64 
1950 - 1.2 (156 square miles in sample) 
1951 - 2.0 (156 square miles in sample) 
1952 - 1.2 (183 square miles in sample) 
The reduced number of broods seen this year may have resulted from 
flood conditions prevailing in this delta throughout the breeding season. 
In Strata A both ground and aerial brood counts are available. These do 
not agree except that no increase is indicated this year by either set of data. The 
aerial figures show only a slight change in broods per square mile: 
1950 - 1.9 (143 square miles in sample) 
1951 - 3.2 (359 square miles in sample) 
1952 - 3.1 (390 square miles in sample) 
Ground data, however, show a decrease this year of about the same 
magnitude as the decrease in breeding stock. Evidence obtained on the ground 
indicated that breeding success this year was no greater than in 1951, hence, it 
is logical to assume that total production necessarily decreased proportionately 
to the decrease in breeding stock. If so, the aerial count which indicated no 
change was inerror. Probable reason: drying up of Type C (Carex and whitetop- 
choked potholes) and shrinkage of water away from marginal vegetation this year 
made broods more readily visible from the air, distorting the count upwards. 
Banding 
A summary of ducks banded in Manitoba from July 10 - September 20 is 
given in Table II I. 
Summary 
Apparently associated with deterioration of the habitat due to drought, 
Manitoba had. about 20 percent fewer breeding ducks in 1952 than in 1951. 
Production lagged proportionately to the decline in breeding stock, hence 
Manitoba's contribution to the fall flight of 1952 should be about one-fifth less than 
in 1951. 
About 9,500 ducks, mostly of this year's hatch, were banded prior to the 
hunting season. 
Table I - Game Branch Ground Transect Comparisons, 1951-1952 


Transect Square Miles Total Ducks Change Trend in 
1951 1952 + or - Percent 
A 20.0 919 942 + 23 + 2,5 
By 41.0 1,501 559 -942  - 62.8 
B> 30.0 369 339 - 30 - 8.1 
Cc 12.5 217 140 - 77 - 35.5 
K 28.4 2,275 1,586 -689 - 30.3 
N 12.0 284 0 -284 -100.0 
Roblin 4.0 286 279 - 7 - 2,4 
Total 147.75 5, 851 3, 845 -2006 - 34.3 
Ducks per square mile: 1951 - 39.6; 1952 - 26.0 - Percent change 34,3 
