoms. Below Point Concepcion it is never found in shallow water. It reaches a length of nearly 24 feet. 16 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. THE QUINNAT SALMON IN NEW ZEALAND. By N. B. Scofield. During the last twenty or more years, efforts have been made to introduce the quinnat salmon of California into the waters of New Zealand. The method of introduction has been to take the salmon eggs from the hatcheries in this state, at a time when they have developed to such an extent that the eyes are plainly seen through the shell of the egg, but still a month at least before the time they will hatch. They are packed in specially-constructed crates in which they are kept at a low temperature to retard development. In this way they may be shipped to even more distant points than New Zealand. Upon arrival at their destination the eggs are kept in water at one of the fish hatch- eries until they hatch out, and when the young fish are able to care for themselves they are liberated in the stream. The following interesting account showing the success of the experi- ments is taken from the report of L. F. Ayson, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, New Zealand, for the year 1916-17: ‘“The number of [quinnat] salmon eggs collected last spawning season was 1,106,000; 866,000 were collected at the Hakataramea Station and 240,000 from the Dobson River. An effort was made to net the Ahuriri River for spawning salmon, but on account of the heavy cur- rent and freshets the attempt was not successful. The salmon eggs were disposed of as follows: 25,000 were supplied to the Tasmanian Government, 1,000,000 were sent to the West Coast to stock the Hokitika River, and 81,000 were hatched out at Hakataramea. ‘‘T estimate that quite four times as many salmon came up the Waitaki last spawning season as during the season of 1915; the collec- tion of eggs was more than four times the quantity taken the previous year. ‘‘With regard to the time that these salmon commence to run in from the sea, the first fish this season was taken during the last week of January. A very large run came in during the last two weeks of February, and all through the month of March. In the Waitaki they were taken freely by trout-anglers; the number landed in this way is estimated at about 400 fish, averaging about 16 pounds in weight; and about the same number are reported as having been taken in the Rangi- tata, averaging about 17 pounds. The run of salmon in the Waitaki this spawning season is far ahead of last year’s run. From the number of fish which are now running in the Hakataramea, and judging the other three large tributaries by the number of salmon which myself and assistants have seen in the Ohau River, it is no exaggeration to say that the salmon in the Waitaki and its tributaries this season must number tens of thousands. ‘‘As it has been proved that salmon eggs can now be collected in large quantities, the department has decided on a vigorous policy with regard to stocking other suitable rivers throughout the Dominion. During the past summer a hatchery capable of dealing with half a million eggs was erected on a tributary of the Wairau River (Marl- borough), and a site for a hatchery has been secured at Wanaka Lake, where temporary arrangements will be made this season for the pur- pose of hatching out half a million eggs for the purpose of stocking CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, if the Molyneux River. It is intended this season to allot half