CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



109 



lion, methods used in taking him, and the sex of the animal. In July, 

 1917, the bounty on female lions was raised to $30 per head. 



The information sent in by claimants for bounty indicates that nearly 

 all of these lions were killed either accidentally or because they were 

 doing damage to stock, and not on account of the bounty. Now if the 

 bounty were raised to $100 jjer lion, the state would be paying $75 more 

 on an average for each lion now killed under the present bounty, and 

 this would amount to about $15,000 annually. 



From the foregoing it might be argued that the present bounty is 

 useless and should be abolished, so let us examine and see what benefit 



Fig. 51. One hundred and fifty pound male lion treed near Lynchburg ranger's 

 station, Placer County, November 1, 1921. 



is derived from this expenditure. It is evident that no situation can 

 be handled intelligently or with efficiency without accurate data as a 

 basis for action. Now on account of the bounty of $20 paid since 1908, 

 the commission has been furnished with the following data: 



The number of lions killed during the last thirteen years; 



The proportionate number of these killed from year to year under 

 a given condition, which should indicate the comparative lion popu- 

 lation; 



The damage known to have been done by each lion ; 



The methods used in taking the animal; 



The percentage of each sex killed since 1917. 



These data are of immense value in any effort to control the lion, and 

 are now being used to advantage for that purpose by the commission. 

 For instance, we find from an examination of these data that the range 

 of the lion on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains 

 between Siskiyou County and Kern County, is confined to a straight 

 belt about fifteen miles wade by section lines, and at an elevation 

 between 3000 and 5000 feet above sea level and averaging 4000 feet. 

 The same elevation will apply to the range of the lion in the Coast 



