372 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



bered and bear the printed request that they be returned to the Divi- 

 sion of Fish and Game. The first bands used were inscribed with the 

 number and "Notify Game Comm. " on the outside and the address to 

 which the bands are to be sent, "San Francisco, California," was to be 

 found on the inside of the aluminum circlet. It was learned, however, 

 that the hunter seldom opens a band and, in consequence, any inscrip- 

 tion on the inside may be overlooked. On the bands now in use, there- 

 fore, the entire legend, "Return to F. & G. Com. S. F." may be read 

 on the outside. The above may appear to be of minor importance to 

 the reader, but so anxious are we tliat bands taken by sportsmen be 

 returned that we wish to leave no stone unturned — even in the case of 

 such a relatively simple matter as a band inscription. 





Fig. 14 0. Banding Lower California quail prior to release, Antelope Valley. 



Photo by G. H. True, Jr. 



A careful record is kept of all band numbers, each one being 

 entered on an especiall.y prepared record sheet. With the number is 

 listed the age of the bird, the sex, the point at whicli it was released 

 and the date thereof. In addition, a column is reserved for such data 

 relative to the recovery of the band as the date, locality and the agent. 

 The latter may be, and most frequently is the hunter. A predatory 

 mammal or bird, or even accidental death may, however, be responsible 

 for the recovery of a band. Upon the receipt of a band, a card is 

 mailed to the person making the return thanking him for his coopera- 

 tion and setting forth, for his information, data relative to the release 

 of the bird that w^ore the band. To this card is attached a return 

 postal card on which the sportsman is requested to set down specific 

 information concerning the point at which the band was taken by refer- 

 ence to some well known landmark. Up to the present time this system 

 has met with a very satisfactory response on the part of the quail 

 hunter. Individuals have failed to return cards, as requested, in only 

 a few instances. 



In reviewing the band returns for tlie 1932 and 1933 seasons the 

 author does not attempt to make a lengthy analysis of the results. 



