TWKNTY-SEVENTIl UIKNMAI, ICMI'i )i;'l'. 93 



RESEARCH. 



Unfortunately, the time of your director luis Ixh'U so f'ii!l\' occupicil 

 that it lias been possible to undertake less and less actuid i-cscarcli work. 

 This is unfortunate and it is to be hoped that oertnin researcdi work, 

 already planned, can be undertaken in the near fiilnre. Fisheries 

 research work is well supported and g'anie research sliould have its 

 share of attention in addition. 



Work has continued on the investigation of tlie food of duitks in 

 California. The results of stomacii examination of hundreds of ducks 

 has been tabulated and summarized and additional analyses made. 



Further studies of methods of identifyinp,' nnd tlie food hal)its of 

 hawks culminated in the publication of an article on California 

 hawks in the July, 1921, number of California Fish and Game. Con- 

 siderable material relative to game has been added to the regular files 

 kept for holding this material. A study of game conditions within a 

 protected area has been afforded in the past two summers' stay in 

 Yosemite National Park. The effects of total protection can nowhere 

 be studied to better advantage than in this national park. 



The department continues to compile data on the annual deer kill, on 

 hunting accidents and on the work of the scientific collector. 

 Respectfully submitted. 



(Signed) Harold C. Bryant, 

 In Charge, 

 Education, Puhlicitii and Research. 



WATER POLLUTION. 



Honorable Board of Fish and Game Commissioners. 



Gentlemen: Complaints of water pollution have been fewer dur- 

 ing the past biennial period than ever before during a like period. 

 This is, no doubt,^ due largely to the fact that manufacturers have at 

 last realized that prevention is better, (and more profitable), than cure. 



Complaints were filed and convictions obtained against the North- 

 western Pacific Railroad, the Shipping Board Steamer Eastern SaUor 

 and the tanker Buccinnm, (under charter to the Shell Oil Company). 



A complaint was also filed against the Sacramento Gas Company for 

 lampblack pollution of the Sacramento River. This company at once 

 began construction of a filter of sufficient size to handle all tlieir waste 

 waters and thus preclude the possibility of further cause for complaint 

 and this filter is, at the present time, in successful operation. 



A number of accidental losses of oil occurred during the period result- 

 ing, fortunately, in a minimum of damage to fish life. 



The largest amount of oil thus lost was caused by the earthquake of 

 March tenth which ruptured the pipe lines" of the Union Oil Company 

 where they crossed headwaters of the Salinas River. Flood waters car- 

 ried all, (so far as can be ascertained), of the oil to ^Monterey Bay with- 

 out depositing it either upon the river banks or the shore of the ba}'. 

 The amount of crude oil lost was 2,500 barrels. 



