216 
The predator population was roughly the same in 1949 and 1950. The 
populations of raccoon, opossum, and skunk were very high, while the number of 
breeding crows and the nesting success of crows were much below "normal", Only 
two crow nests were successful out of 20 under observation in Ottawa County, accord- 
ing to a study made by Mr. Laurel Van Camp. 
Summary : 
The mallard, black duck, blue-winged teal, wood duck and pintail, in order 
of abundance, nested in the Lake Erie region of Ohio in 1950. A total of 160 pairs of 
these species was recorded on 2,272 acres of marshland, or 45,.] pairs per square 
mile, as compared with 183 pairs, or 51.5 pairs per-square mile, in 1949. 
Comparable data on number of broods per square mile are lacking for 1950, 
but the average brood size showed no significant change. Since the environmental 
factors affecting nesting success appeared to be comparable to 1949, it is inferred 
that the 12 percent decrease in number of nesting pairs was probably Reeser in the 
total production for the region. 
