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REPORT OF CHIEF OF BUREAU OF BIOLO

Unitep States DeparrMEent or AGRICULTURE,
Bureau or BrorocicaL Survey,
Washington, D. C., September 1, 1928.

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on the work of
the Bureau of Biological Survey for the fiscal year ended June 30,

1928.
Respectfully,

Hon. W. M. Jarpine,
Secretary of Agriculture.

Paut G. Reprneton,
Chief.

WILD LIFE RESEARCH AND ADMINIS-
TRATION

Research, service, and regulatory
functions with regard to wild life em-
brace all the varied operations of the
Bureau of Biological Survey. In these
three branches the bureau has enjoyed
continued cordial relations with scien-
tific institutions and individual re-
search workers; with officers of State
departments of agriculture, extension
services, livestock and other associa-
tions, cooperating stockmen, and farm-
ers; and with State conservation de-
partments, the Alaska Game Commis-
sion, sportsmen’s associations, hunting
clubs, and individual sportsmen and
other conservationists. Through the
interest of cooperators in the varied
duties assigned to the Bureau of Bio-
logical Survey, the influence and help-
fulness of the bureau is greatly ex-
tended, far beyond the sphere of activ-
ity of the limited force of workers
that can be carried on its rolls.

Fundamental to all other functions
of the bureau is the important branch
of research. The scientific investiga-
tions of the survey cover studies of
the distribution and habits of wild-life
forms, their economic status as deter-
mined by food and feeding habits, the
conservation and propagation in cap-~
tivity of useful wild mammals and
birds, and methods of reducing the
damage wrought by predatory animals

14833—28——1

on livestock and on game and other
useful species, by rodents on farm and
forage crops, and by other forms that
are otherwise economically injurious.
The importance of extending the re-
search work of the bureau can not be
too strongly stressed. Without it, the
service expected by the public and by
the various States in advice and co-
ordination of effort in wild-life con-
servation, utilization, and control can
not be properly rendered.

Dependent upon the research work
of the bureau and developing from it
is the branch of service, the activities
of which consist for the most part in
disseminating the information gath-
ered; work for the benefit of the pub-
lic, not primarily involving research,
described as wild-life control, either in
independent operations on public do-
main or in organized campaigns con-
ducted cooperatively with State, Ter-
ritorial, or other agencies; and
wild-life conservation through the ad-
ministration of bird refuges and big-
game preserves.

The future enjoyment of wild-life
resources is dependent upon the ad-
ministration of conservation laws and
related regulatory and educational ac-
tivities. The laws administered by
the Bureau of Biological Survey,
through the preparation and enforce-
ment of regulations, include (1) the
migratory bird treaty act, (2) the
Lacey Act, regulating interstate com-

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2 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

merce in wild-life forms and their im-
portation from foreign countries, (3)
the act protecting wild life and prop-
erty on game and bird reservations,
(4) the upper Mississippi River wild-
life and fish refuge act, (5) the Bear
River migratory bird refuge act, (6)
a section of the tariff act of 1922 (sec.
1569) authorizing regulations to con-
trol the importation of eggs of game
birds, and (7) the Alaska game law,
through representation on and coop-
eration with the Alaska Game Com-
mission.
ORGANIZATION CHANGES

Just before the close of the year a
reorganization of the activities of the
bureau on conservational lines was ef-
fected in the consolidation of the di-
vision administering game and bird
reservations and Alaskan wild life
with the division of migratory-bird
treaty and Lacey Acts administration.
The new division of game and bird con-
servation is under the leadership of
H. P. Sheldon, formerly in charge of
the latter division. His title has been
changed from chief United States game
warden to United States game con-
servation officer. The change in ad-
ministrative direction permits the as-
signment of E. A. Goldman, formerly
in charge of the reservations division,
to research work, to continue scien-
tifie investigations that had been in-
terrupted by administrative responsi-
bilities.
mer divisions will now be known, re-
spectively, as United States reserva-
tion protectors and United States game
protectors, but cooperating State and
other officials detailed to enforcement
of the migratory-bird treaty and Lacey
Acts will still be designated United
States deputy game wardens. The
change in organization was made with
a view to preventing what was seen to
be a tendency toward overlapping of
functions of the two divisions, and
will be in the interest of better corre-
lation of the work of the bureau and
of greater efficiency and economy, par-
ticularly in the further development
of the migratory-bird refuge program.

A further change in leadership with-
in the bureau was brought about on
February 16, 1928, when A. K. Fisher,
connected with the Bureau of Biologi-
cal Survey ever since its organization
in 1885 and since 1909 in charge of
the division of economic investigations,
was assigned to scientific work to
round out material on the economic
status of hawks and owls, a subject
on which he has long been a recog-
nized authority. He was succeeded

division.

The wardens of the two for-~

by Stanley P. Young, by transfer from,
active predatory-animal field opera-
tions in Colorado, and for the past
year assistant in the direction of the
W. E. Crouch, for 12 years
a leader in rodent-control operations.
in Idaho, was brought to Washington
to assist Mr. Young.

CHIEF ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE YEAR

Among the landmarks placed during:
the year that indicate definite accom-
plishment in wild-life administration
or forward-looking legislation to pro-
mote conservational programs, may be
mentioned the following, the details
concerning which are set forth in this
report, together with the urgent need
for still greater constructive advance:

Inauguration of studies of changing
abundance of migratory wild fowl from
year to year, through systematic and
repeated censuses taken by coopera-
tors of the Bureau of Biological Sur-
vey on important concentration areas.

Authorization by congressional legis-
lation of more extended research hav-
ing to do with the relations of wild
life to forestry—the effects of birds,
mammals, and other forms on forest
production.

Successful crossbreeding of Alaskan
reindeer with native caribou captured,
for the experiments, and the birth of
fawns of materially increased weight.

Progress in research work on the
food of the English sparrow through
the completion of examination of thou-
sands of stomachs collected throughout
the country, the first stage necessary to.
the preparation of a final report.

Establishment of the rabbit experi-
ment station in California to supple-
ment other investigations on the pro-
duction of rabbits for fur and food.

Definite progress through coopera-
tive effort in investigations of diseases
of foxes and measures for their pre-
vention and cure on fox farms.

Development, through a conference
of field leaders in rodent and preda-
tory-animal control at Ogden, Utah,
of improved plans for research work
and definite policies in local and gen-
eral control operations. Congress Yre-
quested that there be submitted to it
at the next session a plan that will
operate to insure adequate control of
the predatory animals throughout the
country.

Avithorization by Congress of a ref-
uge for migratory birds in the exten-
sive Bear River marshes, Utah, and
first steps in its administration, as an
aid to conserving the wild-fowl re
sources of the West.

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 5

Greater expedition in the work of
acquiring lands for the upper Missis-
sippi wild-life refuge through congres-
sional aid and through private dona-
tion of areas important to the purposes
of the refuge.

Definite progress in studies of the re-
quirements of the Wyoming elk, in the
administration of other game animals
and birds on reservations, and in co-
ordination of State and Federal poli-
cies in wild-life administration gen-
erally.

The development of additional ref-
uge areas for wild life has been
brought more intimately to public at-
tention, and the sentiment throughout
the country is more definitely crystal-
lized in favor of a unified program, as
it becomes generally understood that
the onward march of civilization, with
its farming and industrial operations,
threatens at least locally the ultimate
extinction of the various forms of wild
life that were the delight of our for-
bears and that can not be perpetuated
for future enjoyment unless provided
with- free range, including feeding,
breeding, and resting grounds.

BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AND LIFE-
HISTORY STUDIES

Research is an absolute essential to
progress in wild-life administration.
The Federal Government alone can not
be depended upon to solve all the prob-
lems involved. Cooperation of all
agencies—States, Federal bureaus, as-
seciations, and individuals—to provide
reliable and specific facts for long-time
programs of conservation is a very
definite obligation. All problems af-
fecting wild-animal life should be con-
sidered not alone from the standpoint
of the present but of future genera-
tions. Constructive programs must be
put into effect that will make avail-
able to all the people the wholesome
influences of the great outdoors, in-
cluding the stimulus of wild-life as-
sociation. During the past year par-
ticularly important progress has been
made in projecting clearly defined
plans of research to these ends, and
in enlisting the cooperation of organi-
zations interested in these undertak-
ings.

INVESTIGATIONS OF WILD FOWL AND BIG GAME
WATERFOWL CENSUSES
The response made by observers

throughout the country to the appeal
of the bureau for assistance in gath-

ering more complete information re
garding the abundance, distribution,
and movements of waterfowl has been
most gratifying. More than 3,000 ob-
servation stations have been estab-
lished, representing every State in the
Union and all the Provinces of Can-
ada, as well as Alaska and Porto Rico.
Reports from these stations are made
by volunteer observers on selected
dates once each month, each giving
results of actual field observation on
a waterfowl-resort area typical of the
region. Cooperation has been obtained
from virtually all State game and con-
servation commissions, chiefly through
their warden forces; from Canadian
authorities, through cooperation of the
Office of National Parks of Canada
and game officials of the Provinces ;
from sportsmen’s and conservation or-
ganizations; and from _ individuals.
Federal bureaus include the Forest
Service, the Weather Bureau, and the
Hxtension Service of the Department
of Agriculture, the National Park
Service, the Office of Indian Affairs,
the Bureau of Reclamation, and the
Bureau of Education of the Depart-
ment of the Interior; the Bureau of
Lighthouses and the Bureau of Fish-
eries of the Department of Commerce ;
the Coast Guard of the Treasury De-
partment; and the Office of Engineers
of the War Department. The work
hag been aided also by such State and
national organizations of sportsmen
and conservationists as the American
Wild Fowlers, the American Game
Protective Association, and the Izaak
Walton League of America.

