CALIFORNIA FISH \\l> (.AMI 



The writer is convinced that he located more than 90 per cent of 

 the nests in the study area, and it is possible that he actually located 

 close to 100 per cent of them. 



As each nest was discovered, its location was spotted on a map and 

 complete data concerning it were recorded in field notebooks to be 

 transferred later to a nesting record form (Fig. 3). Each nest, with 

 a few exceptions to be noted later, was revisited at intervals of not 

 more than six days until its fate was determined. 



Fig. 3. Sample nesting record form. 



Nests in the study area were easily found. Often several incubating 

 birds were visible from one point of vantage. The geese nest in early 

 spring when the grass in the fiat, open meadows is so short that the 

 nest mounds can often be seen from a distance of 100 yards or more. 

 Also, a nest can nearly always be located by observing the solicitous 

 males. The gander usually stands in the vicinity of the nest while the 

 female is incubating and protests loudly at the observer's approach. 



Nesting Dates 



The nesting season was already well under way when the study 

 began on March 16, 1939. Ne.sts with eggs were most numerous by the 

 middle of April (Fig. 4). By May 10th. all breeding activities had 



