36 BULLETIN" 465, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The spatterdocks, known also as pond, cow, toad, frog, dog, horse, 

 or beaver lilies, beaver-root, and bonnets, are held to comprise 17 spe- 

 cies distributed throughout North America, the best known of which 

 is Nymphcea or Nuphar advena. These grow in shallow water of 

 ponds or slow streams. Only the seeds have distinct value as wild- 

 duck food. They have been found in stomachs of the mallard, black 

 duck, pintail, green-winged teal, lesser scaup, and wood duck. No 

 fewer than 160 seeds were in one stomach of the last-named species. 



The true waterlilies of the United States belong to seven species. 

 Among their vernacular names are pondlily, water cabbage, and 

 alligator blankets. Seeds of these waterlilies are known to be 

 eaten by the following 13 species of ducks : Wood duck, black duck, 

 Florida duck, pintail, green-winged teal, lesser and greater scaups, 

 redhead, ring-neck, canvas-back, widgeon, shoveller, and golden-eye. 

 Large numbers of seeds found in single birds are 320 in a ring- 

 neck duck, and 200 each in a lesser scaup and a ruddy duck. 



PROPAGATION. 



All the species of the waterlily group may be propagated either 

 by seeds or rootstocks, and parts for propagating many of them 

 are on the market. All grow in rather shallow, quiet, or slow- 

 moving water, and prefer mucky bottom. The water chinkapin 

 and the spatterdocks sometimes grow in water only a few inches 

 deep, where the leaves and flower stalks stand erect. The true 

 waterlilies, on the other hand, may grow in water six feet deep. 

 The tuberous waterlily is especially valuable, because it will survive 

 temporary drying up of the water body in which it grows. Probably 

 the most valuable species of this group, however, is the banana 

 waterlily, which is here treated in detail. 



BANANA WATERLILY. 



VALUE AS DUCK FOOD. 



The writer has investigated the value of the banana waterlily 

 {Castalia mexicaTia) as a food for wild ducks in only one locality — 

 Lake Surprise, Tex. The proofs of its importance are so great, how- 

 ever, that they should be brought to the attention of American 

 sportsmen. At Lake Surprise the banana waterlily alone made up 

 nearly half of the entire food of the 10 vegetarian species of ducks 

 occuring there at the time. This showing is much more significant 

 from the fact that sago pondweed {Potamogeton pectinatus) also was 

 abundant in the lake. The latter plant (see p. 17), in the writer's 

 opinion, is the best all-round duck food in North America, yet at 

 Lake Surprise it furnished somewhat less than 29 per cent of the 

 food of the ducks, in comparison with more than 48 per cent supplied 

 by Castalia mexicana. 



