966 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 708

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 when away from home in the dis-
charge 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 and Inland Fish Commission shall be and remain under
the Merit System and no employee shall have his or her status
under the Merit System altered or changed.

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.

POWERS

5. 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 enlarge,
extend, 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 animal, or
fish from inland waters, and may, upon its own initiative or
upon written petition of fifty residents of any county, at least
25 of whom shall hold valid Hunter's License or Angler's
License and at least 25 of whom shall be bona fide farmers
who actually reside on a farm, propose regulations for such
purpose. The full text of any regulations proposed shall
be published ten days before the same may be acted upon
and shall name the time and place that the matters men-
tioned therein will be taken up, at which time any inter-
ested citizen shall be heard. Such publications shall be
made in a newspaper published in this State. If the Com-
mission is satisfied that the proposed regulation, or any part
thereof is advisable, such regulation,, or any part thereof,