20 Fourth Annual Report of the 



It may be argued that number of arrests made by a game pro- 

 tector is not the ideal test of efficiency; in other words, that the 

 desideratum is a condition wherein there would be no arrests, 

 because none would be necessary. It may be argued, too, that 

 " a little brief authority " sometimes makes men unreasonable 

 and even tyrannical and that in given instances a game protector 

 may have used his power arbitrarily, oppressively, or even cor- 

 ruptly. 



Nevertheless, in this year of grace it will scarcely be maintained 

 that if there were no arrests, it would mean that there were no 

 lawbreakers; and the figures show so close an approximation of 

 convictions to arrests as to disprove any allegation, if such there 

 be, of extensive abuse of power by the game protectors. A jury 

 may refuse to convict where an officer feels constrained to arrest. 



Additional Protection 



Among the new powers vested in the Conservation Commission 

 by the Laws of 1912 was that of granting additional protection, 

 beyond that given by the Conservation Law, to any species of fish 

 or game, whenever disease, danger of extermination, or other 

 like cause, may warrant such precautionary measures. The Com- 

 mission has been frequently called upon to exercise this authority 

 and by reason thereof has held numerous public hearings through- 

 out the State which have demonstrated widespread popular inter- 

 est in the problems of conservation. 



At the present time (January, 1915) the following additional 

 protection orders are in force and during the periods stated and 

 in the localities severally named all taking is prohibited as to the 

 species named : 



