Letter of Transmittal 



January 12, 1921. 

 Hon. Joseph M. Dixon, 

 Governor of Montana, 

 Helena, Montana. 



Sir: 



In compliance with Section 1982, R. C. of Montana, and as amended 

 by the Act approved March 15, 1917, your State Fish and Game Com- 

 mission begs leave to submit its biennial report, embracing its trans- 

 actions during the years 1919 and 1920. 



At the regular session of the Legislature in 1919 there was appro- 

 priated $20,000.00 from the fish and game fund for the purchase of a 

 state fish car. The Fish and Game Commission instructed the Secre- 

 tary to ask for prices on a modern car of the Pullman Car people of 

 Pullman, Illinois; Hotchkiss Blue and Co. of Chicago, and the Ameri- 

 can Car and Foundry Company of St. Louis, Mo. The best figure ob- 

 tainable was $24,600.00, leaving a deficiency of $4,600.00 between the 

 amount appropriated by the Legislature and the amount necessary to 

 make the purchase, hence the car was not obtained. 



Under the present ruling we are making deliveries of fry by what 

 is styled the baggage car system. We are permitted to carry 20 cans 

 of fry free of cost, except the necessary mileage for the party in charge 

 of the shipment. 



We highly appreciate and we are much gratified with your atti- 

 tude relative to fish and game laws, as expressed in your message. 

 The proposed plan of placing the work of the department in the hands 

 of a commission has been one of the plans advocated by the present 

 commission for the past eight years, believing that prompt action In 

 connection with the opening and closing of streams and lakes, also for 

 the establishment and creation of spawning stations and declaring bird 

 and game areas open and closed without having to await the meeting 

 of a Legislature, is a step in the right direction. 



Our financial status for the years 1919 and 1920 may be found in 

 the report printed herein. Permit me, however, to suggest that the 

 year 1920 is not quite complete, as the license year will not close 

 until April 30, 1921. 



Respectfully submitted, 



J. L. KELLY, President Commission. 



NELSON STORY, JR., 



THOMAS N. MARLOW, 



M. D. BALDWIN, 



J. L. DeHART, Secretary. 



