14S 
THE COXDOR 
Vol. XVI 
within a few miles there is quite a variety 
of “zones”, — nearly all makes and brands 
of zones, in fact, except the extremes of 
Arctic and Tropical, — and let them see in 
person why the Pacific Coast is so attract- 
ive to the ornithologist who knows it, and 
why it is so important to know it well. We 
must make them see with their own eyes — - 
not through the eyes of others — that a few 
hours on a train will take them from one 
zone to another in a way they never dream 
of east of the Mississippi. 
We ought to have a joint meeting here 
in San Francisco with the whole of the C. O. 
C., and then one afterwards with the South- 
ern Division for those who take in that part 
of the state. It is our duty to write to all 
the ornithological friends we have and im- 
press upon them the advisability of their 
attending the convention here in 1915, to 
write noiv. and to keep on writing until we 
get them here. — Joseph Mailliard, Chairman 
of A. 0. U. Committee on Arrangements. 
THE REFEREXDUJr, THE INITl.MTVE, 
AND THE WILD LIFE 
The present outlook in California, as re- 
gards wild life conservation, is sufficiently 
serious to set one to thinking. It will prob- 
ably set most Cooper Club members and 
Condor readers not only to thinking, but to 
resolving. These two effects, in conjunc- 
tion with a third response to which they 
should naturally lead, that of acting, if ex- 
perienced by a sufficient number of people, 
will bring our state safely through the crisis 
with regard to the wild life situation which 
confronts us. 
The state legislature, in its last session, 
passed by a large majority the Flint-Cary 
bill prohibiting the sale of ducks and other 
game. The bill was then duly signed by 
Governor Johnson, and was thus in line to 
become law. 
Only a comparatively short time had 
elapsed before certain interests, centering 
for the most part in the city and county of 
San Francisco, had successfully invoked the 
referendum on this law, which is now held 
up pending the final decision of the people 
in November. 
Emboldened, perhaps, by the ease with 
which the referendum petition was drawn 
up and signatures obtained, a group of San 
Francisco commission merchants and mar- 
ket-men banded themselves together and or- 
ganized the “People’s Game Protective As- 
sociation,” ostensibly dedicated to the noble 
object of saving the wild game for the peo- 
ple. 
Unfortunately the personnel of the execu- 
tive committee of the People’s Protective 
Association does not impress one as calcu- 
lated to recommend it as a sincere and bona 
fide game protective organization. Barclay 
Henley, elected president, was at the time 
of his election attorney for John F. Corriea, 
commission merchant and game dealer. Mr. 
Corriea himself very generously allowed his 
name to be used as vice-president. The 
secretary of the executive committee was 
Mr. F. M. Bailey, who, by a strange coinci- 
dence, was secretary also of Corriea’s game 
corporation. Other members of the execu- 
tive committee were John Campodonico and 
Cecil Raymond, San Francisco game deal- 
ers. 
The next point of interest concerns the 
scheme whereby this group of market-men 
propose to administer the wild game of the 
state. To make a long story short, it now 
appears that by carefully placing the em- 
phasis on other aspects of game legislation, 
and by earnestly insisting on strict regula- 
tion in other respects than those most inti- 
mately concerning themselves, the game 
dealers’ organization has been able to pro- 
pose that all game — deer, trout, quail, ducks, 
doves, grouse, everything — that all game be 
sold on the market, without arousing the 
opposition which is bound to arise, as soon 
as the people realize what is implied in the 
market-men’s new game measure. 
The San Francisco Examiner at once 
espoused the cause of the new organization. 
An initiative petition was drawn up, and at 
last accounts was to be taken to the people 
for signature. The present status of the pe- 
tition is unknown, but there seems to be a 
considerable likelihood that this measure 
will appear upon the ballot in November 
along with the non-sale law. 
A perusal of the stories apropos the activ- 
ities of this organization, which have ap- 
peared in the San Francisco Examiner, indi- 
cates that the campaign in behalf of the 
sale-of-game initiative is being cleverly 
prosecuted. For example, it is proposed to 
cut down the bag-limit, to prohibit the bait- 
ing of ponds, to lay a heavy tax on gun 
clubs, as well as to permit everybody to buy 
game on the market. As a matter of jus- 
tice, runs the argument in favor of the sale 
of game, the poor man who is unable to go 
shooting should have the privilege of buy- 
ing on the market the game that he desires. 
Game is said to be chiefly valnable for its 
food content, and it is submitted that to 
freely permit the sale of game on the mar- 
ket will reduce the cost of living! 
There is something to be said on the other 
side of this question. Prominent San Fran- 
cisco butchers and market-men have as- 
serted that could venison be sold on the 
market at the present time it would bring 
from $1.00 to $1.50 per pound. Quail were 
sold in San Francisco last year at $1.00 to 
$1.20 a pair, as was discovered by repre- 
sentatives of the Fish and Game Commis- 
sion, who apprehended the violators and 
brought them to justice. A large proportion 
of all the ducks which enter the metropolis, 
and most of the ducks which are marketed 
are sold in the big cities, were purveyed 
by the highest class hotels and restaurants, 
canvasbacks and mallards being sold for 
from $4.00 to $5.00 per pair. 
Under conditions like these there will 
have to be considerable evidence submitted. 
