200 
ed 
1951 density. The largest relative increases in density occurred in the canvasback 
(350 percent), ruddy (200 percent), pintail (169 percent), and blue-winged teal 
(112 percent). For the remaining species increases in density ranged from 
20 percent for the green-winged teal to 79 percent for the mallard. 
Since all of the species except the scaup showed substantial increases in 
density, the decreases in species composition mentioned above reflect varying 
degrees of increase species densities rather than actual decreases in species 
densities. The species which showed decreases in species composition were the 
species that increased the least in density. 
Success of the Season 
No survey was made to measure over-all brood production; the following is 
presented as impressions of the waterfowl hatch in South Dakota in 1952. 
It is believed that the number of duck broods hatched was substantially 
greater than in 1951. However, this increased production was definitely not as 
great as the increase in the breeding population. The number of coot broods 
produced was unquestionably.much greater than in 1951. The increase in coot 
production equalled and may have exceeded the estimated increase in the breeding 
population. 
The information available on brood sizes suggests that the size of duck broods 
may not have equalled that of 1951. The average size of 202 Class I broods of all 
species was 7.40 compared with an average of 7.84 for 37 broods in 1951. The 
average size of 126 Class III broods was 6.84 with an average of 7.68 for 34 
broods in 1951. 