The work of cooperators has been
stimulated, systematized, and checked
up through field contacts by the lead-
ers, and the reports received, totaling
many thousands, furnish the basis for
a far more detailed and comprehensive
knowledge of the status of waterfowl
in North America than has heretofore
been available. The information has
been carded and indexed for ready
reference, and preliminary maps pre-
pared: showing in a graphic way con-
ditions that must be given considera-
tion in formulating plans to insure the
maintenance of waterfowl in satis-
factory numbers. The results of this
survey will become increasingly valu-
able as they accumulate over a period
of years. The undertaking has cry-
stallized and put into effect the feel-
ing of leaders in game-conservation
work throughout the country that prac-
tical broad-gauge efforts must be made
to obtain the facts as a basis for ef-
fective administration.

STATUS OF THE WOODCOCK

Inquiry was made and reports were

received from more than 300 selected |

observers among ornithologists and
sportsmen regarding the status of the
woodcock throughout its present range.
The information thus obtained was
tabulated and compared with that al-
ready on hand in considering the many
proposals received regarding measures
essential to the adequate protection of
this interesting and valuable game
bird and in amending regulations gov-
erning the open season.

The migratory-bird treaty-act advis-
ory board has recommended that the
Bureau of Biological Survey carry out
a detailed investigation of the wood-
cock throughout its range. Much es-
sential information concerning this
bird is lacking. A closer check on the
migratory flight lines by extensive field
study and banding operations is desir-
able.

ELK IN WYOMING

In accordance with plans developed
in the preceding year, in cooperation,
with the State game and fish commis-
sion of Wyoming, the Forest Service,
and the Bureau of Animal Industry,
an experienced biologist has been en-
gaged throughout the year in a study
of the Jackson Hole elk. This is in
harmony with recommendations made
by the commission appointed by the
President’s committee on outdoor rec-
reation. Detailed and comprehensive
information is being obtained regard-
ing the number, the breeding and feed-
ing habits, and the seasonal move-
ments of these elk, as well as their
range and food requirements in rela-
tion to livestock grazing, and their
diseases and parasites or other causes
of depletion. The Bureau of Plant In-
dustry and the United States National
Museum have aided by identifying im-
portant forage plants consumed by the
elk. Study of the grazing habits of
the elk is,being made in accordance
with methods used by the Forest Serv-
ice in studying the grazing habits of
livestock, in order that the results may
be useful in working out plans helpful
to the local game and livestock inter-
ests, as well as to those of other re-
. gions where, similar studies are
needed. The seasonal movements of
the elk and such influencing factors as
food, temperature, shelter, and insects
are being studied. Observation is be-
ing made on the influence of predatory
animals, including cougars, wolves,
and coyotes, on the decrease of the

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

elk. Statistics are not now available
on the number of elk killed by hunt-
ers, but the State fish and game com-
mission of Wyoming has arranged to
obtain reports on this subject in con-
nection with the issuance of future
licenses. No cases of starvation were
observed during the past winter, dur-
ing which conditions were rather fa-
vorable, and it is believed that there
were few, if any. All animals exam-
ined had full stomachs, and in few
cases was the food improperly digested.

Elk parasites collected, and later
identified by the Bureau of Animal
Industry, included tapeworms and
cysts, lung worms, grubs, and ticks.
One adult bull elk and two adult cows
were found affected by scab, and sev-
eral others were reported. Particular
attention was. given to diseases
throughout the winter and spring. A
total of 409 animals were found dead,
and 193 postmortem examinations were
made. Of this number 70 showed defi-
nite evidence of necrotic stomatitis,
and others presented indications of
this disease. The diagnoses are based
largely on the reports made by the
Bureau of Animal Industry on dis-
eased tissue submitted. These studies
involved about 7,000 animals, so the
total loss was approximately 5.8 per
cent. There was a total of about 1,406
calves with a known loss of 259, or
approximately 18 per cent. The pres-
ence of squirrel-tail in the hay and
undue concentration of the herds on
feeding grounds are apparently largely
responsible for the prevalence of ne-
crotic stomatitis. If these causes can
be eliminated or reduced the herd will
be safer from ravages of epizootic
diseases. It seems impracticable to
treat diseased elk, hence preventive
measures are required.

The ideal arrangement would be to
maintain the elk in as nearly a wild
state as possible. Effort should be
made in the direction of preserving the
elks’ natural instincts, so that they
will care for themselves properly and
obtain their own food as far as possi-
ble. The feeding of hay in severe
winters will doubtless continue to be
necessary, but the feed should be free
from disease-inducing plants.

ELK IN ARIZONA

At the request of the Forest Sery-
ice and of State officials in Arizona, a
representative was detailed to the
Chiricahua Mountains to investigate
and report on the practicability of
introducing elk into that region. His
study was made in cooperation with

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 5

representatives of the Forest Service,
the State game department, the State
game protective association, and the
local stockmen’s association. Consid-
eration of all the factors involved. ap-
peared adverse to the proposal, but it
was recommended that effort be made
to increase such other desirable game
species as mule deer and wild turkey.

DEER IN PENNSYLVANIA

In response to an urgent call from
the board of game commissioners of
Pennsylvania a biologist was detailed
to examine conditicns attending the
large loss of deer in certain parts of
that State. His studies revealed con-
clusive evidence of overstocking. over-
grazing, and consequent starvation of
thousands of young deer. Copies of
the report were furnished to the State
board of game commissioners, the
Forest Service, and the game depart-
ments of other States where similar
conditions might obtain, and it was
also republished extensively in period-
icals devoted to game interests. The
report included information regarding
the history of game management in
Pennsylvania, the present abundance
of deer, their food habits and food
supplies, damage by deer, and the
losses that had occurred, with sug-
gestions for improving game-manage-
ment practices. Many letters received
indicate that similar losses occur in
other sections, and this analysis of con-
ditions in Pennsylvania is thus proving
helpful in other States.

BROWN BEARS IN ALASKA

Some concern has been felt relative
to the status of the Alaskan brown
bear, but investigations conducted by
the survey in the spring of 1928 in-
dicate that there has not been such a
serious decrease in the numbers of
this unique American animal as to
warrant fear of its extermination.

STUDIES OF OTHER BIG GAME

A number of other special studies
were carried on during the year, in-
eluding investigations in cooperation

with the Office of National Parks of’

Canada and the American Wild Fowl-
ers concerning destructive agencies
and other factors that affect the num-
bers of waterfowl on their breeding
grounds.

A report on the caribou of Alaska,
based on studies carried on during the
past several years, was prepared for
publication. i

COOPERATIVE STUDIES OF WILD LIFE IN FORESTS
AND PARKS

MAMMALS AND BIRDS IN SOUTHERN
FORESTS

In cooperation with the Forest Serv-
ice a preliminary study was made dur-
ing the months of April and May at
the forest experiment station on the
Bent Creek area of the Pisgah Na-
tional Forest in North Carolina to
determine the numbers, activities, and
habits in relation to forest production
of the mammals and birds inhabiting
the area. Four areas of 2 acres each
in three distinct forest types were se-
lected for trapping operations. These
were visited daily to remove speci-
mens and record observations.

Studies also were made of injury by
rodents or other animals to seedlings
and young growth of valuable forest
trees. Lists of birds and mammals
found on the experimental areas and
in the vicinity were kept, and observa-
tions made regarding their numbers
and general feeding habits that might
be a factor in the success of forest
production, The stomachs of all ro-
dents collected were preserved for
laboratory study.

PORCUPINES IN RELATION
PRODUCTION

TO FOREST

Studies of the porcupine have dem-
onstrated that this animal is seriously
important economically, and that where
it is locally abundant control opera-
tions may be needed. In the South-
west porcupines occur commonly in,
places on the Tusayan, Coconino, Car-
son, and San Juan National Forests.
Although characteristically forest ani-
mals, they may be found at considera-
ble distances from trees, and are par-
tial to ridges, gullies, rocky breaks,
caves, and bowlder slopes. In this
region they prefer the bark of mod-
erate-sized yellow pines to that of
other trees, but injure also other pines,
firs, spruces, and junipers.

In certain parts of the Southwest
porcupine damage is probably second
only to that caused by fire and mistle-
toe. In larger trees the damage is
chiefly to the tops, the upper portions
of the trunk being so peeled and
girdled that the summit of the tree

is either killed or deformed. Porcu-
pines also consume a_ considerable

quantity of foliage, thus retarding the
growth of trees. The fact that porcu-
pines often revisit particular trees in
the course of their wanderings through
the woods has afforded a vulnerable

6 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

point of attack in planning control
work.

CONTEMPLATED STUDIES OF FOREST
ANIMALS

Worest wild-life research will be con-
ducted on an increasing scale in ac-
cordance with provisions of the re-
cently enacted McNary-McSweeney
bill, which provides for the gradual,
effective development of a forest-re-
search program. Among other lines of
research it authorizes participation by
the Biological Survey in experiments
and investigations in determining the
life histories and habits of forest mam-
mals, birds, and other forms of wild
life, whether injurious to forest
growth or of value as a supplemental
resource, and in developing the best
and most effective methods for their
management and control. This is a
most far-sighted and important piece
of legislation and will make possible
the systematic organization of research
and the assembling of basic informa-
tion essential for national, State, and
local programs for the development of
forests and forest resources.

ANIMAL LIFE IN GRAND OANYON
NATIONAL PARK

Near the close of the fiscal year con-
ferences were held and plans arranged
for cooperation with the Carnegie In-
stitution of Washington, the National
Academy of Sciences, the National Re-
search Council, and the National Park
Service in efforts to learn what corre
lations there are of the present animal
and plant life with that of the geologi-
eal formations in various national
parks. This investigational and edu-
cational program, beginning in the
Grand Canyon of Arizona, should
afford important and interesting in-
formation regarding features to be ob-
Served by visitors to the parks.

