IV 



Preface 



There is hardly wild game, big or small, in America 

 that is not menaced by the spectre of extinction, and 

 were it not for game laws, clubs of gentlemen, sportsmen 

 of various kinds, wild life would in a short time disap- 

 pear from the face of the earth. It should be the duty 

 of every sportsman to conserve the gifts of nature. 

 Sport with the gun, rod, spear, and hound is legitimate 

 and manly, but there is an unwritten law among gentle- 

 men that no sportsman will kill more than the camp de- 

 mands, or rational sport justifies. The rod catch of 

 tarpons last season at Tarpon, Texas, was nearly eight 

 hundred fish, yet every one not needed as a trophy was 

 released. I can conceive no greater example of self- 

 control than that illustrated by the angler who stops 

 fishing when but two tunas have been caught, though the 

 waters are covered with schools eager for the lure ; yet 

 I have witnessed this marvellous thing. 



Southern California is an open book the year around. 

 Every day, winter or summer, has its invitation to the 

 lover of sport or nature ; not only in the south but 

 throughout the length of the land. The present volume 

 is confined to Southern California, as to cover the en- 

 tire State adequately would require much more 

 space. Northern California possesses even greater 

 natural wonders than the south and more big game, 

 at least among land animals. The section de- 

 scribed includes the region south of Point Concep- 

 tion, the counties of Santa Barbara, San Buenaven- 

 tura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, 



