REPORT OP BOARD OF FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONERS. 57 
In the past three years much attention has been given to the trans¬ 
ferring of valley quail from one part of the State to another. The 
birds are trapped in sections where they are abundant and shipped to 
others where through excessive shooting and deterioration, caused by 
inbreeding, the coveys have become greatly reduced. We are pleased 
to report that excellent results have followed in bringing together the 
unrelated stock, which is shown by larger coveys and stronger birds. 
In 1908 more than 2,000 quail were trapped and transferred; in 1909 
our trappers delivered to the Game Farm 256 dozen, or more than 
3,000 birds. 
In the southern part of the State, under the direction of our Los 
Angeles office, some 1,500 quail were trapped in Lower California, 
transferred successfully to Los Angeles, where they were retained in a 
public park until the end of the open season, when they were liberated 
in suitable localities. Earnest efforts have been made and considerable 
time spent to obtain new blood from Mexico, but owing to unusual con¬ 
ditions but few birds have been procured from that country up to the 
present. 
WILD TURKEYS (MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO). 
In response to requests and suggestions from a number of sportsmen 
in our State we had for several years made efforts to secure from Vir¬ 
ginia, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, states in which wild turkeys are 
yet found, a sufficient number to give them a trial in California, believ¬ 
ing they would establish themselves if given reasonable protection. We 
found the laws of New Mexico and Arizona so strictly drawn that no 
variety of game birds or animals could be shipped outside their bound¬ 
aries for any purpose whatsoever. We appealed to the attorney gen- 
' erals of each state, and while we were assured of their personal inclina¬ 
tion to help us out, they were bound by the law to rule against our 
request. We then decided to go outside of the United States and 
accordingly, in March, 1908, W. E. Van Slyke of San Bernardino, who 
had spent several years in Mexico, during which time he had hunted 
and killed wild turkeys, was detailed by this Commission to proceed to 
the State of Sinaloa, Mexico, for the purpose of procuring and shipping 
to our State as many of these great game birds as could be obtained in 
four months. He delivered 22 turkeys and 11 “ chachalacas ” at San 
Bernardino on June 15, 1908. They were liberated in two places in the 
San Bernardino range of mountains at an elevation of about 4,000 feet, 
under the direction of Senator II. M. Willis (author of the hunting 
license law). Encouraging reports having been received from these 
plants, a shipment of 30 young wild turkeys, raised at the Game Farm, 
was made to the same section in August of the present year. 
The services of Mr. Van Slyke were reengaged in October, 1908, to 
