16 GAME BIBDS OF CALIFORNIA 



Killdeer and sandpipers. Ducks appeared to have been trapped most 

 frequently. The moment a bird's feet touch the sticky oil its doom 

 is sealed ; for each of its successive efforts to free itself with its wings 

 involves these members more completely in the oil. Even if a bird 

 were able to reach shore the adhering oil would prevent flight, and on 

 penetrating into its body would soon cause death. Rescued birds, even 

 when well eared for, die quickly. 



The old practice of dumping waste oil into bays and estuaries 

 resulted in the death of many waterfowl. Many birds dead, or dying 

 and unable to fly because of the oil they have collected on their 

 plumage while swimming, have been noted along beaches by different 

 observers. To obviate the danger to fish arising from the dumping of 

 refuse oil into state waters, a law was passed prohibiting this practice. 

 As a result, there will be a saving of fish and also a saving of water- 

 fowl. There still remains a considerable danger to the sea-ducks on 

 the open ocean, where "tankers" (oil ships) are accustomed to flush 

 out their tanks into the water. Many dead and dying birds, believed 

 to be victims of this practice, are at times cast up along the sea-facing 

 beaches of San Mateo, Marin, and Los Angeles counties. 



There are many reports to the effect that nests of upland game 

 birds are broken up by the trampling of cattle or sheep. The scarcity 

 of grouse and sage-hen in certain closely "sheeped" localities has been 

 attributed to this cause. There are also here, of course, the factors of 

 reduced food-supply and cover. 



On the overflowed pasture lands in the vicinity of Los Banos, 

 Merced County, the herds of cattle do some destruction to nests of 

 ducks and shore birds by trampling (H. C. Bryant, 1914e, p. 237). 

 In this particular locality, also, the raising and lowering of the water 

 accompanying the process of irrigation, alternately inundates nests 

 and exposes them to discovery by predatory enemies such as raccoons 

 and skunks. 



Where ducks, quail and pheasants (see p. 33) resort for nesting 

 purposes to grain and alfalfa fields there is plentiful testimony to 

 prove that many nests are broken up when mowing-time coincides 

 with the breeding season of these birds. In some instances the incubat- 

 ing bird has been actually cut to pieces by the knives of the mower. 



During the extensive campaigns against the spread of plague by 

 rodents, statements (no doubt considerably exaggerated) have been 

 given publicity, to the effect that many game birds have fallen victims 

 to the poison used. Mourning Doves and Band-tailed Pigeons in smaU 

 numbers have been found dead on poisoned ground. As regards quail, 

 tests made by the United States Public Health Service show that this 

 bird, at least, is not easily susceptible to the action of strychnine. 

 Pierce and Clfegg (1916, p. 13) state that poisoned barley as used for 