INVESTIGATIONS IN GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION

BIRD MIGRATION

Many records have been added to
the geographic distribution files of the
Bureau of Biological Survey during
the year from data gathered by corre-
spondents and cooperators, and from
general literature, about 40,000 addi-
tions having been made to this valu-
able file of approximately 1,500,000 rec-
ords. Maps of the breeding ranges of
many species have been revised. Prog-
ress has been made in the preparation
of a bulletin on the distribution and

migration of North American swal-
lows. Revision of a circular on the
spread of the European starling in
North America to 1928 was completed
and forwarded for publication at the
end of the year, supplementing the in-
formation published in 1925. Techni-
cal Bulletin No, 26, Our Migrant Shore-
birds in Southern South America,
which sets forth the dangers that be-
set many of the northern species in
their winter homes, was issued during
the year. Another outstanding report,
Technical Bulletin No. 61, Wild Birds
Introduced or Transplanted in North
America, prepared by John C. Phillips,
a collaborator of the bureau, details
the meager success that has attended
the numerous efforts to introduce for-
eign birds and transplant native
species. Bird-migration records have
been brought to date and include re-
ports received during the year from
the 200 cooperative observers.

BIRD BANDING

The banding of birds continues to
yield increasingly interesting and valu-
able information. -The opportunities
afforded by this method for intimate
acquaintance with the birds and for
obtaining definite information regard-
ing their habits, migratory movements,
and distribution, make a strong appeal
to bird students. The number of
qualified cooperators has continued to
grow Steadily until a point has been
reached where existing facilities for
this investigation are inadequate to
meet the demands upon the bureau, A
great accumulation of data emphasizes
the necessity for the publication of re-
ports that are demanded by educa-
tional institutions, cooperators, and
bird students generally. At the close
of the year more than 1,400 persons,
including 99 in Canada, were on the
list of bird-banding covperators. The
methods employed and the results ob-
tained have aroused much interest in
European countries, and a comprehen-
sive account of trapping methods for
“ringing” birds, as banding is termed
in England, was prepared in the Bio-
logical Survey and published in No-
vember in British Birds Magazine.

Dutring the year 195,000 bands were
purchased for the use of cooperators,
and the number of birds already re-
ported as banded during the year
totals 127,105, an increase of more than
35,000 over the previous year, bringing
the total banded since 1920 to more
than 400,000. Return records reported
during the year total approximately

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 7

7,000. Technical Bulletin No. 32, Re-
turns from Banded Birds, 1923 to 1926,
‘including tabulations of the more than
10,000 sets of return data received, was
‘published during the year, and a popu-
lar explanation of the purposes and
‘accomplishments in bird banding ap-
peared in the 1927 Yearbook. An ex-
tended popular article, Bird Banding,
the Telltale of Migratory Flight, pub-
lished in the National Geographic
Magazine in January, elicited much
favorable comment.

Outstanding during the year was
the banding of 5,000 mallard ducks at
the National Bison Range, Moiese,
Mont., returns from which show that
birds from that section winter chiefly
on the Pacific coast, from Washington
south to southern California. This is
‘one of the many instances where sig-
nificant information has been obtained
regarding the movements of waterfowl.
The percentage of returns to the total
number of waterfowl banded should
afford a basis for calculating the ap-
proximate numbers of these birds
when reliable information is obtained
regarding the annual kill by hunters.
A manuscript on this phase of the
work has been prepared for publica-
tion under the title “‘A Method of De-
termining the Annual Fluctuation in
the Abundance of Waterfowl.”

Progress has been made in the prep-
aration of a manual showing the most
satisfactory methods of trapping and
handling birds for banding. Bird
banding is stimulating its devotees to
record the results of their work, and
is thus yielding information of im-
portance, as indicated by a list of
more than 500 articles on the subject,
recently compiled in the bureau.

CENSUSES OF NONGAME BIRDS

The censuses of birds other than
waterfowl have been continued as in
previous years and provide valuable
‘data regarding the breeding of birds
on selected areas throughout the coun-
try. The reports of cooperative ob-
servers provide specific information re-
garding the relative abundance of spe-
‘cies, and the observations accumulating
over several years yield data for a
better understanding of the abundance
‘and breeding habits of this class of
birds.

/
BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS OF MAJOR AREAS

Further progress has been made
‘during the year toward the completion
‘of a biological survey of Wisconsin.
A report on the mammals and life
zones of Oregon was practically com-

pleted, one on the birds of Washington
was finished, and one on the birds of
Florida is well under way. An exten-
sive report on the birds of New Mexico
was in press at the close of the year,
being published by the State game
commission of New Mexico in coopera-
tion with the State game-protective as-
sociation and the Biological Survey.
Comprehensive reports finished during
previous years, but still awaiting pub-
lication, include annotated lists of the
birds of Texas and of the mammals of
New Mexico.

IDENTIFICATION AND TAXONOMIC WORK

Conclusions in research on any of
the biological sciences have little, if
any, scientific worth unless the identi-
fication of the species involved is accu-
rate. The work of identifying speci-
mens is particularly vital in studies
along economic or medical lines, since
wrong determinations may result in
losses of property or even of human
life. The direct bearing of taxonomic
work on all phases of the operations
ot the bureau and of cooperating Fed-
eral and State agencies and educa-
tion institutions makes desirable a
considerable enlargement of this phase
of the survey’s work. The scientific
collections of the bureau now include
approximately 63,000 birds and 135,000
mammals. Not only are these collec-
tions the basis of important research
work of the staff, but they are also
available for the use of special work-
ers in other institutions. During the
year a revision of the North American
lemming mice was published in the
series of the North American Fauna
(No. 50), and at the end of the year a
review of the American long-tailed
shrews (North American Fauna No.
51) was in press.

LIFE HABITS OF INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL
SPECIES

Mammals, especially certain ro-
dents, may often become serious pests,
and, on the other hand, many mam-
mals are mainly beneficial in their
effect on the soil and in their control
of various fungi, rusts, or insects that
might otherwise do extensive damage.
Recent studies of the life habits of
mammals have been concerned chiefly
with jack rabbits, ground squirrels,
prairie dogs, kangaroo rats, and por-
cupines.

RODENTS AND RANGH FORAGE IN ARIZONA

Biological investigations in the
Southwest have dealt primarily with

8 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

the relations between
and range forage,
operation with the Forest Service, the
University of Arizona, and the Car-
negie Institution of Washington.
Quantitative determinations of the
food of rodents have served to empha-
size the importance of these relations.
The work has demonstrated that the
native animal population of the South-
west is a fundamental factor in range
management.

Intensive studies have been con-
ducted to determine the effect of na-
tive rodents on plant growth, particu-
larly forage. These included the re-
sults of overgrazing by native rodents,
a habit that prevents satisfactory re-
production of some of the more
valuable plants, thus causing them
to be crowded out by others less de-
sirable. Several experimental plots
are maintained in Arizona, and. on
these the experiments have proved
that palatability of plants obtains
with rodents as well as with livestock,
and that prairie dogs and cattle have
essentially the same order of prefer-
ence for the more palatable and nutri-
tious grasses. Analyses of data ob-
tained on the experimental plots over
a 10-year period have shown that
prairie dogs often reduce production
of the more valuable forage grasses
from 25 to 80 per cent. In some in-
stances they have been known to de-
stroy some of the more _ yaluable
grasses over extenSive areas.

There is an intimate relation be-
tween the number of rodents and the
available forage, the rodents tending
to multiply in direct proportion to
the increase in food. It is thus clear
that if stockmen wish to reap the bene-
fits from the increased forage that
comes with improved range manage-
ment they must control the rodents.

JACK-RABBIT DEPREDATIONS

Investigation of the life history and
habits of jack rabbits has shown that
these are among the most important
of the rodent pests over considerable
areas in the Southwest and West.
Stomach contents examined show that
their principal food there is mesquite,
chiefly leaves, although pods are fre-
quently eaten. The grass destroyed,
which is next in importance, can not
be shown by calculations based en-
tirely upon the quantity of food eaten,
as much is cut down and left lying
on the ground.

Feeding experiments with the black-
tailed jack rabbit in Arizona showed
that on the average 18 rabbits eat 1

native rodents j
conducted in co-

ton of dry forage in the course of a
year. Weights of the antelope jack
rabbit average about 9 pounds; of the
adult black-tailed jack rabbit about
54% pounds. These animals have been
found highly adaptable as to food and
feeding conditions. At dry _ periods
they consume much cactus, but as soon
as other vegetation appears they leave
this for more palatable plants. They
consume the same foods that livestock
eat, but are likely to be more destruc-
tive to both grasses and browse since
they graze more closely.

Investigations of the breeding habits
of both the antelope and the black-
tailed jack rabbits have shown that the
breeding period extends over at least
nine months, from December to Sep-
tember, during which time several lit-
ters may be produced. In extremely
arid sections rabbits are likely to be
very scarce, while on slopes at the
bases of the mountains where the
grasses are best they are more
abundant.

ANIMAL PESTS OF BULBS

In the Pacific Coast States studies of
the habits of rodents, moles, and cer-
tain birds in relation to the growing
of bulbs and bulbous plants were con-
tinued. These were designed to pro-
vide information to meet the needs of
American bulb growers in a region
where an important new industry is
in the making, the soil and climate
being favorable for bulb production to
supply the winter trade of florists.
Certain types of plantings have been
found particularly susceptible to ro-
dent injury, and some to attack by
introduced game birds.

Throughout Oregon and California
the pocket gopher is the chief offender,
by reason of its general distribution
and its persistent habit of storing food.
In the more northern coast sections,
meadow mice primarily, and moles as
accessories, constitute serious pests.
Experiments were conducted to deter-
mine means to protect bulb plantings
by controlling the animals.

