MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                      1767

gates, appointed by the Speaker, shall be created to make an in-depth
study of the entire subject of racing in Maryland; and be it further

Resolved, That such committee be requested to report the results
of their study along with any recommendations for legislation to
the Legislative Council by November 1, 1969; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the President
of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates.

Approved May 2, 1969.

No. 41
(House Joint Resolution 72)

House Joint Resolution requesting that the Maryland General
Assembly recommend the closure of the hunting season on Canvas-
back and Redhead Ducks within the Atlantic Flyway.

Whereas, there is a continuing decline in the diving duck popula-
tion of the North American Continent; and

Whereas, there is concrete evidence that the ability of the prairie
marshes to produce decreases 80,000 ducks per year; and

Whereas, this decrease can be attributed to the indiscriminate
use of pesticides, the draining of nesting habitats, and other activities
of man; and

Whereas, these nesting habitats, in recent years, have been further
depleted by long periods of drought which dried up potholes neces-
sary for duck production, speeding the decline of these species; and

Whereas, this reduction in diving ducks is particularly noted in
the reduction of numbers of redhead and canvasback ducks; and

Whereas, should this decline continue, these two ducks will be
included among those species considered endangered; and

Whereas, the population of canvasback ducks in continental North
America is estimated at only 200,000; and

Whereas, expert waterfowl conservationists estimate there are
only 40,000 female canvasbacks east of the Rocky Mountains and
20,000 female canvasbacks west of the Rocky Mountains; and

Whereas, it has become necessary to take drastic steps for the
protection of canvasbacks and redheads; and

Whereas, the migratory habits of the canvasback duck bring ap-
proximately 90 per cent of the population east of the Rocky Mountains
to Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries; and

Whereas, this more fully emphasizes the significance of our
Chesapeake Bay in protection of this valuable bird; and

Whereas, the rapidly dwindling numbers of canvasbacks and
redheads demands development of better rapport between the States
and the Provinces of Canada for the protection of these species; and