28 CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



Studies of eelgrass areas in California during the pasl winter and 

 spring indicate that the depleted condition first apparent in 1940, and 

 last year reported as becoming serious to brant in some of the bays, had 

 undergone general improvement by the spring of 1942. Most Cali- 

 fornia localities reported greater abundance of the plant than in the 

 previous year and more normal behavior of the brant, a probable, result 

 of this increase in their favorite food. In some localities, notably 

 Bodega Bay, eelgrass conditions were still poor. Presence of the 

 disease was observed in the eelgrass of Morro Bay and further sub- 

 stantiated by examination of samples from the area, yet almost record 

 numbers of brant were recorded from the locality, where their behavior 

 was observed to be quite normal. In spite of Labyrinthula being found 

 in a sample of eelgrass collected in Mission Bay in March, 1942, the 

 most luxuriant local growths of this plant in several years were 

 observed, together with a record number of brant. 



The above results make it difficult, with the information at hand, 

 to reconcile brant abundance with eelgrass depletion, also to predict 

 the course of the present infection of our eelgrass by Labyrinthula. 

 It is certain that the disease is present in many of our bays and also in 

 several bays in Oregon, but the effect of the organism upon Pacific 

 Coast eelgrass appears to be mild indeed when compared to the dis- 

 astrous results wrought upon stands of the plant on the Atlantic Coast 

 ten years ago. 



It is hoped that even during the present war period local observers, 

 bearing in mind the possible critical effects of further eelgrass deple- 

 tion upon the brant, may have opportunity to make occasional observa- 

 tions on both plants and birds. 



Literature Cited 



Moffitt, James 



1940. Tenth annual black brant census in California. California Fish and 

 Game, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 381-389. 



1941. Eleventh annual black brant census in California. California Fish and 

 Game, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 216-233. 



Moffitt, James, and Cottam, Clarence 



1941. Eelgrass depletion on the Pacific Coast and its effect upon black brant. 

 Wildlife leaflet 204, Fish and Wildlife Service, U. S. Dept. of Interior, 

 26 pp. 



Renn, Charles E. 



1942. Demonstration of Labyrinthula parasite in eel-grass from the coast of 

 California. Science, vol. 95, no. 2457, p. 122. 



