THE RED-HEAD 



183 



thrown away. Here, as elsewhere, they come in 

 greatly diminished numbers each year, and unless the 

 spring shooting, the shooting of the large guns, and 

 the use of batteries is stopped as well as forbiddeh, it 

 will not be long before the red-head is a rare bird, or 

 will only be seen in the museum of natural history. 

 The Canadian Club own a vast preserve on the east side 

 of the flats, and since the shooting there begins later, 

 and is conducted under proper regulations, the birds, 

 fortunately, have there a harbor of refuge which will 

 do much toward their preservation. The clubs near 

 Toledo and Sandusky also are a benefit to the ducks, 

 but at some of these the shooting has been excessive. 

 The following, which I copied from the club register 

 at Winous Point, near Port Clinton, Ohio, shows that 

 the red-heads are by no means as abundant as in for- 

 mer years : 



Red-Heads 



1881 1415 



1882 1987 



1883 1699 



1884 ... 927 



1885 1058 



1886 366 



1887 21 



1888 56 



1889 16 



1890 63 



Red-Heads 



1891 31 



1892 510 



1893 216 



1894 40 



189s 5 



1896 207 



1897 68 



1898 4 



1899 19 



1900 I 



Excessive shooting at this club I am sure was not 

 the only reason for the diminution of the game. But 

 few guns visit the club each season, and although there 



