50 FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT [W. VA. 



The word ''treasurer" in the same section, should be made to read 

 "treasury," to conform to the manner of making other remittances. 



In the same section, the law provides that the Clerk shall receive 

 twenty-five cents, as his fee for issuing said license, which was evidently 

 meant to be his full remuneration for taking the affidavit to the api- 

 plication, issuing the license, affixing the seal of the Court, and all 

 other services performed. 



The general law provides, however, that the Clerk is entitled to cer- 

 tain fees for taking affidavits, affixing the seal, etc., which makes the 

 two statutes conflicting. Realizing the trouble that might arise under 

 these conflicting statutes, a letter was addressed to each of the Comity 

 Clerks, before this law became effective, suggesting to them that the 

 one fee of twenty-five cents, should be the only remuneration received 

 for all services in connection with the issuance of such license, and 

 with tw'o or three exceptions, this rule was adhered to throughout the 

 State. It was certainly intended that $1.00 should cover all cost of 

 license for the resident hunter, and the law, if possible, should be made 

 clear in this respect. 



affidavit of applicants for resident hunters' license, and would often cause 

 persons to procure licenso that do not do so ; on account of not having 

 some officer near at hand, before whom they can make the application. 



Considerable confusion has arisen over the provision in section 44, 

 by allowing minnow seines to be used in the creeks or rivers of the 

 State. Persons have been found along the streams of our State, with 

 minnow seines from fl?n to fifteen feet long, which might be used for 1 

 seining large fish, as well as minnows, but it has been impossible to! 

 convict on account of the provision of law making it lawful to use 

 minnow seines. 



Acknowledgments. 



In closing this report, I desire to express my sincere thanks to your 

 excellency, for the honor conferred upon me in my appointment as For- 

 est, Game and Fish 'Warden, and the kind consideration that my depart- 

 ment has always received at your hands. 



To Attorney General 'Wni. G. Conley, who has always willingly rendered 

 official opinions construing questions of our statute, as well as to all 

 other State officials, who have in numerous ways assisted me, I feel under 

 many obligations. 



Hon. Geo. M. Bowers, United States Fish Commissioner, deserves great 

 credit for not only stocking our streams with fish, but for his valuable 

 assistance in making numerous tests of water flowing from industrial 

 plants, to ascertain whether or not such water wlas deleterious to 

 fish life. 



Dr. T. S. Palmer, of Washington, D. C., in charge of game preservation 

 in the United States, has most generously furnished bulletins and in- 

 formation that has been valuable in many ways. v 



All departments of Forestry, Game and Fish, in the different states, 



