30 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



A publication devoted to the conserva- 

 tion of wild life and published quarterly 

 by the California State Fish and Game 

 Commission. 



Sent free to citizens of the State of Cali- 

 fornia. Offered in exchange for ornitho- 

 logical, mammalogical and similar period- 

 icals. 



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 Fish and 

 Game Commission. Editors of newspapers 

 and periodicals are invited to make use of 

 pertinent material. 



All material for publication should be 

 sent to H. C. Bryant, Museum of Verte- 

 brate Zoology, Berkeley, Cal. 



January 28, 1918. 



"More fish and better fishing; more 

 game and better hunting; more sport 

 and better sportsmanship." — Gov. Jas. 

 WiTiiYcojrBE, of Oregon. 



FISH AND GAME ENDANGERED. 

 These are the times when wild life is 

 greatly endangered. Market hunters in 

 New York and in other states are 

 attempting to again establish the sale of 

 game. Selfish hunters are advocating the 

 free killing of fish and game in order to 

 furnish increased food supply during the 

 period of the war. Even officials, for- 

 getting the need of conservation for the 

 future, are being persuaded to let the 

 bars down. A telegram recently referred 

 to the California Fish and Game Com- 

 mission and signed by a government 

 oQicial advocated the setting aside of pro- 

 tective laws for sea fish during the 

 period of the war. This request is par- 

 ticularly interesting in view of the fact 

 that Avith no protection, salmon, striped 

 bass, shad and many other anadromous 

 fish could easily be exterminated within 

 a few years, and furthermore that the 

 larger markets have been so glutted with 

 marine fishes that tons have been sent 

 to the fertilizer works and fish meal fac- 

 tories. We may expect still greater pres- 

 sure by selfish interests and by those who 

 forget in the emergency that now of all 

 times there should be a strengthening of 

 protection, rather than a lessening. Un- 

 less every conservationist stands squarely 

 for sufficient protection to perpetuate 

 game species, the enemies of wild life will 



make short work of our wild life 

 resources by taking advantage of the 

 present situation. 



RICE DAMAGE BY DUCKS. 

 There has been much newspaper pub- 

 licity given to the depredations of ducks 

 in the rice fields of the Sacramento Val- 

 ley. It appears that some of this pub- 

 licity has been the work of selfish hunters 

 desiring to hunt ducks before the season 

 opens. Proof of this is apparent in the 

 fact that most rice growers will not 

 allow duck hunters in their fields. On 

 the other hand, it appears that some 

 growers have received severe loss from 

 ducks. Certain it is, also, that many of 

 the ducks shot this season had their 

 crops filled with rice. The Fish and 

 Game Commission realizes that the prob- 

 lem of protecting the rice fields in the 

 Sacramento Valley is a serious one and 

 it is anxious to reach a solution fair to 

 both the grower and the hunter. Especi- 

 ally is it desirable to rightly settle the 

 controversy, owing to the food situation. 

 Consequently, the Commission plans to 

 hold in the near future a conference 

 with rice growers to obtain their point 

 of view. Furthermore, during the fall 

 of 1918, a special investigation will be 

 made in those districts where depreda- 

 tions are reported. 



NEW PATROL BOAT FOR SOUTHERN 

 CALIFORNIA. 



During the last part of December the 

 new patrol boat, which is to be named 

 the "Albacore." will be launched from 

 the Fulton Shipyard at Wilmington. 

 This boat is to be used for patrol work 

 and scientific investigation along the 

 coast of southern California. Although 

 designed on lines similar to those of the 

 tuna boats, it is nevertheless suitable for 

 special work, ample deck room being 

 made for handling nets and other appa- 

 ratus used in investigations (see Fig. 28). 

 The boat is built of wood, has a length 

 of sixty feet, a beam of twelve feet and 

 a draft of five feet. The interior 

 arrangement provides for a large state- 

 room giving comfortable quarters for 

 four, and a laboratory. 



A 65 h. p., four-cylinder, Acme gas 

 engine will furnish the motive power. 



