250 
The trend to smaller broods of black ducks is documented by observer reports 
of flooding of early nests and a resulting renesting with smaller broods being 
produced. While the numbers of broods did not decrease significantly, the brood size 
did influence total production as represented in Table I. The decrease noted in 
production, however, is not significant and from area reports appears to be confined 
primarily to areas in Rhode Island. An indication of this bias in the data can be shown 
if the Rhode Island reports (14 areas) representing 105 broods in 1952 and 60 broods 
in 1953, were deleted from Table I, the picture would be completely changed. 
Production from the remainder of the region would then read 235 broods in 1952 and 
277 broods in 1953, or a 17 percent increase in black duck production over the last 
year in the remainder of the region, with an average brood size of 7.1 in 1952 and 
6.2 in 1953. This is more nearly the picture of production trends in the region for 
the black duck. 
Wood duck production data, both in brood size and young produced, show a 
general increase throughout the region for the second succesSive year. 
Mallard production data, while admittedly meager, has some significance -- 
reports from coastal marshes indicate a decrease, as in the case of the black duck, 
while the interior areas show a substantial increase, There is a paucity of data on 
other Species. The reports submitted indicate an increase for the blue-winged teal 
and Canada s00Se. 
Summary 
Over-all production has increased over last year. There has been a moderate 
increase in black ducks. Wood duck production has shown a definite increase. Trend 
data, though limited on other species, shows an increase for blue-~winged teal and 
Canada geese, with the ring-necked duck the only recorded species registering a 
decrease, 
