124 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



twenty pounds to each animal) is valu- 

 able. According to P. A. Ingvason, 

 manager of the ranch at Kerman, a 



Fig. 34. Karakul lamb showing 

 fur in prime condition. The Karakul 

 sheep industry lias spread to Cali- 

 fornia. 



better and hardier sheep is obtained by 

 crossing the karakul with a Mexican wool 

 sheep. 



A new fur industry is therefore being 

 developed in California. Although the 

 animals utilized are domesticated, yet the 

 increase of furs of this sort should add 

 much to reduce the toll taken of native 

 fur-bearers, and consequently this new 

 project should be looked upon with favor. 



SUGGESTED BIRD RESERVATION 

 ON MONO LAKE. 



A colony of gulls is located on a large 

 island in Mono Lake where it is cus- 

 tomary for them to breed each year. 

 Recently a desert homestead has been 

 taken up with an entry on the lake, and 

 a summer residence has been built there. 

 I understand that the homesteader pro- 

 poses to stock the island with goats, 

 which may be a fad that will be short 

 lived. However, it strikes me that some 

 attention should be given to the preser- 

 vation of this colony of gulls, which is 

 somewhat unique on account of the fact 

 that it is situated so far inland, and also 

 because it adds greatly to the interest 

 taken in the Mono Lake region. This 

 territory is rapidly coming to the front 

 among the tourists as a recreation ground, 

 and I feel that all due precaution should 

 be taken to x-etain the interesting fea- 

 tures of the locality. I have had it in 

 mind for some time to advocate the 

 setting aside of a sufficiently large portion 

 of this island as a bird reservation, to 

 insure their continued residence, through 

 the aid of due protection. 



No doubt you will be interested in this 

 case, and if you care to take it up 

 further, I will be glad to do all in my 

 power to assist you in the matter. It 

 is quite ev'dent that unrestricted goat 

 raising on the island would have a 

 disastrous effect on the birds. 



W. W. Maule. 



Fig. 35. Black fox at Tahoe F'ox Farm. 



