234 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVI 
The above instances well show the awful slaughter which accompanies 
the operations of the market hunter. In addition, market hunters as a class 
are the most persistent violators of the game laws. This factor in the decrease 
of ducks can be eliminated by the passage and enforcement of radical non- 
sale laws. 
LOCAL DISTRIBUTION OF DUCKS IN CALIFORNIA 
The investigation showed a distinct variation in the numbers of the differ- 
ent species of ducks from north to south. Whereas the Mallard was one of 
the less common nesting ducks at Los Banos, it was the commonest nesting 
duck in the Klamath region. The Gladwall and Fulvous Tree-duck were found 
nesting at Los Banos only. The Redhead was found most abundant at Tule 
and White Lakes. Pintails and Cinnamon Teal were found to nest more com- 
monly in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys than in the Klamath re- 
gion. A difference in the numbers of the various shore-birds was also noted. 
The following table of censuses taken at the several localities visited will give 
some idea of the relative abundance of the species of ducks, geese and shore- 
birds met with. With the ducks, actual counts were made. The numbers of 
shorebirds are estimates based on memory. The censuses are taken from my 
notebook, and the circumstance that no birds of a species were recorded as 
seen does not mean that they did not exist in the region, but simply that they 
were not seen on the days the counts were made. 
COMPARATIVE NUMBERS OF DUCKS, GEESE AND SHOREBIRDS 
AS SHOWN BY TYPICAL CENSUSES 
Locality 
Los Banos, Merced Co., Calif 
Gridley, Butte Co., Calif 
Link River, Klamath Co., Ore 
Tule Lake, Ore. and Calif 
White Lake, Ore. and Calif 
Lower Klamath Lake near Brownell, 
Siskiyou Co., Calif 
.... 10 1 19 624 .. 24 2 30 20 
11 2.... 2 2 6 4 
40 4 30 . . 2,5 .... 6 . . 10 6 15 1 
13 . . 17 . . 16 2 . . 2 . . 14 12 . . 2 
21 . . 28 . . 2 8 14 . . 2 
40 . . 2 . 4 .... 2 1 6 2 . . 2 
Some idea of the distribution of nesting ducks as well as their success can 
be obtained from the following table which lists the number of broods of young 
of the different species seen at the chief breeding centers. 
Mallard Pintail Cinnamon Redhead Canada Coot 
Teal Goose 
Los Banos, Merced Co., Calif 2 3 5 .. .. 5 
Gridley, Butte Co., Calif 2 
Klamath Lake region. Ore. and Calif. 5 .. 2 1 4 2 
In each locality marked preferences were shown among the different spe- 
cies for different types of nesting site. The plant associations represented and 
the species of ducks nesting in each may be listed as follows : 
Grassy or sedge-covered margins of ponds Gadwall, Cinnamon Teal, Fulvous 
or islands Tree-duck 
Rush or tule thickets at margins of lakes. Redhead, Mallard, Ruddy, Shoveller 
ponds or sloughs 
