778 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 354

its members as chairman, and one of its members as vice-
chairman. Such officers shall hold office for a period of one
year. Three members of the Commission shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business.

3A. The Game and Inland Fish Commission of Maryland
shall appoint, in accordance with the provisions of Article
64A of the Annotated Code of Maryland, a Game Warden for
the State, who shall receive such salary as shall be provided
in the budget, and he shall be entitled to traveling expenses,
and all other expenses incurred in the discharge of his duties;
provided, however, that the present State Game Warden shall
be the first Game Warden of this State under the provisions of
this section, and provided further, that the present Game
Warden, all officers and employees of the Game Division of the
Conservation Department of Maryland, and all employees of
the Conservation Commission employed in the game or fresh
water fisheries, shall be and remain under the Merit System
and no employee shall have his or her status under the Merit
System altered by reason of his or her transfer to the Com-
mission of Game and Inland Fish.

No member of the Commission, nor any one who has served
as a member thereof within one year prior to the occurrence
of a vacancy, shall be eligible for selection as Game Warden.
The Game Warden shall have charge of, direct, supervise and
control all deputy game wardens and employees of the Com-
mission.

The Game Warden shall have authority to have printed the
Annual Report of the Commission, and such bulletins, litera-
ture, posters, licenses and other printing as may be necessary
to the work of the Commission, including the publication now
known as the "Maryland Conservationist. "

It shall be the duty of the Commissioners, the Game Warden
and Deputy Game Wardens to prosecute all persons and cor-
porations having in their possession any game or inland fish
contrary to the laws of this State. It shall be their duty to
see that the game and fish laws are enforced, and they are
particularly directed to enforce the muskrat laws.

4. Having a due regard for the distribution, abundance,
economic value and breeding habits of wild birds, wild animals,
and fish in inland waters, the Commission is hereby vested with
the necessary power and authority to determine when, to
what extent, if at all, and by what means it is desirable
to restrict or prohibit in any degree the provisions of law
obtaining in any county in this State for the hunting, taking,
capture, killing, possession, sale, purchase, shipment, trans-
portation, carriage or export of any wild bird, wild animals,