Page:Condor15(6).djvu/32

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220 TIIE CONDOR Vol. XV Date of count L?v?s I II 1II IV Teal 52 79 377 134 Pintail 25 55 166 325 Spoonbill 32 25 201 282 Sandpipers 2 7 27 10 Stilts 3 15 3 Coots 2 9 6 Avocet ... ' ' ? 7 Cormorant ...... 6 2 Grills 2 1 1 2 Pelican ...... 3 ... Unclassified ......... ' Totals 118 186 800 TABLE ENUMERATING DEAD BIRDS FOUND ON LEVEES I TO v INCLUSIVE, AS SHOWN IN ACCOMPANVING DIAGRAM (FIG. 72). NUMBER OF DEAD ARE SEEN TO HAVE ?EEN STEADILY INCREASING DURING THE TIME O? THE INVESTIGATXON Sept. 30 Oct. 1 Oct. 2 Oct. 3 Oct. 5 V Totals .. 642 .. 571 .. 21 .. 17 .. 11 3 .?i? 214 514 Grand total ....................................................................... 2079 Average number of ducks per mile ou first four levees, 467; average of all kinds of birds, 497. IX'umbers within levees not cottated. D;v?;s: No. I Three-fourths mile long ............. ? ................ O to 25 feet ;vide No. II One mile loug ....................................... 30 to 40 .... No. II1 ...... . ...................................... 10 to 30 .... No. IV ...... . ...................................... 10 to 25 .... No. V Half mile long ....................................... 20 to 30 .... (Width of levees measured from edge of ;vater on one side to edge of water on the other side.) Fig. 71. SICK AND DEAD DUCKS ON LEVEE AT TULARE LAKE, SEPTEMBER 21, 1913; THE SICK BIRDS ARE UNABLE TO FLY OR WALK; THEY REMAIN IN THIS PARALYTIC STATE VOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE DEAT? made included just those birds which remained on the levees after our approach. No birds were counted which were able to scramble into the water and swim off: only those which were dead or too sick to travel were enumerated. Two men generally conducted the count,---one to call off the names of the birds, the other to tabulate them. Of course it was impossible to estimate the number of dead birds on the lake from the numbers on the levees alone, because, in the first place, more birds died on the levees than elsewhere, the sick and well both making an effort to attain these resting places during the day; and, secondly, the strong north winds blew the carcasses of those dying on the water southward against the levees. In near- ly every case there were more dead birds on the north and west sides of the levees