CONNECTICUT. 13 



typical illustration. Here the appointment of 'commissioners on fish- 

 eries' was first authorized in 1867, with a view to the introduction and 

 propagation of fish. The act provided for appointment by the gov- 

 ernor of three commissioners to hold office for one year and to make 

 complaints for violations of the fish laws, consider the introduc- 

 tion, protection, and culture of fish, cooperate with fish commissioners 

 of other States, and report to the legislature. Their compensation 

 was fixed at $3 a day while officially employed and an allowance for 

 necessary expenses. In 1870 the term of office was increased to four 

 years. An act of 1871 authorized the appointment by the selectmen 

 of any town, upon the request of the fish commissioners, of two or more 

 fish wardens to assist them in detecting and prosecuting offenders in 

 such town, with compensation to be prescribed by the selectmen 

 and paid from the town treasury. In addition to such compensation 

 they were allowed one-half the penalty recovered when offenses were 

 detected by them. It will be noticed that the right of arrest, search, 

 and seizure was not conferred upon the commissioners or wardens by 

 this act; they could only request the issue of warrants to sheriffs, 

 constables, and police officers. In L872 the fish commissioners were 

 authorized to appoint two or more fish wardens for each town, such 

 wardens to receive the same fees allowed grand jurors in criminal cases 

 and one-half the penalty recovered when they detected the offense. 

 This was the first authorization to the commissioners to appoint wardens. 

 In 1873 the powers of sheriffs, so far as they extended to arrests, were 

 conferred upon the town fish wardens. No further change was made 

 for nine years, when, in 1882, the original act of 1867 as amended in 

 1871 was still further amended by reduction of the term of office of the 

 commissioners to three years and addition of a provision that their 

 appointment should be "with the advice and consent of the Senate." 

 The following year, 1883, the legislature recognized the necessity for 

 some officer to superintend the protection of game by providing for the 

 appointment by the selectmen of every town of two or more game war- 

 dens u to assist in detecting and prosecuting offenses" against the game 

 laws; their compensation was to be the same as that received by grand 

 jurors for similar services in criminal cases, their term of office was two 

 years, and they were invested with the same powers as other officers to 

 arrest for violations of the game laws. 



Six years elapsed before another change was made. In 1889 two 

 very similar acts were passed, one providing for the appointment of 

 game wardens, the other providing for the appointment of fish war- 

 dens. The county commissioners of every county were to appoint one 

 of each of such officers for their county; the term of office was 

 placed at two years; power to arrest for violations of the respective 

 laws was conferred upon them, and they were authorized to deputize 

 any person to assist them in detecting and arresting offenders; and 

 they were required to take the oath of office. Game wardens were 



