THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



our investigation goes, this is not true. During the past two 

 years, some of the sportsmen of eastern Washington and Idaho 

 have raised the cry that this pheasant interferes with the increase 

 of bobwhite quail. This is not true in Oregon, for in the Wil- 

 lamette valley, where Chinese pheasants are most abundant, the 

 bobwhite quail are increasing steadily year by year. 



To be sure, some of our native species, such as mountain quail 

 and the sooty or blue grouse, have decreased in numbers in the 

 Willamette valley. Some one will raise the cry that this is due 

 to the Chinese pheasant. The truth is that these are two species 

 that do not hold their own as well in the advance of civilization 

 as the Chinese pheasant, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail and Cali- 

 fornia or valley quail. The mountain quail and blue grouse do 

 not adapt themselves to the gradual change of conditions brought 

 about by the settlement of the country. As the natural shelter 

 and breeding places of these birds disappear, they lose out. They 

 are not quite as well prepared to hold their own with house cats 

 and other destructive animals that increase about the farm and 

 prey continually on game. 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 



The above is the title of a quarterly publication which has 

 just been started by the California Fish and Game Commission. 

 This part of the educational work in California is carried on by 

 Dr. Harold C. Bryant, Assistant Curator of Birds in the Museum 

 of Vertebrate Zoology in the University of California. Dr. Bryant 

 is well equipped for his new duties, for not only has he had a 

 long university training, but he has spent several years in research 

 work on the game birds of the state and through extensive travel- 

 ing is well acquainted with conditions throughout California. 



The function of this department in California will be to find 

 ways and means of protecting foreign and domestic game birds 

 within the state and to dispense information relative to game by 

 means of correspondence, public illustrated lectures, and by the 

 issuance of bulletins dealing with the status of fish and game. 

 A study will also be made of the habitats, habits and breeding 



Pag-e two 



