101600 
Newfoundland 
cnc June and part of July 193, biologists of ‘the Fish end Wildlife Serv— 
ice, in’cooperation with officials of the Department of Natural Resources, of 
Newfoundland, conducted a survey of the avifauna of that island, during which the 
status of the waterfowl was especially noted. Although general conditions con- 
tinued favorable, it appeared that the number of ducks and geese annually ‘contri- 
buted by that region to the population of the Atlantic Flywey is much less than 
was formerly thought probable. 
United States 
Habitat on the breeding grounds on National Wildlife refuges was generally 
excellent, there being ample water end food supplies. With similar conditions on 
large areas of non-refuge lands throughout the Great Plains region, wide dispersal 
of the waterfowl was inevitable. Outbreaks of botulism occurred at several lo- 
calities in the West, notably on the Bear River marshes in Utah and at Klamath 
Lake, Oregon. Losses among the waterfowl, however, were not high, and large num 
bers of birds gathered by salvage crews were treated, cured, and liberated. This 
disease continues to be one of the major problems on some of the important breed- 
ing grounds in both the United States and Canada. 
The United States game management agent at Reno made a speciel investigation 
of conditions in western Nevada, visiting Washoe Lake, Little Washoe, the Still- 
water marshes, and Carson, Smith, and Mason valleys. Water conditions were excel- 
lent, in most cases with higher levels than at any time during the past 15 years. 
Vegetation of both food and cover types, also was abundant. ‘The game management 
agent said that he had personally known the Stillwater Marsh for 20 years and had 
never seen it in better condition. At that place he found a notable concentration 
of redheads, which he estimated comprised 40 percent of the entire breeding popu— 
lation of waterfowl on the area. Reproduction from these and other areas in the 
State was considered satisfactory. 
Foll Migration 
In many important wildfowling areas sportsmen had a disappointing season. 
ims was Gwe! to an exceptionally Late uealls sO thay milmtons Or cues isinaali: 
lingered on open water in Cenada at the time the season was closed in some parts 
of the United States. The freeze-up then came suddenly, and the birds flew south 
rapidly, so quickly in fact that in some areas no large flocks were seen at any 
time during the season. As a result, the revorts received from nearly 300 ob 
servers were unusually difficult to appraise, This was particularly true for 
those from the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, gross analysis of which, without 
taking other evidence into consideration, indicated an important decrease of most 
species. However, as the breeding-ground surveys had shown that the contrary was 
to be expected, it was felt that little reliance could be placed on the migration 
reports. In fact, many observers later sent supplementary reports that reversed 
those originally supplied. 
