DECBEASE OF GAME 9 



H. L. Bryant, an early settler in southern California, has told us 

 of thousands of geese which formerly fed on the open fields of Los 

 Angeles County and describes the snow-like effect produced there by 

 the herds of white geese. Few feed in the same localities at the present 

 time, and comparatively few can be seen flying overhead. 



Mr. Henry Grey, under date of March 17, 1913, states : 



There are no geese to be seen in the vicinity of San Diego now. Although 

 fifteen years ago numbers of Black Brant came into San Diego Bay, the 

 numbers are hardly noticeable at the present time. 



Additional testimony that certain species of ducks have noticeably 

 decreased is to be found in magazines devoted to field sports, where 

 attention is continually being called to the lessening numbers of the 

 more desirable species. For instance, Hinman '(1903, p. 179) speak- 

 ing of marshes in southern California, states that Mallards and 

 ' ' Cans ' ' seem to be getting scarcer every year, and the Redhead is a 

 very rare visitor in that vicinity. P. G. Clark (1905, pp. 110-112) 

 describes the killing of 279 ducks in one morning in a favorable sec- 

 tion of the San Joaquin Valley, 179 of which were Mallards. There 

 are many complaints to the effect that Mallards are now scarce in the 

 same vicinity ; comparatively few of these birds are taken there each 

 year. 



Mr. W. H. Bastian, keeper of the Santa Barbara Gun Club at 

 Guadalupe, Santa Barbara County, wrote in February, 1914, as 

 follows : 



I shot here for the market twenty years ago. Then it was no trouble to 

 kill fifty to seventy -five ducks a day, mostly "Cans," and using no decoys. 

 At present, it is a scratch to kill twenty-five birds per day, and when that 

 does happen, half are usually Buddies. 



The marked decrease in the Band-tailed Pigeon is indicated by 

 the following statements : 



We have had no pigeons near Gilroy for several years. Formerly we had 

 large flights, and the birds were slaughtered by the thousands (W. E. Unglish, 

 March 10, 1913). The Band-tailed Pigeon is so scarce here in Humboldt 

 County that it is hardly worth one's while to try to get a mess for the table. 

 One can see the numbers diminish almost year by year (C. I. Clay, March 

 16, 1913). 



Many other instances of decrease will be found cited under the 

 general accounts of the different game birds, in the chapters follow- 

 ing, notably in the eases of the Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse, the 

 Clapper Rails, and the Wood Duck. 



Present conditions are such that they often lead to exaggerated 

 estimates of the relative numbers of birds existing now and formerly. 

 The ducks and geese which were once distributed throughout the state 



