
84 
vegetation. The principal aquatic is Nuphar and only in rare instances were other 
plants observed, 
The size of the waterfowl population was a disappointment. Many hundreds 
of acres were covered in which few, if any, ducks or geese were observed. Broods 
were notably scarce and the few encountered were found principally in small back- 
water areas. 
Black ducks and geese were concentrated in a relatively few areas and these 
were usually large, shallow lakes. Nearly all of the birds encountered were flightless 
with the individual birds varying as to the extent of feather replacement. Apparently, 
these extensive marshes are used primarily as moulting areas and are not important 
for breeding. However, judgment on this point should be reserved until the marshes 
can be checked another year at an earlier date. It is possible that brood survival may 
be very low due to a population of the voracious great northern pike which abounds in 
these waters. 
Following are the numbers of waterfowl recorded: Blacks 623, and 5 broods; 
Canada geese 48, and 3 broods; golden-eye 55, and 4 broods. Red-breasted mergansers 
were occasional and about 100 adult American and surf scoters were observed, — 
Although a discussion of the status of the caribou in the area is foreign toa 
waterfowl report, a short note may be of interest to the reader. Caribou trails were 
abundant throughout these marshes and apparently the population is scattered widely 
at this season of the year. Four adults were seen and the tracks of a cow and calf 
were noted on the sandy shore of one of the lakes. To the north of the Mealy Mountains 
in the Turner Bight areas of Hamilton River Inlet, two more caribou were spotted. 
Tracks were abundant here also. About 150 miles southwest of Goose Bay a cow 
caribou and her calf were seen and trails were abundant in the general area. 
A flight was made along the shore of Lake Melville and the western part of 
the Hamilton River Inlet. Most of the waterfowl observed were in the Hamilton River 
Inlet area where more extensive tidal marshes occur. A total of 568 blacks, 15 
golden-eye, 60 pintail, 24 green-winged teal, 32 Canada geese (with 3 broods), and 
several thousand surf scoters were tallied. 
