NEBRASKA WILD-DUCK FOODS. 



63 



PELICAN LAKE, CHERRY COUNTY. 



September 1, 1915. 



Description. — Very little marsh ; small swamp region at west end. Depth 

 7 to 8 feet (average greatest) ; bottom mostly mucky. No outlet or inlet. 



DiSTEIBTJTION OF VEGETATION. 



The neck of water connecting Rat and Beaver Lakes has a sparse stand of 

 wild rice {Zizania palustris), and the following are abundant: Wapato {Sagit- 

 taria latifoUa) and water smartweed {Polygonum ampMMum) . The submerged 

 vegetation is about the same as for Rat Lake. 



SHOEE PLANTS. 



A mixture of grasses, etc., as listed for neighboring lakes.^ 



MARSH PLANTS. 



1. Marsh fern (Drpopteris thelypteris). 



Common. 



2. Cat-tail (Typha latifolia). Common. 



3. Bur reed (Sparyanium eurycarpum). 



Common. 



4. Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia). Abun- 



dant. 



5. Reed (Phragmites communis). Abun- 



dant. 



6. Big bulrush (Scirpus occidentalis) . 



Abundant. 



7. Spike rush (Eleocharis aoicularis). 



Common. 



8. Richweed (Pilea pumila) . 



9. Marsh mint {Stachys palustris) . 



10. Mint (Mentha canadensis). 



11. Stlcktight (Bide7is triohosperma) . Com- 



mon. 



SEMISUBMERGED PLANTS. 



Dominant: 



12. Big bulrush (Scirpus occidentalis). 

 Secondary species: 



13. Cat-tail (Typha laiiJoUa). Common. 



14. Wapato (Sagittaria latifoUa). Common. 



15. Wild rice (Zizania palustris). Com- 



mon. 



16. Reed (Phragmites communis). Com- 



mon. 



17. Spilce rush (Eleocharis acuminata). A 



few acres of rice along northeast 

 shore in shallow water. 



SUBMERGED PLANTS. 



Dominants: 



18. Variable pondweed (Potamogeton heter- 



ophyllus) .* Immature fruit. 



19. Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum). 

 Secondary species: 



20. Sago pondweed (Potamogeton pectina- 



tU8). 



21. Floating pondweed (Potamogeton na- 



tans). 



22. Small pondweed (Potamogeton pusil- 



lus). Abundant. 



23. Bushy pondweed (Najas flexilis) . Abun- 



dant. 



24. Water smartweed (Polygonum amphi- 



iium). 



FLOATING PLANTS. 



25. Big duckweec" (Spirodela polyrhiza). 



Common. 



26. Small duckweed (Lemna minor). Com- 



mon. 



27. Star duckweed (Lemna trisulca). Com- 

 mon. 



Wild-duck foods. — Plants in the above list which have considerable value as 

 food for wild ducks are: Nos. 4 (14), 6 (12), 15, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, and 

 27; those of less importance are: Nos. 3, 7, 11, 17, 21, and 24; the remainder 

 are of no known value. 



1 The following two species have been recorded from Pelican Lake : Wood chess (Bromus 

 ciliatus). Smith, J. G., Rept. Nebraska State Bd. Agr., 1892, p. 286, (1893) ; and a sedge 

 (Carex douglasU), Smith, J. G., and Pound, Roscoe, Botanical Survey of Nebraska II, 

 p. 26, 1893. The last-named plant may have some slight value as duck food. 



