
72 
numerous ponds and sloughs are located between the ridges, the largest not exceeding 
five acres in size. None of these ponds are accessible by canoe from the coast-line, 
Two species are known to nestin the banding area. A green-winged teal brood 
of six was observed on July 22 and a mallard brood of seven was observed on July 23. 
The same or another mallard brood was observed on August 28, the young with the 
primary feathers still undeveloped. 
Predation on ducks in the cages accounted for 1.5 percent of the total number 
of birds trapped. Predators included goshawk, duck hawk, great horned owl, marsh 
hawk, and red fox. =~ 
Ten recoveries (birds banded outside the area) were obtained on the banding 
area. The species with these band numbers and dates trapped are given below. 
Species Recovered Band Number Date Trapped 
1. Black duck 47-715791 8/13/50 
2 " " 507-78545 8/17/50 
3 im y 47-719619 8/18/50 
4 " M 497-20660 8/19/50 
5. He al 507-20029 8/19/50 
6. " " 41-741659 8/21/50 
7 " nt 497 -04230 8/23/50 
8. Mallard 507-01686 8/27/50 
9. Black duck 42-616069 8/29/50 
10 " ut 34-609383 8/30/50 
Discussion 
The index obtained for the breeding population in the Lake Abitibi area should 
be useful for comparison with any future surveys made in the same area. It should be 
emphasized that this area is choice waterfowl habitat and as such provides trend 
information only. It does not necessarily indicate the over-all picture for the Cochrane 
district. 
The inaccessibility and the location of a great number of lakes in the northern 
part of this district do not permit the use of ground transect methods in evaluating 
waterfowl populations. In the southern parts of the district good highways will permit 
the use of the car transect method and ground transects on foot. No one method would 
be practical in evaluating waterfowl populations for this entire district. In parts of 
Manitoba and other parts of Canada where similar conditions exist, aerial census of 
these remote areas combined with ground census of the more accessible areas have met 
with considerable success. An aerial census of this northern area would, I believe, 
also be a preliminary step to determine what part these more remote areas play in the 
waterfowl production for the district and for the Province as a whole. 
The high water-levels maintained during the month of June should be considered 
when evaluating the index obtained in this survey. Had water-levels remained low an 
entirely different index might have resulted. Any repetition of such high water-levels 
during the incubation stage of a nesting season might be a serious factor affecting the 
productivity of the area. 
The brood survey was disappointing as the time allowed was not sufficient to 
obtain enough data on the various species nesting in the study area. Hochbaum (The 
Canvasback on a Prairie Marsh, 1944, p. 160) says: "There is no confined period 
during the spring or summer when all broods of all species may be seen.......+5 A 
