14 REPORT OP BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. 



striped bass from overflow waters along the coast and in the interior 

 valley. 



• Has been one of the first commissions in the country to provide its 

 patrolmen with motorcycles, thus reducing transportation expenses and 

 greatly increasing efficiency of force. 



Has perfected a cooperation of effort with the U. S. Forest Service^ 

 v\-hereby the State secures without cost the services of over 400 highl;s 

 trained officers, almost all of whom are located in the best fish and gamt 

 regions. 



Has from the head office alone written or issued about 25,000 indi- 

 vidual letters, 50,000 copies of circular letters, 325,000 abstracts, or 

 synopses of the fish and game laws, 12,500 game law posters, 8,000 copies 

 of the Board's compilation of the fish and game laws, thousands of copies 

 of the several bulletins and reports already issued, and a great deal 

 of other matter. (About 300 newspapers and periodicals in the State 

 are on the Board's mailing list; to them all is sent each month a state- 

 ment of the lion bounties paid for the previous month, another state- 

 ment of the searches, seizures and arrests made by the different districts, 

 and a statement of the Board's expenditures for the month past. If any 

 of these statements are omitted for a month or more, a statement cover- 

 ing the elapsed time is issued.) 



Has made studies of general fish and game conditions, and of fishing 

 methods and apparatus, through the Superintendent of Hatcheries, the 

 Assistant in Charge of Game Conservation, and other scientific assist- 

 ants, and by deputies. 



Has made a systematic study of the climatic and other conditions 

 that determine the distribution of plant and animal life, with the idea 

 of preventing the loss of effort, time and money that has occurred in 

 the past through experiments in game introduction and transplantation 

 that were not based on knowledge of vital facts. 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



It will be noted that the Board offers no recommendations as to 

 changes in existing legislation or the provision of new. The follow-ing 

 quotation from a letter issued by the Board during the fall of 1911 

 sets forth fully the attitude of the present Commission and explains 

 its deviation from an old practice : 



"It has often been said that the fish and game laws of the 

 State of California were passed in the interest of a favored few, 

 to the prejudice of the great mass of the citizens of our State. 



Such impression has gone forth, doubtless, by reason of the 

 fact that the people generally have had but little, if any, voice 

 in suggesting or proposing legislation upon the subject, resulting 

 in lack of co-operation by the people with the Commission, without 

 which co-operation neither beneficial laws can be pa.ssed, nor 

 material progress be made. 



The Commission sincerly desires the active, hearty and earnest 