BEAVER TRANSPLANTING

Studies were continued of the habits
of beavers, and work was done in im-
proving methods of taking these ani-
mals alive in localities where they are
troublesome. Experiments were con-
tinued also in establishing them in sit-
uations where they are desired to con-
serve water and promote fish produc-
tion, to provide a source of profit from
their pelts, or to furnish objects of

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 9

interest and attraction, as in parks.
Technical Bulletin No. 21, Beaver
Habits and Experiments in Beaver
Culture, bringing to date the details
of this project, was issued during the
year.

HARBOR SEALS IN COASTAL WATERS

Some work on the feeding and other
habits of the harbor seal served to call
attention to the urgent need of estab-
lishing definitely the economic status
of this species and of the larger sea
lion, through study of their relations
to the fishing industry. The Bureau
of Fisheries of the Department of Com-
merce expressed a desire that the sur-
vey obtain information on the subject
as a basis for determining policies of
State and Federal Governments with
reference to these animals in waters
along the Pacific coast, including
Alaska.

TULAREMIA AND ITS SPREAD BY WILD
ANIMALS

In response to requests made at the
national game conference of the Amer-
ican Game Protective Association, at
which tularemia in wild animals was
discussed by bureau representatives, a
mimeographed circular was issued to
summarize pertinent information re-
garding this epizootic disease as it re-
lates to game animals and birds, with
information as to practical ways by
which hunters or others handling car-
casses of infected animals might safe-
guard themselves. Quarantine meas-
ures were recommended to prevent the
introduction of diseased animals for
restocking. Copies of the circular
were sent to game commissions, sports-
men’s and conservation periodicals,
and the public press, and served to
bring to the attention of the public
generally the importance of exercising
care particularly in handling wild
rabbits to avoid infection with this
debilitating or even fatal disease. The
active interest of sportsmen, conserva-
tionists, and game officials was en-
listed in preventing introduction of the
disease among the native stock through
the liberation of the gume animals af-
fected. One shipment of wild rabbits,
sick and dying from tularemia, was de-
tected and promptly destroyed by game
officials in Massachusetts, one of the
few States in which the disease has
not been found among native animals
or human beings.

Progress has been made in investiga-
tions inaugurated by the Bureau of

14933== open

Biological Survey in cooperation with
the United States Public Health Serv-
ice to determine the possible suscepti-
bility of ruffed grouse and other game
birds to tularemia. The blue grouse
was found susceptible to the disease
following laboratory inoculation with
virulent material from diseased ani-
mals at the spotted-fever laboratory
of the Public Health Service at Ham-
ilton, Mont., and similar results were
obtained with the ruffed grouse in co-
operative investigations at the Univer-
sity of Minnesota. Studies are being
continued to determine whether these
and other important game birds may be
infected by rabbit ticks or other nat-
ural carriers, and whether the disease
may be prevalent among them in a
wild state.

ALASKA REINDEER INVESTIGATIONS

The chief problems in reindeer in-
vestigations are concerned with breed-
ing and feeding; the reaction of the
reindeer and caribou to handling; re-
production, carrying capacity, and the
worth of Alaska forage plants in graz-
ing use; and the development of a
satisfactory plan for range manage-
ment. Investigations are conducted at
the bureau’s reindeer experiment sta-
tion at Fairbanks, Alaska, and on typ-
ical grazing areas elsewhere in the
Territory. Assistance also is given to
reindeer owners at their round-ups in
demonstrating improved methods of
counting, marking, and ownership dis-
tribution of animals.

A member of the station staff was
detailed to Washington during the
winter and visited various points in
the United States where grazing in-
vestigations were in progress, in order
to note improved methods and equip-
ment adapted to Alaskan conditions,

Through the courtesy of an Alaska
reindeer corporation, several reindeer
carcasses were furnished for use in
studies in the department laboratories
in Washington to determine the most
satisfactory market cuts, the chemical
and nutritive properties of the meat,
and improved methods of dressing,
handling, storing, and cooking. These
investigations were conducted in co-
operation with the Bureaus of Agri-
cultural Economics, Animal Industry,
and Home Hconomics of this depart-
ment, and in consultation with the
Alaska division of the Bureau of Edu-
cation of the Department of the In-
terior, which supervises. reindeer pro-
duction and use among the natives of
Alaska.

10

REINDEER EXPERIMENT STATION

Early in the winter the Alaska Rail-
road Co. constructed a_ substantial
house on the railroad right of way on
the campus of the Alaska Agricultural
College at Fairbanks and furnished it
as residence quarters for the reindeer
experiment station staff. Transfer to
these quarters was made on January 1.
Through the cooperation of the Alaska
Agricultural College, office space also
was provided in the main building of
the college. This provision of quarters
and office space for the experiment-sta-
tion staff has greatly facilitated pro-
gress in investigational work.

Fencing was completed on two pas-
ture areas of 32 and 325 aeres, respec-
tively, at the station, and three trans-
fer corrals and one shelter shed were
erected. In addition fences have been
started on four additional pastures of
390, 58, 72, and 20 acres. This equip-
ment at the station has been provided
with a view to handling about 75 rein-
deer and caribou for experimental in-
vestigations and_for inclosing a small
herd of buffalo from the national
bison range, Montana, to be kept under
observation there. The total station
area under fence at the present is 397
acres ; that in process of completion is
520 acres; leaving about 260 acres to
be fenced the coming year. Additional
lands have also been made available
by Executive order for use in the sta-
tion work.

REINDEER FORAGE STUDIES

Quadrat studies of forage were con-
tinued during the year, and additional
inclosures were established both in the
interior and on the Bering Sea coast.
These are designed to provide definite
information regarding vegetative suc-
cession and climaxes, as well as plant
reproduction and reaction under graz-
ing use, and should afford a basis for
conclusions regarding carrying capac-
ity and range management.

Three initial carrying-capacity pro-
jects on lichen range were completed
during the winter. These, supple
mented by lichen-feeding tests in the
feed lot, indicate a winter requirement
per animal of 20 to 30 acres, based on
the average range, and that probably
a 30-year recovery period will be neces-
sary. Further study on an extended
seale is necessary for a more definite
determination of both forage value and
recovery period.

Under the most favorable conditions
in feed lot or in pasture during light

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

snow cover, where the food was éasily
accesible the reindeer and earibou
held their own on the lichen diet or
made minor gains. Under severe con-

‘ditions, however, with the snow cover

about 2 feet in depth, where the ani-
mals were forced to rustle extensively
for their food they lost in weight, the
average loss per animal over an 84-day
period being 17 pounds. These tests
have demonstrated clearly that the
lichen forage is not a fattening food
but merely a convenient maintenance
forage for winter use. The lichen re-
quirement per head per day is 20 to 30
pounds, air-dry weight, for animals.
averaging about 175 pounds.

FEEDING EXPERIMENTS

Feeding studies have been continued
to determine the cultivated foodstuffs
that reindeer and caribou will eat and
the quantities required. This is in
preparation for further study as to the
economic possibilities of winter feeding
in connection with local farming opera-
tions and as to the effect of such feed-
ing on meat production. It has been
demonstrated that reindeer will thrive
on cultivated foods and may be fat-
tened as are other classes of livestock.
The effect of feeding balanced rations
is now being observed. It has been
shown by the tests conducted at the
station that the use of baled hay is not
economical, since about 50 per cent of
it is wasted. The use of prepared
foods, such as alfalfa meal and molas-
ses meal, is 50 to 60 per cent cheaper,
since all the food is eaten and the
freight cost is less. Records main-
tained indicate an annual requirement
per head of 3 pounds of salt on ground
feed or pasture, and 5 pounds on such
dry feed as hay and grain.

CROSSBREEDING WITH CARIBOU

Crossbreeding of reindeer with cari-
bou, including reciprocal crossing, has
been successfully initiated. Six fawns
from such crosses were born last
spring at the station. Their average
birth weight was 141% pounds, a dis-
tinct net gain of about 5 pounds over
that of the reindeer fawns, which
average only 914 pounds. Weighing
showed that on an average these fawns
double their weight in 15 days. Ob-
servations on the results of the caribou
crossbreeding experiments made on
Nunivak Island during the year also
indicate gain in size as a result of the
cross. The gestation period is 240
days. Normally does shed their horng

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

five to seven days after dropping the
fawn, and variations in this respect
indicate some abnormal condition. It
is believed that the crossbreeding with
caribou will prove of benefit not only
in increased size but also in greater
hardiness, spirit, and rustling ability.
The caribou doe proves to be a better
mother and better rustler than the
reindeer.

REINDEER PARASITES AND THEIR CONTROL

Important information on the life
history of the warble and nose flies af-
fecting reindeer was obtained at the
reindeer experiment station through
the collection and rearing of grubs.
This indicates that June 20 is about
the most important date for control
work, as it is the time of the last drop-
ping of grubs and the first hatching of
eggs. Information now available indi-
cates that moving the herd at this time
from the range where the fawns are
born and where the last dropping of
grubs oceurs, to a summer pasture 15
to 20 miles away, will greatly reduce
infestation.

Heavy infestation of reindeer by
nose grubs greatly reduces their vital-
ity and is at times fatal. The nose fly
has been found to be an even greater
menace to reindeer than the warble
fly. The latter nevertheless is exceed-
ingly troublesome, causing irritation
and loss of condition, and the deposi-
tion of larvae of blowflies in the open
wounds caused by warbles frequently
results in the death of the animals.

INVESTIGATIONS IN ECONOMIC
ORNITHOLOGY

LABORATORY TRV ESTEC TIONS OF THE FOOD OF

Hxamination has been completed of
all English sparrow stomachs on hand,
a total of more than 8,000. This brings
to a close laboratory work that has
been in progress intermittently for
nearly 10 years and makes available
for study a mass of material far
greater than has ever before been used
in determining the economic status of
a.single species of bird. It is more
than three times as great as the star-
ling material used as a basis for De-
partment Bulletin 868, and this was
more than the combined material
of all European investigators of this
bird, including Collinge, Newstead, and
Gilmour. This furnishes an idea of
the relative scope of the English spar-
row examination and that of studies
of the food habits of other birds. The

’ cation.

