200 



PROBLEMS IN WILD LIFE CONSERVATION 



However, two difficulties have arisen; one concerns the 

 lack of scientific knowledge regarding how wild animals 

 react to captivity. As a result some phases of the industry 

 have hardly passed the experimental stage. On the other 

 hand, certain promotional practices used by some fur far- 

 mers have brought the industry into disrepute. The so- 

 called " unit plan " under which fur animals were sold to 

 the public and then boarded on the fur farm in return for a 

 percentage of the offspring, was often an outright fraud. 

 In some cases non-existent animals were sold; in others the 

 same animals were sold to several individuals. As a result 

 the losses of the investing public in this type of enterprise 

 have reached considerable proportions. 57 



Scientific Research: Biological investigations have re- 

 ceived the least attention of the state departments. New 

 York has such a division which is at present conducting a 

 survey of the fishing waters of the state. Few states can 

 afford to keep trained specialists on the staff charged with 

 the duty of carrying on research. The possible results seem 

 too remote while the expense is immediate. The best policy 

 for the average state to pursue in this regard is to cooperate 

 closely with the United States Bureau of the Biological 

 Survey and the Bureau of Fisheries. Both of those organ- 

 ization have built up staffs of scientific experts in almost all 

 fields of biological and ichthyological research. The advice 

 of these scientists may in many instances be obtained by the 

 state conservation departments without charge. Should 

 their services be required for any great length of time, how- 

 ever, the state department is expected to meet the expenses 

 involved. 58 



57 See Ashbrook, Frank, " Fur Farming in Relation to State Game 

 Departments," Proceedings International Association of Game and Fish 

 Commissioners (1929), p. 106. 



58 For details see p. 94 and p. 129 of chapters v and vi. 



