356 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
‘Traits of ‘claims with a trench. But the common custom is to 
require | only a notice of the simplest intelligible form and a 
record ; and by these the miner acquires a perfect title as 
against : all other persons, so long as he continues to work the 
‘claim. But if he does not work the claim, he forfeits his title. 
The time within which work must be done to preserve the title 
good, varies greatly in different districts—from three days to 
pmonth. The period is usually brief in proportion to the shal- 
lowness of the diggings and the ease of working them. In 
{most districts no amount of work will secure a claim against 
forfeiture. A miner may work his claim every day for years, 
‘and then, if he deserts it for a day beyond the period allowed 
in the mining regulations of the district, it is legally forfeited, 
and 1 may be taken by the first comer. There are certain classes 
‘of diggings which can only be worked during half of the year, 
and in these, claims are subject to forfeiture only during the 
workable season. It is not expected that a mimer will work 
a dry ravine claim in the summer, or a bar claim in the winter; 
and the mining regulations, being based on reason, and well 
designed for the convenience of the miners and the develop- 
ment of the mining interest, impose no penalty upon such 
actions as would be approved by industrious, prudent men. 
There are deep diggings where all the claims cannot be worked 
at once: those in front, or nearest the place where there is an 
outlet for the water, must be worked out before the miner can 
begin on those behind. ‘In such cases, the claims in the “ back- 
ground” will not be forfeited until there is a possibility of 
working them, even though years elapse. The mining regula- 
tions impose no penalty for a neglect to do impossible things. 
Among the claims which may be left unworked for a long 
time without danger of forfeiture, are claims for mining pur- 
poses to land occupied by other parties for tailings. A miner 
may hold a tailing claim merely for the purpose of preserving his 
tailings, and with no intention to wash the natural dirt; and 
another miner may lay claim to the same place for mining pur- 
poses, but he must wait until the prior occupant has removed 