11

indexing and tabulation of the items
from the 8,000 stomach cards remain
to be completed before the information
will be in form available for publica-
tion: This is in itself a slow and
tedious piece of work that will take
months to complete.

During the year 1,555 stomachs and
61 pellets of birds were examined in
the laboratory. The majority of these
were from birds of prey, supplemented
by the stomachs of English sparrows
mentioned above, and of shore birds,
bobwhites, crows, and other species.
The birds of prey were of 32 species,
and their examination marks an im-
portant step toward the preparation
of a new bulletin on this economically
important group, Among this material
were several lots submitted by indi-
viduals and institutions interested in
the status of these birds, including
game officials of the State of Wash-
ington and of the Royal Ontario Mu-
seum of Zoology at Toronto, Canada.
Examinations also were made of stom-
ach material collected during the co-
operative study of quail in Georgia.

FOOD OF OTHER VERTEBRATES

There were examined also the stom-
achs of 263 mammals of 18 species
from six States and Alaska. Among
them were stomachs of prairie dogs,
deer, elk, seals, and a number of pred-
atory animals. Examination of rep
tile and amphibian material included
109 stomachs of alligators, snakes of
several kinds, and bullfrogs. In ad-
dition to the laboratory examinations
of stomachs, work on the economic
study of reptiles has been advanced
by the issuance of a revised edition
of a mimeographed circular on poison-
ous snakes. A popular article in the
1927 Yearbook discussed briefly the
food habits and economic status of
toads.

REPORTS ON INVESTIGATIONS

Manuscript for a farmers’ bulletin
on the European starling has been
brought to date and at the close of
the year was in the process of publi-
There was published a tech-
nical bulletin (No. 24) on The Magpie
in Relation to Agriculture, which dealt
not only with the economic status of
the bird, based on a study of its food
habits, but also included suggestions
for control measures where necessary.
This bulletin responds to a long-felt
need among ranchers, poultry raisers,
and bird students in the West, where
the magpie plays a rodle comparable

12

with that of the crow in the East.
Farmers’ Bulletin 755, Common Birds
of Southeastern United States in Re-
lation to Agriculture, was revised.
The economic status of several of. our
birds that at times are in need of'
eontrol was briefly treated in a mimeo-
graphed circular, issued for the use of
field men of the bureau, and setting
forth logical policies for the curtail-
ment of damage, with a view to uni-
formity in handling matters of this
kind throughout the country.

On the basis of field work in 1925
and 1926 and subsequent laboratory
examination of about 1,300 stomachs,
a manuscript has been prepared for
a technical bulletin on the relation
of blackbirds to the rice crop in the
Gulf coast area. An article cn Black-
bird Control in Grain Areas in the
1926 Yearbook was also based largely
on this investigation.

LOCAL STUDIES OF runt ous AND BENEFICIAL
R

CROWS IN ILLINOIS

For a number of years crows in
southern Illinois have been inflicting
severe damage on the corn crop raised
on bottom lands adjacent to the Wa-
bash and Ohio Rivers. Appeals have
been made for aid in lessening these
annual losses, and campaigns of whole-
sale destruction urged. Although re-
duction in the number of crows usu-
ally can be most economically effected
during the winter months, when food
searcity tends to force these birds to
take baits and enter traps, a study in-
dicated that winter conditions in
southern Illinois were not well suited
fer such operations. Light snowfall,
little frost, and an abundance of food
in abandoned or incompletely har-
vested fields of corn all conspire to
make crow control there extremely dif-
ficult. So adverse were conditions that
attempts to trap for banding even
limited numbers of crows to deter-
mine individual migratory movements
proved unprofitable.

BIRD ENEMIES OF CELERY PESTS:

Study of the relation
the leaf tyer and other insect pests of
celery was continued in Florida in the
spring of 1928. With the insects ap-
pearing in reduced, and thus more
nearly normal, numbers than during
the previous spring, the observations
on the habits of birds were considered
particularly valuable. Though less
conspicuous work was done by palm
warblers and tree swallows than dur-

of birds to:

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

ing the previous year, when there was:
a great abundance of the insect, these
birds, together with bobolinks and red-

‘winged blackbirds, were rendering ex-

cellent service in destroying celery
pests. This is especially noteworthy,
since in the South the two birds last
named are themselves frequently re-
garded as pests where rice crops are
ripening and being harvested.

BIRD ENEMIES OF CHESTNUT WEEVILS

In the first year (1926) of the proj-
ect of increasing bird foes of chestnut
weevils, carried on in cooperation with
the Bureau of Plant Industry in the
experimental chestnut orchard at Bell,
Md., a total of 17 broods of birds was
produced in the approximately 50 bird
houses erected on a tract of 214 aeres.
In 1927, with the same equipment, the
number of broods rose to 40. In the
spring of 1928 the nest boxes were
doubled in number, and the experi-
mental area correspondingly increased
in size. The results attained up to the
1st of July with this added equipment
gave indication of a still greater re-
sponse on the part of the birds, one
that can be fully appraised, howeyer,
only at the close of the nesting season.

WILD-FOWL DISEASE AND FOOD INVESTIGATIONS

. DUCK MALADY IN THE WEST

Attempt was made during the sum-
mer of 1927 to diagnose the cause of
duck mortality in southern Oregon,
where on several oceasions large num-
bers of ducks have perished under cir-
cumstances that indicated a cause
other than alkali poisoning. The out-
break of the duck malady was toa
limited to permit a full investigation,
but enough was learned to show
that although alkali was present, it
may not have been the sole cause.
Evidence pointed to a possible combi-
nation of agencies, some of which may
not have been present at Great Salt
Lake, Utah, where, a few years ago,
alkali was found to be the source of
the trouble.

FOOD RESOURCES OF WILD FOWL

The survey of the wild-fowl food re-
sources of the upper Mississippi River
wild life and fish refuge has been com-
pleted as far south as Prairie du Chien,
Wis. The past year’s work included
the surveying and reporting on fully
250 lakes and sloughs and the sum-
marizing of data on some of the major
areas of the refuge. Progress was

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

made also upon the survey of the very
numerous lakes and marshes of the
State of Minnesota, a project that will
probably be completed in another sea-
son’s field work. Reports on the work
in former years in Montana, North
Dakota, and Missouri still await pub-
lication.

Special investigations of the wild-
fowl food resources were made in two
localities in South Carolina, two in
North Carolina, and one each in Geor-
gia, Virginia, Michigan, and Ontario.
The Virginia-North Carolina inspec-
tion related to Back Bay and Curri-
tuck Sound, localities over which
sportsmen have been much concerned
because of damage there by salt water
to the food plants of wild fowl. The
supply of wild-duck foods was found
better than in other recent years, but
consisted almost entirely of a single
species, Sago pondweed, which has con-
siderable resistance to salt. Appar-
ently the improved conditions noted
are due mainly to heavy rainfall dur-
ing the growing season, and the men-
ace to Back Bay and Currituck Sound
as winter homes for wild fowl] will
probably continue so long as there is a
flow of salt water into them.

STUDIES OF OTHER GAME BIRDS
COOPERATIVE QUAIL INVESTIGATION

Excellent progress was made in all
phases of the quail study being con-
ducted in southern Georgia in coopera-
tion with a committee of sportsmen
interested in the betterment of quail
conditions. A large part of the inves-
tigational work was concluded by
March, 1928, though plans have been
made to continue certain experiments
and studies during part or all of the
following fiscal year, at the conclusion
of which it is planned to publish a
final report. Analyses of the stomach
contents of nearly 400 additional quail
gave further insight into the food
preferences of these birds, and this
will assist in making recommendations
for the propagation of suitable food-
producing plants.

During the summer of 1927 every
effort was made to perfect the ‘ adop-
tion system” of artificial quail propa-
gation that has been used on a pro-
ductive seale by five privately financed
ventures in the vicinity of the field
headquarters of this study. Eggs are
obtained and incubated by the usual
methods, but as soon as the chicks
are hatched they are taken from the

13

bantams and given in batches of a
dozen to 15 to cock quail that have
previously been captured afield. The
chicks are promptly adopted and
cared for perfectly, and when a week
old are released with their foster
fathers. This system is proving to be
an easily workable one under condi-
tions prevailing on southern quail
preserves.

_ Nesting studies of the quail were
concluded late in the summer of 1927,
bringing the total of nests studied up
to 602. Results of this phase of the
project have been already analyzed
and will be detailed in the manuscript
of the final report.

Considerable time was devoted
to the study of the parasites of
quail, especially intestinal parasites.
Through a cooperative arrangement
with the Bureau of Animal Industry
a specialist was detailed for a period
of approximately two months to the
headquarters of the investigation at
Beachton, Ga., where she studied the
life histories of nematodes and. ces-
todes prevalent in quail. One of the
field assistants of the investigation
spent some time also on the Virginia
State game farm to observe the dis-
eases and parasites of the young
birds.

As the investigation is nearing its
close, the banding of quail has been
largely discontinued. Approximately
100 returns of banded quail were re-
ported during the year as a result of
shooting or trapping, and additional
information obtained as to the move-
ment of both the native and the intro-
duced Mexican quail.

PROPAGATION OF GAME BIRDS

Two game farms were inspected
during the year, and a preliminary
manuscript revision was made of the
Farmers’ Bulletin on Propagation of
Game Birds. It is planned to issue
the new publication in two parts, one
devoted to the upland game birds and
the other to the aquatic. Findings
from last year’s study of methods
used in game-bird rearing establish-
ments in Hurope have been incorpo-
rated in the new reports, and three
other manuscripts on species suitable
for introduction, on duck ponds, and
on systems of game management,
based in part on information obtained
during the European investigations,
have been prepared for outside pub-
lication,

14

INTRODUCTION OF GAME BIRDS

In addition to the bulletin issued to
summarize information on wild birds
introduced or transplanted in North
America, a manuscript was prepared
on game birds suitable for introduction
into the United States. These reports
eover both historical and current
theoretical and practical aspects of a
problem that is of great interest, par-
ticularly to sportsmen.

