THE NAUTILUS. 



Vor,. XX. DECEMBER, 1906. No. 8. 



ABALONES AND THE PENAL CODE OF CALIFORNIA. 



BY MRS. M. BURTON WILLIAMSON. 



A rule, or tape-measure, is not considered necessary when collect- 

 ing shells along the beach, but if one would not pay too dear for his 

 shells on the Pacific Coast of North America it were well to take 

 some cognizance of the size of the Halioti detached from the rocky 

 coast, especially during certain months of the year. 



Some years ago the writer presented to the American Association 

 of Conchologists a series of young Haliotis cracherodii Leech ; but 

 one would not dare to undertake it now that the law was passed pro- 

 hibiting the collecting of such shells ; for it is the young or small 

 specimens that the statute protects. 



In the Penal Code of California, section 628, the law prohibiting 

 the collecting of abalones 1 was incorporated and approved February 

 12, 1903, as an amendment to the section for the protection and 

 preservation of lobsters, crabs, etc. The law as then amended in 

 regard to abalones reads, "or any abalone shells or abalones the size 

 of which shall measure less than fifteen inches around the outer edge 

 of the shell." In 1905 this statute was amended, the size of the 

 shell allowed by law being three inches less in circumference for the 

 black abalone. It now reads as follows : 



" Every person who between the 1st day of April and the 15th day 



1 Monterey county appears to have taken the initiative in regulating aba- 

 lone-fisliing by passing an ordinance. See Dr. R. E. C. Stearns' article in 

 THE NAUTILUS for Nov., 1899, Vol. xiii, p. 81. 



