185 
Table 3. -- Annual Species Composition 
LS PR SS 
Golden- Ring- All 
Year Mallard Baldpate eye B-w. teal neck others 
1937 32 5 20 22 13 8 
1938 49 3 10 23 9 6 
1939 45 4 15 28 5 3 
1940 a 7 15 21 10 3 
1941 47 12 11 14 4 6 
1947 ' 49 15 19 ¥ 5 6 
' 1948 52 17 13 10 8 3 
1949 44 24 19 6 4 3 
195 43 30 17 4 4 2 
Several facts present themselves: - 
(1). Relative stability of the mallard and golden-eye. 
(2). Steady increase of the baldpate since 1940, 
(3). Tremendous decrease in blue-winged teal. 
The decrease in teal may be attributed to improved habitat in the prairie 
nesting grounds since 1939. During the drought of the 30's there is no doubt but that 
a shift of prairie nesting waterfowl occurred into the lake region of Minnesota. But 
what caused the existing population of teal on the Chippewa to dwindle to almost zero 
is a bit harder to explain. Perhaps the flooding of meadows which were dry in 1936 
and 1937 is the answer, but these areas were flooded in 1938 and 1939 with no result- 
ant drop in the teal pdpulation. 
Brood Averages 
Table 4 illustrates brood averages based upon brood counts on census areas 
since 1937. Only the mallard is included, because there is paucity of data for certain 
years and certain age classes in other species of ducks. 
Table 4. = Mallard Brood Averages By Age Classes - 1937-50 
AGE CLASSES 
Year I II III All No. of Broods 
1937 : 6.3 6.5 6.5 ( 56) 
1938 8.8 7.8 - 6.5 7.3 (166) 
1939 8.8 7.6 7.4 7.8 (256) 
1940 8.7 7.4 7.0 7.8 ( 94) 
1941 - 7.3 6.7 6.9 ( 17) 
1947 7.8 * 7.9 7.0 7.5 ( 67) 
1948 7.1% 7.6 6.8 7.2 (102) 
1949 4,8 * 6.8 6,7 6,4 ( 31) 
1950 8,1 * 7.2 6.6 7.0 ( 49) 
Average 6884 7.5 6.9 7.4 (838) 
* Only seven broods counted in age Class I each of these years. 
