14 Preface. 



copies of preceding issues. The prominence which the volumes have 

 secured has made it possible for the Commission to procure from experts 

 on the subjects of which they treat, articles to be found in no other pub- 

 lication extant. In this way very valuable work has been done for the 

 forests, the fish and the game of the State. The colored plates thus far 

 printed were collected in a portfolio as a supplement to the issue for 1901, 

 to meet a popular demand from nature study teachers in the schools, and 

 from sportsmen who knew the value of these illustrations and wished to 

 use the plates either for purposes of study or for illustration. One great 

 railroad system so valued these plates that it had them framed in an expen- 

 sive manner and placed in its depot. An enthusiastic advocate' of nature 

 study in the public schools also had a set framed for use in a school room 

 in a village in which he was interested. 



From the first issue to that for 1901 inclusive, these enlarged reports 

 were issued annually. While their cost had not been more than would 

 naturally be expected for elaborate works of this kind, it was at that time 

 decided to combine several years in one volume thereafter, and the reports 

 for 1902 and 1903 next appeared in one volume, thus practically cutting 

 the cost of publication in two. A further reduction of expenses being still 

 considered desirable, the next issue contained the reports for the years 

 1904-5-6, thus reducing the expense of publication still further, and this 

 form has been continued up to the present time. 



The condensation of several years in one volume did not in any way 

 lessen the popularity of the work, as the increased demand for each issue has 

 shown. The wealth of illustration was still kept up, but it became neces- 

 sary to some extent to reduce the amount of special matter included. The 

 work of the Commission, has, however, grown so rapidly, and the quality 

 of the matter included in the reports made by those in charge of the work 

 of conserving the forests, the fish and the game under the direction of the 

 Commissioner has become so valuable, that no complaint has arisen from 

 this cause. Undoubtedly the cessation of the work of presenting the 



