Nov., 1913 
REPORT UPON DISEASE AMONG DUCKS 
215 
During the following year, that is, 1910, the same disease, apparently, broke 
out not only on the above mentioned waters but also on Buena Vista, Goose and 
Tulare lakes. Thousands of birds died. IMembers of the State Fish and Game 
Commission made several expeditions into the regions thus affected, but were 
unable to ascertain the cause of the malady. The year following this, the disease 
again appeared, and an attempt to determine the cause of the mystery was made 
but not completed. The year 1912 was not an off year for the disease, nor has 
the present season been an exception. On the other hand, the present season 
has been almost a record year for a high death list. 
Whatever has been the causative factor of the malady, it does not seem 
to have been one which rendered the birds affected by the disease dangerous for 
human consumption, because many thousands of sick birds have doubtless been 
distributed through the markets of San Francisco, Los Angeles and other places. 
The writer has been told by reliable parties that, ever since the disease was first 
known, market-hunters ( some of whom are not noted for rhe highest principles of 
integrity and morals) have reaped a two-fold harvest in their business by selling- 
sick birds. These were easily obtained and being fat, sold well. It is said that 
Eig. 66 . Brm OF Tubare Lake, on south side: many miees of this 
SORT OF GROUND WERE COVERED BEFORE ANY OPEN WATER WAS 
reached; PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN SEPTEMBER .3U, 191,1. 
the market hunter would pick up a string of sick ducks, hang them out, get off 
several yards and fire shot into the birds to kill them, and thus allay any suspi- 
cion as to the nature of their condition and capture. Certainly the market hunter 
of wild game should have no more right to sell diseased birds than the stock- 
man has to sell diseased beef or mutton. 
Great interest has naturally been aroused regarding this condition, as thou- 
sands upon thousands of our finest game birds, representing a large sum in dol- 
lars and cents to the people of the state, have perished from the unknown cause. 
No systematic investigation was made on this subject until the present sea- 
son when the State Fish and Game Commission, working in co-operation with 
the University of California, detailed a research assistant from this latter insti- 
tution to make as thorough an investigation of this destructive disease as means 
at his disposal should permit. The present article is only a preliminary report, 
which is intended to answer some of the many questions which have been put 
to the Fish and Game Commission regarding the subject. 
The investigation was begun on September 19, 1913- The first work con- 
sisted of a general survey of the situation, and the collection of a large number 
