THIRTY-FOURTH BIENNIAL REPORT 31 



pipes in such a manner that they became dependable all-year water 

 sources. In providing entirely artificial watering places, fifty gallon 

 galvanized steel barrels provided with automatically fed drinking 

 troughs have proven very satisfactory. The first of these units was 

 developed and installed by Mr. James Moffit, then in charge of the 

 quail refuge program. Since that time some changes have been made 

 in its mechanics but the system remains the same in principle. Prior 

 to the present year the water barrels have only been used to supple- 

 ment natural water, the mechanical de\dces always having been placed 

 where a natural supply has been available within a reasonable distance. 

 However, during the present extremely dry summer of 1936, even the 

 most dependable of natural sources have failed, and on many of the 

 refuges water barrels have been relied on entirely. Without their aid, 

 thousands of quail would have perished of thirst — a heartbreaking con- 

 clusion to four years of quail refuge building. 



Actually, when we consider the size of the waterless areas of the 

 south, we realize that this business of supplying water to game arti- 

 ficially has been carried on only on a very small scale. It is mentioned 

 here to emphasize the importance of considering water supply when we 

 speak of game management in California. Throughout a large part 

 of our state, we can not speak of one without including the other. The 

 possibilities of a constructive water development program, the results 

 to be measured in terms of game production, are limitless. The quail 

 refuge program has been responsible for demonstrating these possi- 

 bilities. 



The southern California quail problem has, as has been shown 

 above, been a successful project and has been productive of much valu- 

 able information, but it has not been the only notable piece of upland 

 game bird work accomplished during the present biennium. In San 

 Mateo County, E. L. Sumner, Jr.. then an employee of the Division, 

 completed two years of concentrated study of the life history and 

 habits of the California Valley Quail. The Division has published this 

 year a very complete account of his researches entitled, "A Life His- 

 tory Study of the California Quail, "With Recommendations for Con- 

 servation and Management." Mr. Sumner's work is considered to be 

 a real contribution to game management literature. 



PREDATORY ANIMAL CONTROL 



The control of coyotes and bobcats in game refuges and in other 

 regions of game concentration has continued in the usual areas, with 

 additional areas requiring the attention of the trappers from time to 

 time. The killing of deer by coyotes, even in winter, is a local condi- 

 tion. It is apparently not governed by the number of coyotes or deer 

 but by a lack of abundance of the coyotes' normal food supply such 

 as rabbits, squirrels and other small rodents. Such local areas have 

 been found in Lassen and Shasta counties. El Dorado, Placer and 

 Tulare counties. 



The four men working in northern California have taken 778 

 coyotes and 150 bobcats or a total of 928 during the biennium. The 

 animals have been trapped in relatively small concentration areas and 

 on refuges where damage was being done to game and domestic stock. 

 The catch by counties was as follows: 



