the mouth of the Colville. The 1948 reconnaissance extended farther rc~thwest 
to Barrow and also somewhat farther cast. 
Kotzebue Sound and Innoko-lower Yukon samples were flown in a grid pattern 
between known landmarks. Distances were then computed from the map. The Noatak, 
Kobuk, Selawik, and Buckland rivers were covered as well as Cape Espenberg and 
Good Hops Bay in the vicinity of Kotzsbus Sound. 
In the Yuk.on-Kuskokwim delta, in the absence of identifiable landmarks, 
U-shaped ranuom transects were flown consisting of one leg of seven and one-half 
minutes either upwind or downwind, a one minute leg crosswind and a seven and 
one-half minutes leg, the reverse of the first. At a true airspeed of 104 miles 
per hour, these 16 minute transects had a computed length of 28 miles, or an 
area of 7 square miles. In addition, where landmarks could be correlated with 
the map, a series of point to point transects was flown. Results of the two 
types of transects were comparable. 
Sample areas covered were as follows: Arctic 285 square miles; Innoko- 
lower Yukon 145 square miles; Kotzebue Sound 174 square miles and Yukon-Kuskokwin 
delta 484 square miles. This was first-year covsrage for all arsas except the 
Arctic wheres it was the second year. The arsas for which the samples are repre- 
sentative are shown on thse map, Figure l. 
Data Collected and Its Significance 
A. May-June Period 
1. Population statistics: 
The Arctic coast transects showed a population density of 
2.5 waterfowl per squares mile as compared with 3.9 in 1948. 
Ground observations at a latsr date showed about 4 ducks per 
square mile along a strip within 10 miles of the Colville 
River. 
Species composition was as follows: 
Game ducks (Pintail, mallard, bluebill) 10% 
Non-game ducks (Old-squaw and eider) 53%, 
Geese (White-front, brant, lesser Canada) 5% 
Swans 
Innoko-lower Yukon transects disclosed a population density 
of 10.7 per square mile. The sstimated spscies composition 
follows: 
Pintail : 60% 
White-fronted goose 10% 
Lesser Canada goose 10% 
Green-winged teal Oo 
Baldpate 9% 
Mallard 1% 
Shoveler, bluebill, scoter, swan 1% 
13 