INVESTIGATIONS OF FUR RESOURCES
CONSERVATION OF FUR ANIMALS

Various constructive conservation
programs are serving to maintain
many fur animals in the wild. State
and other programs have accomplished
a’ great deal, but much remains yet to
be done. In performing its part in
this work the Bureau of Biological
Survey has sent specialists to attend a
number of meetings in various parts of
the country of societies interested in
fur animals and other wild life, and
these have made special effort to put
before the public the need of well-
systematized fur-protective activities.
The characteristics of various fur
animals, their relative abundance, and
their distribution have been brought to
the attention of the fur trade by a
series of monthly articles in the official
organ of the National Association of
the Fur Industry. Information of an
educational nature has been distributed
in cooperation with this association in
the form of a booklet for School use
that deseribes the life habits and util-
ity of various animals for fur. Lan-
tern-slide lectures and radio talks also
were given. In the introduction to
Farmers’ Bulletin No. 1552, Fur Laws
for the Season 1927-28, it is pointed
out that our natural fur resources are
steadily diminishing.

FUR-FARMING INVESTIGATIONS

Along with the nation-wide effort to
eonserve wild life, the raising of wild
animals in captivity has continued to
grow. It has been evident during the
past year even more than previously
that fur farming is rapidly developing
into a stable, sound, and businesslike
industry. Not all fur animals are suit-
able for raising in pens, but attempts
have been made with most of them. A
leaflet entitled “ Recommendations to
Beginners in Fur Farming,” first is-
sued in mimeographed form, has been
prepared for general distribution.

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FUR-FARMING IN ALASKA

Under an agreement between the

‘Governor of Alaska and the depart-

ment, work among the fur farmers of
Alaska is being conducted by a vet-
erinarian selected by the Biological
Survey with a view to the betterment
of conditions. The veterinarian in-
spects as many fur farms as possible,
maintains contact with fur-farming
projects under extremely varied condi-
tions, and furnishes specialized infor-
mation to the ranchers. His efforts
are particularly directed toward more
efficient methods of feeding, . control
of diseases and parasites through san-
itation and treatment, and improving
housing conditions.

(“DISEASES OF FUR ANIMALS

The concentration of large numbers
of foxes and other fur animals on
small areas has given the infectious
diseases to which these animals are
subject the opportunity to assume epi-
zootic proportions, and heavy losses on
some farms have been encountered. In
an effort to be of the greatest assist-
ance to fox ranchers in controlling
these outbreaks it was necessary to
study the causative organisms, the
progress of the diseases, and protec-
tive measures. A 5-year cooperative
agreement was entered into with the
University of Minnesota, where con-
siderable work on this project had been
already in progress. The facilities
provided at the medical school of the
university have enabled the workers to
observe epizootics on several ranches
in that part of the country from the
time of their onset to their termina-
tion. Several hundred foxes were
given detailed post-mortem examina-
tions, and laboratory studies were
made of practically all the organs of
the body, together with the patho-
genic organisms obtained.

Two distinct infectious diseases of
high virulence are recognized in foxes,
and preliminary tests indicate the pos-
sibility of immunizing the animals. A
preliminary nontechnical presentation
of the parasitic and other diseases of
foxes, including the so-called distem-
per, appeared in the 1927 Yearbook of
the department. Further tests on a
large scale are in progress.

FUR ANIMAL EXPERIMENT STATION

At Saratoga Springs, N. Y., the
Bureau of Biological Survey main-
tains its fur animal experiment sta-
tion, where extensive experiments on
methods and practices in raising vari-

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

ous fur animals in captivity have been
conducted. Before the establishment
of the rabbit experiment station at
Fontana, Calif., studies had been be-
gun at the fur animal experiment sta-
tion to determine the relative rate of
growth of young rabbits of different
breeds on various rations. Weights
were recorded at intervals of a few
days to learn the ages at which the
most rapid growth was made and the
most profitable development reached.
Differences in climate, food, and other
factors in the two sections will afford
considerable comparative data for use
in making recommendations on the
management and care of rabbits.

Studies have been continued of the
various factors influencing the quality
of pelts of foxes, including compari-
sons of rations and changes in man-
agement. The influence of diet on
breeding animals was studied, and cer-
tain significant facts were developed
that may explain the frequent failure
of foxes to reproduce. A mimeo-
graphed leaflet entitled ‘“ Feeding Vix-
ens and Pups,’ made available for
distribution during the year, describes
the feeding methods recommended.

Crosses of various strains of foxes
were made with the view to determine
means of avoiding objectionable fea-
tures in the offspring and the possibil-
ity of fixing desirable qualities. This
project was somewhat handicapped by
lack of animals of the necessary qual-
ity. It is desirable that several foxes
having the desired characteristics be
obtained to supplement the stock now
on hand.

The silver fox is the principal spe-
cies being raised in captivity for its
fur alone. During this year the impor-
tations of foxes from Canada showed a
decided decrease. On the other hand,
a number of large exportations of sil-
ver foxes as well as other animals were
made to various European countries.
For the information of an increasing
number of interested persons, a leaflet
(No. 8) entitled ‘Mink Raising,” was
published during the year, and a mime-
ographed leaflet, Raising Raccoons,
also was issued. The raccoon, marten,
skunk, and muskrat seem tolerant of
captivity, but it is questionable
whether the muskrat and some of the
others can be profitably raised under
pen conditions. A growing interest in
the raising of muskrats on natural
marsh areas is resulting in frequent
ealls for advice regarding their food
plants, the type of marsh land best
adapted for their use, and habits, en-
emies, and diseases. Mimeographed

15

leaflets on the care of ferrets and on
the care of white mice and rats were
revised and reissued to supplement cor-
respondence.

Karakul sheep are being raised in
different parts of the country, and in-
vestigations indicate that they will
become a valuable addition to the
group of animals raised under fenced
conditions for their pelts.

Rabbits are among the most numer-
ous of fur animals now being raised in
captivity, the distribution of the in-
dustry including every State. They
are raised for a twofold purpose, as
they can be utilized both for food and
for fur.

Parasitic diseases, which in some
degree are common to practically all
fox ranches, have been given special
attention. Since almost every animal
must be treated a number of times dur-
ing its life for worms, fleas, or mites,
it is important that the simplest and
most efficient methods be determined.
Lungworms appear to be increasingly
numerous and widespread in this coun-
try, and a satisfactory treatment for
them has not been developed. At-
tempts at mechanical removal of these
worms from the trachea have been
made, in most cases successfully, and
the animals were partially relieved.
This method, however, is far from
ideal, and further investigations are
planned.

Studies have been made of the breed-
ing habits of martens in captivity, and
five additional animals have been pur-
chased for experimental work. A pro-
gress report on the marten-breeding
experiments of the survey was pre
pared in the bureau and published in
November in the Journal of Heredity.
A leaflet (No. 6), briefly stating the
history and location of the experiment
station and its chief accomplishments,
was published early in the year, under
the title ‘‘ Experimental Fur Farm of
the Biological Survey.”

RABBIT EXPERIMENT STATION

The recent extensive development of
the rabbit industry in this country led
to a cooperative project at the close
of the preceding fiscal year between
the department, the National Rabbit
Federation, and a local corporation in-
terested in raising rabbits, for the
maintenance of a rabbit experiment
station at Fontana, Calif. The sta-
tion consists of 5 acres of land, on
which is a residence, an administra-
tive building with offices and labora-
tory, rabbit buildings, hutches, and

16

other equipment. It was furnished
and stocked with rabbits at the ex-
pense of these cooperators of the de-
partment.
cperated by the Bureau of Biological
Survey, and attempts are being made
there, as well as at the fur-animal ex-
periment station in New York, to as-
certain the most economical and prac-
tical methods of feeding, housing, and
raising the various utility breeds of
rabbits. Leaflet No, 15, Rabbit-House
Construction, and No. 22, Chinchilla
Rabbits for Food and Fur, were pub-
lished to facilitate the distribution of
information called for along these
lines.

RESEARCH IN ERADICATION METHODS

ANNUAL REPORTS

Predatory animals, such as coyotes,
wolves, mountain lions, and bobcats,
have been the cause of millions of dol-
lars loss every year to livestock in the
so-called range States ever since the
time of the early settlers. Beneficial
forms of wild life also have suffered
by the depredation of these animals.
Enormous losses also haye been in-
flicted on agricultural crops by such in-
jurious rodents asi prairie dogs, ground
squirrels, jack rabbits, field mice,
pocket gophers, and rats—not only in
the western agricultural regions, but
in the Hast also, where many of these
rodents, such as field mice, wood-
chucks, and rats, have given the
farmer much concern and still cause
great loss.

ERADICATION METHODS LABCRATORY

Investigational work for the develop-
ment of improved and _ economical
methods in control operations against
these destructive animals was con-
ducted throughout the year at the
eradication methods laboratory main-
tained by the bureau at Denver, Colo.
Much information was gained on the
efficiency of the various poisons em-
ployed, and control methods were im-
proved. Particular attention was
given to the use of thallium sulphate
as a poison, and to the various com-
pounds of strychnine, both in sulphate
and alkaloid form. Reports on the
characteristics and use of red squill
and thallium sulphate in the control
of injurious rodents were completed
for publication as technical bulletins.

LEADERSHIP IN WILD-LIFE CONTROL

During the last week of April a con-
ference of leaders in rodent and preda-
tory-animal control was held at Ogden,

The station is now being’

OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Utah, the first meeting of the kind
since 1919. Of outstanding importance
among the accomplishments was the
development of detailed policies to be
followed in the conduct of control
operations, including preliminary re-
search work. When fully operative,
this will effect considerable economies
of time and funds, and even before the
close of the year it had permitted an
extension of control work without in-
creased financial resources.

