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; Juncus, Mr. Frederick V. Coville; 
and Composite, 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 cluck 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- 
zanicb) , 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 
heterophyllus). 
Bushy pondweed (Najas flexilis). 
Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia). 
Wild millet (Echinochloa crus-galli). 
Big bulrush (Scirpus occidentalis) . 
River bulrush (Scirptis fluviatilis) . 
Tule (Scirpus validus). 
Big duckweed (Spirodela polyrMza). 
Small duckweed (Lemna minor). 
Star duckweed (Lemna trisulca). 
Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersumi) . 
37 
