Part II.— WILD-DUCK FOODS OF THE SANDHILL REGION 



OF NEBRASKA. 



By W. L. McAtee, Assistant Biologist. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The sandhill region of Nebraska is one of a myriad of ponds and 

 lakes. Not only are bodies of water very plentiful and comparatively 

 little visited by man, but also they are well supplied with the vege- 

 tation which furnishes the cover so necessary to breeding wild ducks 

 as well as a large proportion of their food. It is not surprising, 

 therefore, that this region is a paradise for wild fowl. 



The wild-duck foods and other vegetation growing in and about 

 44 lakes of the sandhill region are the subject of the present re- 

 port, which is based on notes and specimens collected during the 

 period from July to October, 1915, by Mr. Ray Thomson, then a 

 graduate student of the University of Nebraska. The specimens were 

 identified by the writer, with the following assistance in difficult 

 groups: Grasses, Prof. A. S. Hitchcock and Mrs. Agnes Chase; 

 Carex, Mr. G. P. Van Eseltine; Junous, Mr. Frederick V. Coville; 

 and Compositse, Mr. Paul C. Standley. Two species of aquatic 

 mosses were kindly identified by Miss Mary Miller, and a willow by 

 Mr. C. R. Ball. 



Most of the lakes visited by Mr. Thomson are well supplied with 

 plants valuable as food for wild ducks, and this is especially true of 

 Dewey, Hackberry, Beaver, White Willow, Marsh, and Cody Lakes, 

 and Ballard Swamp, Cherry County; and Gimlet Lake, Garden 

 County. It is worthy of note that sago pondweed {Potamogeton 

 peotinatus), probably the best all-around duck food, was found in 

 every lake visited except Trout Lake, Cherry County, and there is 

 little doubt that the plant grows in that lake also. Wild rice {Zi- 

 sania), an excellent wild-duck food, was found in four of the Brown 

 County lakes, in eight of those of eastern Cherry County, and in the 

 Cody Lakes, but was not found in any of the lakes at the head of 

 the Loup River nor in those of Garden County. 



The most important wild-duck foods in addition to sago pondweed 

 and wild rice that occur generally in the sandhill region are : 



Musk grass (Chara spp.). 



Small pondweed (Potamogeton pusil- 



lus). 

 Variable pondweed (Potamogeton 



heterophylltis) . 

 Bushy pondweed (Najas flexilis). 

 Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia). 

 Wild millet (Echinochloa crus-galli). 



Big bulrush (Scirpus occidentalis) .■ 

 Biver bulrush (Scirpus flvriatilis) . 

 Tule (Scirpus validus). 

 Big duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza). 

 Small duckweed (Lemna minor). 

 Star duckweed (Lemna trisulca). 

 Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersvm) . 



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