Other definite recommendations made
at the conference will mean consid-
erable improvement in the laboratory
and field methods. Realignment of the
present personnel in keeping with these
recommendations will permit the em-
ployment. of an administrative officer
for the laboratory, an experienced
pharmacologist, and five field investi-
gators. The extension thus made pos-
sible in the personnel of the eradica-
tion-methods project will centralize in-
vestigational work in control methods,
thus giving district leaders more time
for actual control operations.

At the conference of field leaders the
policy to be followed was definitely
stated to be one of control of injurious
wild life rather than of eradication.
The fact remains that the bureau must
work for the eradication of certain
species locally where their destructive-
ness is so impressive that no other
policy of handling them is permissible.
For example, the gray wolf and the
prairie dog are so deleterious to agri-
culture and stock raising that their
presence in some localities can not be
tolerated. Other species, such as the
coyote and the ground squirrel are so
prolific and occur over such wide areas
that their extermination, even if de-
sired, would be impossible. The Bu-
reau of Biological Survey is not em-
barked upon a general extermination
program, and the main objective is so
to control the predatory animals and
rodent pests as to reduce economic
losses to a minimum.

COOPERATIVE CONTROL OPERATIONS

The importance of controlling in-
jurious wild-mammal pests can not be
overemphasized. The Bureau of Bio-
logical Survey has been constantly
called upon for additional assistance
in control operations, but the resources
at its disposal have not permitted an
extension of cooperative work. No re-
quest for assistance received during
the year, however, has failed to receive
attention—the individual was given as-
sistance either through correspondence
or by actual field demonstration. It

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

is becoming more noticeable each year,
however, that if control] measures as
developed by the Bureau of Biological
Survey are to be effective, it is impera-
tive to get into close touch with all
possible cooperators and to furnish
them with expert assistance. In-
creased personnel throughout the coun-
try is desirable to meet the demands
for leadership of this kind. Trained
leadership in field operations has been
a great factor in the development of
efficient hunters, trappers, and poison
operators.

COOPERATIVE FUNDS AVAILABLE

Federal and cooperative funds avail-
able during the year permitted organ-
ized field work on the control of preda-
tory animals and injurious rodents
in 18 States. Federal funds totaled
$477,880, of which $22,718 was used in
research work at the eradication meth-
ods laboratory ; $278,939 in control of
predatory animals; and $176,223 in the
control of rodents and other small
animal pests. Cooperative funds from
14 of these States aggregated $347,556,
and in addition, cooperating counties,
livestock associations, and individuals
within the respective States raised
$679,065, making a total of $1,026,621
in cooperative funds, of which $432,359
was expended for the control of preda-
tory animals, and $594,262 for rodent
control. Approximately $1,481,773 was
used in control Operations under the
leadership of the Bureau of Biological
Survey, of which $455,162 was from
the Federal Treasury. Table 1 gives a

17

summary of cooperative funds used dur-
ing the year.

PREDATORY-ANIMAL CONTROL

Greatly extended operations are es-
sential in the range States, if the
prcblems in predatory-animal control
are to be solved. That the stock in-
terests in these States look to the Fed-
eral Government for more adequate
and equalized expenditure is evident
from the annual resolutions of State
livestock associations as well as cor-
respondence received from hundreds
of private stockmen. The Federal
Government should provide more ade-
quate financial support whenever prac-
ticable, particularly since there still
exists in large numbers on the Federal
domain a heayy infestation of preda-
tory animals, which eventually invade
private and State lands and are taking
a $20,000,000 annual toll from the pro-
ducers of livestock and poultry.

WOLVES AND COYOTES

At the request of the Governor of
Alaska, following an appropriation of
$10,000 for the purpose of cooperation
with the Bureau of Biological Survey
in predatory-animal control, one of the
bureau’s experts was detailed to the
Territory to make a study of the best
method of attacking the predatory-
animal situation there. Wolves and
coyotes in Alaska are committing seri-
ous depredations on deer, mountain
sheep, fur bearers, and on many of the
game birds, including ducks and
ptarmigans.

TABLE. 1.— Cooperative funds made available for use in campaigns against wild
animal pests in cooperation with the Bureau of Biological Survey

ten Total rodent and predatory-
Rodent work Predatory-animal work omsneil aan
States
Other | Other Other
State SOLITCES Total State EOnCaS Total State | ROnicne Total
: |

Arizona st ittriee oe \$14, 999 | $67,758 | $82,757 | $14, 998 | $1,163 | $16,161 | $29,997 | $68,921 | $98, 918
@alifomias22 2... eae ee 259, 890 | 259, 890 19,966 | 46,970 | 66,936 19, 966 | 306,860 | 326, 826
Colorado --.-- 605 12, 874 13, 479 | 497 | 22,734 23, 231 1,102 | 35,608 36, 710
Tdaho-___ 7,4 17, 434 4,436 | 40, 385 44, 821
Be seas Se eee ee eS! TOO Ns le ee iq GOON ot) see Sy eres fel ce D2; QOL by eee! bape: 12, 901
Montana-_-__-_-- 30,250 | 25,476 | 30,688 | 56, 164
Nevada. _.___-_- 16,980 | 18,479 |.-__-.___ 18, 479
New Mexico___- 35,406 | 62,954 | 15,279 | 78,233
Ofegon:s S32. 10, 476 5, 535 16, 011 | 19,074 | 19,944 39,018 | 29,550) 25,479 55, 029
South Dakota_- eee ee 1, 242 W242 le MD R195, s ea 15, 195 15, 195 | 1,242 16, 4387
"RExds'= 2 oo 6, 134 37,002 | 43,136 | 24,782 50, 543 75, 325 30,916 | 87,545 | 118,461
Utahiil bs 2 5,045,222 ees BtO45t |"! 80/355: eee ves 30,355 | 35,400 |__-__.___ | 35,400
Ww ashington ia 2,879 | 31,431 34,310 | 36,148 | 2,199 38, 347 39, 027 33, 630 72, 657
Wivoming = 2 393 2=-) | 5, 268 18, 866 24, 134 16,889 | 10,832 | 27,721 22,157 | 29,698 51, 855

Eastern United | |
States.) Nae rrs2)e 8973061)! 3!730))|5_ 3 ules (See e ieee, Hace meee | 3,780] 3,730
spect | 1 ——
Motales= ou = 22 91,790 | 502,472 | 594, 262 | 255, 766 | 176,593 | 432, 359 | 347, 556 | 679, 065 |1, 026, 621

14833—28——_3

18

Predatory-animal control operations
were carried on in al! the States from
Montana to Texas and westward, and
also in South Dakota. Organized co-
operative work was inaugurated be-
fore the close of the year in Oklahoma
and Arkansas, States in which wolves
Aas well aS coyotes are causing severe
depredations on wild game, domestic
stock, and poultry. Coyote control was
carried on to a limited extent also in
southwestern Kansas and on _ the
Niobrara Federal game reservation in
Nebraska. In illustration of the suc-
cess of the work it may be cited that
in western Colorado one woolgrower,
who lost 60 lambs and 8 ewes dur-
ing lambing operations a year ago,
states that on account of control work
of Biological Survey hunters on this
particular range, during the past year
he lost only 1 lamb. Ue stated also
that he had enjoyed the added advan-
tage of being able to let his ewes and
lambs run loose without molestation.

In Coos County, Oreg., the county
agent reports an increase in sheep of
more than 300 per cent, due entirely
to the control of coyotes by poisoning
methods conducted by the survey.
Likewise, in Josephine County, Oreg.,
the county agent cites a substantial in-
erease in the turkey business since the
inauguration of coyote campaigns
there. Forty-eight stockmen in 16
counties in Utah report greatly yre-
duced coyote depredations on their
ranges as a result of the work of sur-
vey hunters. In one Texas county a
Biological Survey hunter killed a fe-
male wolf that within a yeal’s time
had destroyed $5,000 worth of regis-
tered sheep and goats. In another
county two wolves responsible for a
$2,000 loss in livestock in 12 months,
as well as a female coyote that had
caused a loss of $1,200 by similar
depredations, were killed.

The coyote is probably the most ag-
gressive of the predatory species and
continues to present the major preda-
tory-animal problem on western cattle
and sheep ranges. It can maintain
itself in the face of advancing civili-
zation and through the persistent war-
fare conducted against it by inexperi-
enced individuals, it is becoming wary
of man’s traps. As a result, control
is extremely difficult in certain sec-
tions of the West. The coyote is a
prolific breeder, and often an area in
which complete control has been at-
tained may become reinfested in a
very short time. During the past year
more complaint than heretofore has
been received from cattlemen of losses

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE

of young calves by the coyote, one
ranchman near Greenland, Colo., re-
porting the destruction of 100 young
calves through its depredations, Such

‘ground-nesting birds as grouse, ducks,

and quail also are its constant victims.
The control of this predator in areas
of heavy infestation is possible only
by coordinated action of Federal.
State, and private agencies.

The gray wolf is under control in
all States west of the one-hundredth
ineridian. The small red wolf of east-
eri Texas, however, is still the cause
of severe depredations on livestock,
but marked progress toward its con-
trol has been made during the year.

The total number of coyotes de-
stroyed during the year, for which
skins or sealps were actually obtained,
was 35,709; gray wolves, 11; and red
wolves, 716. In addition, it is es-
timated that 48,000 coyotes were de-
stroyed by the use of poisons but not
recovered.

MOUNTAIN LIONS

Biological Survey hunters disposed
of 218 mountain lions during the
year—i8 in Utah, 17 in Oregon, 23 in
Montana, 38 in New Mexico, 108 in
Arizona, and 15 in other States. In
Arizona the figure given brings the
grand total of mountain lions killed
in the State in 12 years to 910.