a million eggs to each of the three rivers which the department has now in hand— viz: the Hokitika, Wairau, and Molyneux. The result of the inquiries made goes to show that the salmon have spread along the coast north as far as the Wairau (North Canterbury), and south to the Taieri River. The Taieri is at times rather badly polluted by gold mining, but from an examination of the tideway at its mouth, and its condition in the gorge above Outram, I[ think it is quite possible for salmon to make their way up to the clear tributaries beyond where the races from the sluicing claims join the main river. ‘“The very rapid increase of the quinnat salmon must be considered as most satisfactory, and the time is very near indeed when they will be placed on the market, and the people of the Dominion will have New Zealand-grown salmon on their tables. New Zealand has the distinction of being the only country in the Southern Hemisphere which has successfully acclimatized salmon, and on the authority of experts it is said to be the only country in the world which has been successful in acclimatizing this salmon away from its native habitat. The success attained in acclimatizing this fish is undoubtedly due to _ the systematic and vigorous effort made by the Marine Department, commencing in 1900. Had any of these prolific fish survived from the spasmodic efforts made to acclimatize them previous to 1900, they would have declared themselves long before the department commenced its importations in 1900.”’ BIGHORN SHEEP IN THE VICINITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA. By LEON L. GARDNER, (Contribution from the Department of Zoology of Pomona College.) That mountain or bighorn sheep still exist in small bands in various parts of the California mountains is a fact well known. It, however, comes as a welcome surprise to find them living, breeding and at least holding their own in numbers, in the mountains not farther than thirty miles from Los Angeles. Vague reports from old hunters that in certain parts of the ranges near Mount San Antonio, commonly known as ‘‘Old Baldy,’’ there were ‘‘wild goats and sheep,’’ and that they were ‘‘mighty hard to get near to,’’ furnished the incentive for investigations which have demonstrated that one species of bighorn sheep occurs in the ranges north of Claremont, Los Angeles County. Whether or not this is the Nelson bighorn (Ovis nelsont) is an open question which can be decided only by the collection and study of specimens. The rumor relating to the occurrence of wild goats is undoubtedly based upon the observation by hunters of the females and young sheep with their smaller horns. are af ou ae Sae ROO! Rhtube > la cee ees LES Pee) phe tae so ees Pee Skea | Cee See ee lee | 19818 TOOK ee | oe nl oper Eras. ea Foc oe eee ee oes | ri apa CGR 26, =) PSH SS GaGUG) geltecseenses | Sec cena =| psa aaa oee ee oro eae Clie. UN ea cae 2 | Se oe See ai eer eee ep ae ae alles ss ee - See gs [ese ae gee ame Se, see Gee Bis g FE 3 B cee | 5 2 © | $3 3 de 2s. 2 0 £ os aa ; Sey see | : s Ee | £s g Bes Eu.5 Ss = S| Eo cn a OLR wu = 7 wh =< o: n = Ysy Jo sayoedg Humboldt_._- Del Norte, ‘Zb6L ‘O€ YSGW3LdaS ONIGNA SHLNOW 3SYHHL HOS SLONGOYd AYSHSIS VINYHOSAIT1V9S SLYOdaY 53 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, 6ST 9S TL 826°S6 OLO'FLS 68 °S09 reed £68‘T9 GL9°8S GLL‘LS ego‘ FLL PL, Os. ‘FIL 636 667 GOL‘STS FG8*S), QGP L0G Ts ‘0FS°L9 SL¢‘OLL ESO LLFT 109°69 SLP GST Gh B10'S ILs 162'L 1¢4‘19 LLL 99° 0&3 91F‘09 18G°L81 OFP'GOL OFO'IZ Resereraetac | P88 eae er als | 616'8I | 269 > ysp [edo rah SNOSsUBI[IISIIL TPB MOTIIA FBG SzITM qoqiny, ~(pBay[seqs) JnoLy (oxBD) qnoLL poo Woy, 4noly Beg urdynag 87BAS sulpiVg muo0s1n}g peuys ssvq padii4g qBpues ~—QeRIq) ssvq Bag 54 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME, VIOLATIONS OF FISH AND GAME LAWS. June 1 to October 31, 1917, Inclusive. omens eae Game. é | Eun tine: “without. licenses ses Se ee ee ee ce $1,125 00 Failure to produce license on demand__-_-_-------------- Pea | AE ia Fe Deer, close season, killing or possession spike-buck___----_-- 40 | 1,525 00 Deer horns and skins—failure to produce_--------~.------------ 8 | 175 00 Female deer and fawns—killing or possession------------_--_- 16 | 606 00 PVE SA Geer TL Ges s Mee ee ee ee es a ee ee Ae Pee eae x | 140 00 Deer not properly tagged (close district)----_--.---_------___- 2 | 30 00 Quail, close season, killing or possession___--_------_-_,----- 16 395 00 Ducks, close season, killing or possession_____-_------..------- 55 | 1,290 00 Doves, close season, killing or possession_.---~__.----______.- 15 380 00 Cottontails, close season, killing or possession__----------_- 16 350 00 Brush rabbits, close season, killing or possession____- Ee de De 3 25 00 Nongame birds, close season, killing or possession___-______- 3 35 00 Fur-bearing mammals, close season, killing or possession__ 3 25 v0 Shore-birds, close season, killing or possession__------------- 14 125 00 Sage-hens, close season, killing or possession____-_-_--______- 3 | 75 00 Cranes, close season, killing or possession_______________-__-_- 1 25 00 Grouse, close season, killing or possession___-__---_-_---__--- | 1 5 00 Night shooting, close season, killing or possession__--_____- | 11 175 00 Totals pame violations s tees 27 es eee ea | 287 | $6,500 00 Fish. | AMIN Wo Oller EGO Res: 2 See aah heer ee fete le eae 23 $420 00 Hakevspabement on. appuecatione 2052 po. 2 ee eee 3 30 00 Hishine forspronuwithoutoucense: = a. 5 es eee 13 205 00 Trout, close season, taking or possession_-_-__--_--_-_------- iL 5 00 TROUT eS LOSI GEESIZCGN Ms) 2 eae eee ae ee eee ey he oe eee 1 20 00 Trout, taking other than with hook and line___-__------___-- | 6 170 00 TTOMUtweMCOSS DAE MITT Ks ote Ae ates ee Bee ee 2 | 3 55 00 Gaittish: tottering for sale umdensizedss=— 2) 5a ae ee | 2 170 00 Barracuda, oftering: for Sale underweight. 22 2-2 | 1 20 00 Spot-fin croaker, offering for sale, close Season___-____-_____ | 1 25 00 NACrAMenLOnDere hy (CXCCSS aLINGee a = ae eee eee ee il 100 00 Black bass, close season, possession undersized_____-------__ | 3 70 00 Striped bass, close season, sale, possession, underweight____| 9 40 00 Salmon, close season, taking or possession_________--_---___- 6 200: 00 Crabs, close season, taking or possession___-___________-_=- is 7 20 00 Orabs, femaleeund@ersi Zedge es oe ee ee a Se \ Abalones, close season, taking or possession, undersized_--__| 6 95 00 Olams undersized excess wae limbs 222. 2 5 ee ee 14 267 50 Dried Caliiormilarshrimip in) WOSSessiones 2. = 52. le ee eee | 3 1,020 00 Dy SINGING e Mis etre eee a eee a Fe Sas ee eae eee | 2 200 00 Neral, We He ae wee eee ees eres saree EEE Sree See ee ene 8 50 00 MISH Wibhi nM bWoswtlle gilt baa see esa See Se oe eae yp eee dr HE O Baile iis a av Ol ib OWS eens Lee tele or Le) ek 28 eee 114 |} $3,182 50 Grand. tovabosh and eame wviolstlOns 2---5. 