126 



CALIFORNIA PISII AND GAME. 



the Pacific Coast." This boolc will con- 

 tain chapters upon the distinctive fea- 

 tures of the region, includina: geology, 

 paljpontology, geography, distribution of 

 land animals, fisheries, marine biology, 

 flora and forests, marine botany, eth- 

 nology and archiBology, agriculture, influ- 

 ence of early Spanish settlers, landmarks 

 of history and literature, and the evident 

 efl'ects of an out-of-door life upon the 

 development of the fine arts. These chap- 

 ters will be critical descriptions written 

 l)y men who are authorities in the several 

 fields. General maps of the region and 

 maps of the vicinities of the larger cities, 

 directions for reaching the principal 

 points of scenic and scientific interest on 

 the Pacific coast, and directories of edu- 

 cational and research institutions will 

 also be included. This book can be pro- 

 cured from the general office of the 

 American Association or from leading 

 book stores on tlie Pacific coast. The 

 l)rice will be $1.50. 



AN OUTBREAK OF QUAIL DISEASE. 



The United States Department of Agri- 

 culture reports tiiat the third known out- 

 break of quail disease has been discov- 

 ered by the Bureau of Animal Industry. 

 (}uail disease is a highly infectious malady 

 to which all native quail are apparently 

 subject. The first outbreak occurred in 

 1907 and a second one occurred in 1912. 

 The one in 1932 was checked tlirough the 

 suspension of importations of birds from 

 Mexico. Birds imported from iNIexico, at 

 Brownsville, Texas, on January 5, 1915, 

 were found infected with the disease. All 

 game commissioners and sportsmen who 

 may have purchased birds for restocking 

 this season are requested to advise the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry if any of 

 the birds are known to have died from 

 disease of any kind. A quarantine has 

 been established at Brownsville and every 

 attempt will be made to prevent the 

 spread of this exceedingly dangerous <lis- 

 ease. 



THE PROTECTION OF NON-GAME 

 BIRDS. 



It seems to be impossible for a single 

 .session of the state legislature to go by 

 without a bill being introduced to remove 

 from protection such birds as the meadow- 

 lark, blackbird, and robin. In back of 

 every such move is to be found a desire 

 on the part of the city sport (we can not 

 say sportsman) to liave something more 

 to kill. When such a bill was introduced 

 in the last legislature by a San Fran- 

 cisco assemblyman the following comment 

 appeared in the Fresno Repuhlu an : 



The question of the usefulness or injury 

 of these birds is a scientific one upon 

 which we would rather have the judg- 

 ment of the zoological department of th(> 

 university than that of any aspiring res- 

 taurant keeper in San Francisco. And 

 so far as the restaurant end of this world 

 shaking problem is concerned, there is a 

 much better and easier way of meeting 

 it. We do not need blackbirds, meadow- 

 larks, and robins for our bird pies. There 

 are billions of English sparrows in the 

 state which are doing no good to anybody. 

 The United States government has de- 

 vised methods for the easy capture of the 

 sparrows, by trapping, in large numbers. 

 Let the restaurants introduce si)arrow pie 

 as a diet if they will. 'I'here are plenty 

 of sparrows and the pie is said to be 

 good. 



IS THE HOUSE CAT A DESTROYER 

 OF BIRDS? 

 Mr. E. II. Forbush, State Ornithologist 

 of Pennsylvania, is collecting data on 

 house cats. He has sent out circulars 

 asking for information as to the depreda- 

 tions committed and the comparative 

 value of this animal as a destroyer of 

 rodent pests. He plans to issue a bulletin 

 on the subject, giving the results of his 

 investigation. Of recent years the house 

 cat has often been branded as an enemy 

 of bird life. It is certainly true that 

 stray cats which have no liome and who 

 live in almost a wild state do destroy 

 many birds. Whether all cats will have 

 to be placed in this same category remains 

 lo be seen. 



PRICES DROP ON RAW FURS. 



A St. liouis fur importer is authority 

 for the statement that the losses on 

 Amej-ican raw furs caught last season 

 alone, Avill amount to ten million dollars. 

 'l''liis is due to the fact that most fur 

 manufiicturers are located in (Jermany 

 and France. All price lists sent out since 

 the first of the year show that only about 

 half of the price paid last year is now 

 being jiaid for raw furs. 



