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Sacramento,California.
June 10, 1918.

Chief, Bureau of Biological Survey,
Washington, D. C.

Sir:

The prospect for a large hatching of sprig and mallards in this portion of California is very bright. The hatching season has been most favorable, their being absolutely no less of eggs by flood waters as has occurred many years.

No doubt we will hear the same complaints of damage by ducks to the growing rice and I do not doubt that it will be taken advantage of by a few of the growers, fortunately a very few, and by the "sooners" to open the season much earlier than usual under tha State and Federal Law. Also the war and high cost of living, etc., etc., will be used as an excuse. Many who are not rice growers but live in the towns adjacent to the rice fields are even now agitating and will, no doubt, appeal to Mr. hoover and others as a necessary measure. What little damage is done to growing rice can be eliminated by the rice farmer. Should representations come to the Department of Agriculture regarding the damage done to rice and the necessity of permitting the killing other than at the season set, I would suggest that no change be made without the fullest investigation. It would be extremely dangerous to change the season to an earlier date as nearly all the mallard and sprig in California are or will be within a radius of a very few miles adjacent to the rice fields. The birds are attracted there, as you might know, by the large number of insects, water