542 eens akan eo 401 | $9,682 50 eee OC CU 7 q CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 5D SEIZURES—FISH, GAME AND ILLEGALLY USED FISHING APPARATUS. June 1 to October 31, 1917, Inclusive. Game OTL Lcar che ee Ue et RMN ati Ma aeh RML EME RENN it UO ee eee 862 “TET RN RS RR AERC ANG i eli ee ea oe ae 52 ATDCerSNP dh ea oe a a Oe ae ee eee ee 99 COS ola Mater ett Ss eI IR eee 8 2 eee aa Soe ee 9 GO VOMG ALIS. ct oe a IS ee a eee eee 13 erate Pete ees ee ee La ee eee ee 19 ME TROUL SG as ee en Re eas eR Se bee SO eee ee he eee Dy Slay Eten Sale eee eee AU eS eee ese ae ee 5 CET et a ee Ty SU ee Ne A Ee es Seer 1 SOTO DITGS cues te ee ee Eee a eat ee ee 71 AIDING Fe che ee a ae AE ee ee eee eee ee ee ene 9344 pounds TBYSPENE PLA b(t Deane ae ad trees MDL yee Oye) BRS SNE 2 a Oe Een eee 4 TSyOG VTE Tay Co (eae fe ee eT a gen PE Dae teh ee ee eo 1 Fish "PSEC G UE Ce Sacco eae I ee ng EEC Sh BE Ves ee eee ee 4774 pounds Sis iin onal ae ee a ea a eee yee eb RINE old Ve ee eee ee 4,045 pounds Rime Gd WOASS. 2208 Se So ea eae eee ea 5884 pounds eee UCAS ote eee re oe 5 ee ee AB git se hee NERY Fes ee 2,200 pounds Gne EON | oko 2 oso) ee ae a eae ee 115 pounds Spot-fin croakers __...-.-/..-.-----_------2---+---=--=+--<-2--54-4-5 -+ 1,726 pounds Coe ESAT T Neth ee a di RGD RTE Foc 8 a ee ee Sere 264 pounds CUTEST SE) Mpeg pe IR EEL SSI AA read OR eb ANS ee ree ep tae ey eer cia 1,885 DARTS IN Cy TUG Se es eee A Tai yn ee ee ee eee eee 46 (CUE a aN Ses see ce AN aS a ee Ni SA Os ee ee ee 1,385 CEG tHe). 5 a ee re Rif AS ee ee oe ee ea 1274 pounds Twa OEM R Erte y nee en a aie ae tL EE ba Te To a aS ee eae oete 125 pounds Mle dadinimipy cea 22k See Pee eee ea 6,500 pounds Nets, traps and fishing outfits_--.__--------------------------------- 11 Searches. TWlegal fish and game_------.-.---.-.-.--_----*==------------_-_--==-- 25 56 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES FOR THE MONTHS OF MAY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 1917. | General Administration. General’ administration- 2222-22 Sc=-52 | $2,036 97 Research publicity and educational (game)_- (PRUE! one Se oe eee ee eens ane Mish rehibiter sess aera Be SE a ea eee ae Game emnl bits «2322 be See eee Game farm’ < 25 oe ee ee eee ae Mountain Vion: bowntits:----s.c55.0. 2esaee Lithographing hunting licenses__.---_-----_-- Lithographing angling licenses_.-____._-_-__- | Hunting Jicense commission-_..........-._-- Anglers’ license commission__------_--------- Market fish license commission___-_-_-----___ Paper: Mile Creck Dames. 4 Sant hs pele eee | Patrol. San ainanciseo, Cistriets seo eo Sacramento: Gistrict \--2=.-- oe ee eo os Angeles distrieh sss sess. osteo vata Gh WH SIO a o-oo ee de eae | Prosecutions (fish and game)__--_----__-____ Crawhsh? inspsebhion 2-65 2 ose hd eke Wihermte sms steecin pete a ee Aceident and, death: iclaims=2-.-= 20-2 <2=-0 <2 -_ STR GTR Si aa oes eee Re es $ Department of Fish Culture. Hatchery ‘administration: 2-2." -..222- 38 2 MEGS SHAN CA MED EUCHOYY: 2. 2 yo cise ies 8 ee islam ahs, Jeb AOM, Soe eee oer a Se Mir po yWininey, satcheny. = 92 2 ose See Rabe bakes: Station.) os-soreo see 2OOhhOD WOO SSD AbION: 22k san ese eee IRAN GOS SEL Wen eis a2 2 ass Se ee ae Pa) Un sas: CRIBS, fo oem Bee a ea i eee Mariett-Carson, sebatehery 6.) 25 2o= eee LENS Te peter no (2 ee Re eee Le Dees DESI eee tOneny. 2 =n 22 ea eee ee SLOW SNVOuNbain, Station=.5_\ 22 .~- eee wee Brookdale nrancnanys £22202 2a oe eee SEOb we nteic Meni Ole n= <= es Sees Admrarion \Sipbions S2-< ies 2-2 seer ae DOWMUEO ASDIMIRS = 2s en eee Bean *iiaice/Eancharys +2222 on toa en ae Wawona: sebatcherya es =