18 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



ington and Oregon, certain pens of brood stock were donated to the 

 Commission. Other brood stock was purchased and under the infinite 

 difficulties of raising birds during the construction period, the first 

 real California Game Farm completed its initial year. The report of 

 Superintendent Bade is appended and shows the results attained. 



Having learned by bitter experience through our fishcultural opera- 

 tions that it is unwise to have planting done by organizations or indi- 

 viduals who have not had the proper advance training, it was early 

 determined that all planting from the game farm should be done under 

 the strict superintendence of our trained employees. Also, all appli- 

 cations for birds from organizations or individuals were referred to 

 Superintendent Bade with instructions to visit the localities referred 

 to and pass his own unconditional judgment as to suitability. After 

 suitability had been determined, an investigation Avas then made as 

 to the proper protection for the birds. In no instance has the Commis- 

 sion made a planting unless a large area (in most instances not less 

 than twenty thousand acres) had been set aside by the owners as 

 a refuge. Also, no small plantings were made ; the average number 

 of birds to each planting was one hundred and fifty. We are happy 

 to say that our plantings were uniformly successful. The loss of 

 birds was practically nil, and the splendid spirit of the sportsmen 

 and of the justices of the peace have shown poachers that the killing of 

 our j)lanted birds will bring real punishment. We feel that we are war- 

 ranted in saying that our game farm represents the best that money 

 and intelligence can do in construction work, and that our system of 

 planting can not be bettered. While during the first year we have 

 restricted our planting to pheasants, it is hoped that next year will 

 see our initial planting of quail from brood stock which we have 

 raised this year, and that we will also raise a goodly stock of Hungarian 

 partridges from the twenty pair so kindly loaned us this year by the 

 state of Oregon. 



BUREAU OF STATISTICS. 



For many years the Commission has been gathering data on fish and 

 game problems which has reposed in our files and desks secure from 

 the light of d&y. The one exception has been the Department of Com- 

 mercial Fisheries, where the scientific work of the laboratory has been 

 offered to the public in the form of bulletins and other contributions. 

 To collate and make this information available the Commission has 

 established a bureau in the Patrol Department in charge of R. E. 

 Ludlum, an expert statistician and a student of fish and game matters. 

 It is the function of this bureau to prepare statistical information of 

 the many activities of the Commission, such as fur-bearing animals, 

 trappers, mountain lions, game breeders, and other cognate subjects. 

 In addition, the head of the bureau has charge of the investigation of 

 all bird and animal diseases, and in this work he is fortunate in having 

 available to him the full facilities of the Hooper Foundation of the 

 University of California. At this time I desire to express to President 

 Campbell of the University of California, the Board of Regents, and 

 to Dr. Karl F. Meyer, head of the Hooper Foundation, our cordial 

 appreciation of their cooperation and whole-hearted proffer of facili- 

 ties for our research work. Dr. IMeyer is personally taking charge of 



