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 234 THE CONDOR Vol. XVI The above instances well show the awful slaughter which accompanies the operatidns 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 1Kallard was one of the less common nesting ducks at Los Barios, it was the commonest nesting duck in the Klamath region. The Gadwall and Fulvous Tree-duck were found nesting at Los Barios only. The Redhead was found most abundant at Tule and rhite Lakes. Pintails and Cinnamon Teal were found to nest more com- monly in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys than in the Klamath re- gidn. 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. rith 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 Los Ba5os, Merced Co., Calif .................. 10 I 19 6 2 4 .. 24 2 30 20 Gridley, Butte Co., Ca]if ................... 11 2 .... 2 2 .......... 6 4 Link River, Klamath Co., Ore ............. 40 4 30 .. 25 .. :. 6 .. 10 6 15 1 Tule Lake, Ore. and Calif ................. 13 .. 17 .. 16 2 .. 2 .. 14 12 .. 2 White Lake, Ore. and Calif ............... 21 .. 28 .. 2 ........ $ 14 .. 2 Lower Klamath Lake near Brownell, Siskiyou Co., CaHf ..................... 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 Pintait Cinnamon Redhead Canada Coot Teal Goose Los Barios, Merced Co., Calif ......... 2 3 5 .... 5 Oridley, Butte Co., Calif ............. 2 .. Klamath Lake region, Ore. and Calif. 5 .. ' 'i '. '' 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 rule thickets at margins of lakes, Redhead, Mallard, Ruddy, Shoveller ponds or sloughs