were either dry or nearly so. The effect upon nesting use of the area 
was most detrimental and a decided decrease in breeding birds was noted. 
"Crescent Lake Refuge, Nebraska, received approximately 1/3 the amount 
of rainfall normal to that region, and the lakes on the area were lower 
than they had been for several years. A decrease in both nesting and 
migrating birds was noted. 
"The extensive planting program on the Seney Refuge, in Michigan, is 
now bearing fruit, and with the sufficient rainfall of the present season, 
desirable vegetation reached a stage of considerable abundance. The 
luxuriant plant life attracted a larger number of birds to the area than 
in any previous year within the knowledge of the refuge personnel. 
"Precipitation was above normal on the Tamarac Lake Refuge, in 
Minnesota, and consequently both upland and aquatic vegetation were the 
heaviest yet noted by the refuge manager; an estimated 1,250 pairs of cucks 
nested in 1940--a slight increase over the number estimated as nesting in 
1939. 
"The planting program of the Service on the Mud Lake Refuge, in 
Minnesota, has been most successful and an abundance of food and cover 
awaited the spring migrants. Increases in nesting by all species except 
the mallard were noted. This species showed a reduction of approximately 
25% in nesting use of the refuge. 
"Water conditions on the Camas Refuge, in Idaho, were comparable to 
those of 1939, with little precipitation in the area. Due to restricted 
grazing and to water impoundment, moisture conditions were satisfactory and 
nesting cover and food plants were available to the nesting birds earlier 
in the season than in previous years. Nesting by waterfowl was not ob-— 
served to have increased over that of 1939, however, and mallards, pintails, 
and canvasbacks showed a decrease with gadwalls, baldpates, shovelers and 
ruddy ducks increasing their nesting use of the area. Canada geese bred 
on the refuge for the first time, 
"The planting program on the Minidoka Refuge, Idaho, in 1938 and 1939, 
involving the introduction of marginal plants, has resulted in greatly im- 
proved cover. Nesting activities were scattered over a wider area and 
greater utilization of the refuge was noted due to improved vegetative 
conditions. There was an increase in waterfowl using the area for nesting 
and migration with the exception of the ruddy, bufflehead, canvasback, and 
redhead. 
"On numerous small easement refuges scattered through the breeding 
grounds of the Great Plains area in the States of North Dakota, South 
Dakota, and Montana water conditions were favorable and food and cover 
improved." 
14 