BEARS

In the course of the year it became
necessary to kill 226 bears known to
prey on livestock. Bears in general
are not predatory in their habits and
are usually classed as game. Individ-
uals, however, that become predatory
must be destroyed. The policy of the
Biological Survey regarding the bear
is to establish definitely that an indi-
vidual has become addicted to stock-
killing before it is considered preda-
tory. The policy was detailed in a
popular article, Bears Sometimes Un-
justly Blamed as Stock Killers, pre-
pared in the bureau and published in
the 1927 Yearbook.

In Alaska the large brown and griz-
wily bears are classed as game animals
and may be taken legitimately only
during open seasons. The black bear
is classed as a fur animal and may be
taken in the open trapping season
throughout the Territory except in the
northern part of fur district No. 2,
where, because of local depredations,
it may be taken at any time. There
has been, and still is, some complaint
regarding the menace of the Alaska

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

brown bear and the grizzly to life and
property. The regulations under the
Alaska game law concerning the tak-
ing of these animals provide that “ any
person may kill a large brown or griz-
zly bear at any time when such animal
is about to attack or molest persons or
property, or when found within half
a mile of a residence or human habi-
tation.”

It is felt that this regulation gives
wide latitude to those who may en-
counter dangerous or destructive in-
dividuals of the species in question.
In general, the testimony from reliable
sources throughout Alaska is to the ef-
fect that the large brown and grizzly
bears, with but few exceptions, avoid
mankind as much as possible and that
mauling or actual killing of human be-
ings by unmolested bears rarely occurs.

BOBCATS AND CANADA LYNXES

Bobeats and lynxes are the source
of considerable loss to livestock, es-
pecially to sheep during the lambing
season, but are readily brought under
control by trained hunters. During
the year 4,838 bobcats and 40 lynxes
were taken in the States in which
predatory-animal control was under-

taken by the bureau.

CONTROL OF RODENTS AND OTHER SMALL
MMALS

Organized rodent-control operations
were carried on during the year under
the leadership of the Biological Survey
in 18 States, and educational work in
10 others. The operations benefited
several Hastern States, including North
Carolina, which was this year added to
the list.

In the field operations 3,306,000
pounds of poisoned bait, 141,580 pounds
of calcium cyanide, and 626,463 pounds
of carbon disulphide were used in con-
trolling rodent pests on 14,545,591 acres
of land. Besides other poisons, more
than 88,000 ounces of strychnine were
used in preparing bait, of which 74,000
ounces were purchased through the
bureau from the manufacturers at a
Saving to cooperators of approximately
$37,000. The saving under this plan al-
lowed the cooperative funds available
to be used in more extensive opera-
tions.

Control work was carried on in co-
operation with such other agencies as
agricultural colleges, State departments
of agriculture, county agricultural
agents and other county officials, and
4 farmers’ and stockmen’s associations;

19

and with the Extension. Service and
the Forest Service of this department ;
the Office of Indian Affairs and the
Bureau of Reclamation, of the Interior
Department; and with individual
farmers and stockmen. The coopera-
tion received from these agencies, in-
eluding work, materials, and money, is
very gratifying, the funds being more
than three times the amount expended
by the bureau from Federal appro-
priations.

The importance of the results may
be judged from replies to a question-
naire ‘mailed to 4,018 cooperators in
one State. These estimated that as a
result of the year’s work in rodent con-
trol in that State alone there was a

saving in crops, range grasses, and
fruit trees of $474,235.
Rodents are of numerous species

and they are so widely distributed that
uncontrolled their damage to farm
erops and forage would be appalling.
A comprehensive rodent-control pro-
gram, more drastic than present funds
permit, is called for. Much has been
accomplished, but very much remains
to be done.

GROUND SQUIRRELS

Ground squirrels of various species
are generally distributed over the area
west of the Mississippi River, and in
Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and In-
diana. Their destructiveness. to agri-
culture consists mainly in damage to
growing grain, forage crops, and gar-
den vegetables. Practically every crop
grown on the farms in. the infested
areas is subject, to damage by them.
In irrigated sections they also bur-
row through the embankments of ¢ca-
nals and dams and cause their de-
struction and the ruin of crops on
adjacent agricultural lands.. Much loss
is sustained also in their consumption
of forage on the open ranges. Ac--
cording to signed statements made by
4,037 farmers in one Western State
alone, during the years 1918, 1919, and
1920, there would have been a total
annual loss from ground squirrels of
$2,087,742 in farm crops. on 638,971
acres, or an average of $3.26 an acre,
practically all of which was prevented
by the cooperative work with the sur-
vey. Hstimates obtained this year
from farmers in various localities of
Montana, where the infestation av-
erages five or more ground squirrels
to the acre, indicate that each ground
squirrel can destroy during a season
75 cents worth of grain, or at the rate
of $3.75 an acre.

20

The Biological Survey. carried on
campaigns to control the depredations
of ground squirrels in all States west
of the Great Plains, and in Kansas and
South Dakota. Excellent financial
and other cooperation was received,
and. in most cases losses in agricul-
tural crops were kept at a mini-
mum. In this work 2,690,479 pounds
of poisoned bait, together with 119,868
pounds of calcium cyanide and 610,580
pounds of carbon disulphide, were used
on a total of 11,104,749 acres. Of
these quantities 103,715 pounds of poi-
sohed bait were furnished by the bu-
reau and used on 862,731 acres of Fed-
eral land, most of which was on na-
tional forests and other public domain.

The destruction of ground squirrels
on public domain adjacent to private
holdings is of great importance in
many localities in the West. These
Federal lands are a center of infesta-
tion. and if the pests are not controlled
there, permanent relief is impossible
on adjacent property. The bureau is
bandicapped in its work on Federal
lands by lack of sufficient funds, and
only a comparatively small acreage
now infested can be treated.

One of the real accomplishments in
cooperative ground-squirrel control
during the year was the establishment
of a central bait-mixing station in the
Idaho district, similar to smaller sta-
tions that have been in operation in
other districts. Such a station assures
a district good poisoned bait uniformly
mixed, and makes available at all
times adequate quantities at the low-
est possible cost. Savings made pos-
sible by the central plant come from
the use of machinery and low-priced
labor on such routine work as mixing,
sacking, and distributing, thus afford-
ing field leaders, county agents, and
other cooperators more time for field
work. The saving to the bureau and
to the extension service in Idaho in
time and reduced cost of materials
amounted to more than $3,000 for the
season, in addition to savings effected
for other cooperators. Between March
15 and June 30° more than 175,000
pounds of mixed bait were handled,
and 75 per cent of it was delivered by
truck direct to ecooperators at various
points in the State.

PRAIRIE DOGS

Prairie dogs of several species are
distributed over the Plains States and
westward to the foothills of the Rocky
Mountains, as well as in Utah, New
Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona. They

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

cause serious loss in farm crops, but
probably inflict the greatest damage
on range forage. In control operations
463,049 pounds of poisoned bait, 2,960
pounds of calcium cyanide, and 5,000
pounds of carbon disulphide were used
on a total of 2,484,011 acres in Ari-
zona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, New
Mexico, South Dakota. Texas, Utah,
and Wyoming. In this work 96,814
pounds of poisoned bait were used on
673,360 acres of Federal land. In sey-
eral of these States extensive areas
have been cleared of prairie dogs, re-
sulting in a material saving to the live-
stock and farming industries. One
stockman of Arizona reported that
“poisoning prairie dogs on my range
saved me about $2,000 worth of grass.”
Another reported, “I estimate we
Saved over $5,000 by clearing prairie
dogs from 4,200 acres.’ Conditions
regarding the treatment of Federal
lands in the control of ground squirrels
apply also in the case of prairie dogs.

JACK RABBITS

Jack rabbits inhabit practically all
of the territory west of the Mississippi
River and are responsible for consid-
erable loss in farm crops, particularly
in alfalfa and grain, and also in range
grasses and fruit. In the Southwest
they do considerable damage to cotton
plants. During the winter they de
stroy hay in the stack, and in summer
consume a large quantity of forage on
the range. The heaviest damage 0c-
curs during periods of extended
drought. That rabbits destroyed 40
tons of hay in the stack on one farm
during a winter season is shown by
court records in Lincoln County, Idaho.
Midland County, Tex., alone records a
less of $95,000 this year from reduced
cotton yield from their depredations.
In orchards the rabbits girdle the trees
and eat the bark in winter, when other
food is searee.

Operations for the control of jack
rabbits, conducted in 13 States during
the year, resulted in the protection of
large crop areas. An example of this
protection is furnished in a_ report
from one cooperator in Arizona as fol-
lows: “I estimate that you saved $80,-
000 worth of cotton for us in this dis-
trict by assisting us in poisoning jack
rabbits.” Many other reports of simi-
lar nature have been received.

A continuance of efforts begun last
year by field men of the bureau to
market wild-rabbit skins gave added
impetus to the cooperative control of
jack rabbits. During this year more.

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

than $160,000 was received in this way
by cooperators in Colorado, Idaho,
Kansas, Montana, South Dakota, Utah,
and Wyoming. If a profitable market
for these skins is maintained, the prob-
lem of controlling jack rabbits will to
a large extent be simplified.

POCKET GOPHERS

Pocket gophers of various species
are distributed over much of the United
States and become a serious farm and
orchard pest in many localities. They
not only eat growing grain but cover
much more of it with soil. Their bur-
rows and mounds prevent close mow-
ing and interfere with and break ma-
chinery, and their burrows in irriga-
tion ditches result in deep gullies on
sloping land, waste of water, and inter-
ference with its distribution. They
cause costly breaks in dams and em-
bankments of irrigation canals. An
orange grove in Arizona was sold at
a loss of $10,000 because of damage by
pocket gophers to the tree roots. The
owner of another grove had his net
annual income cut $2,500 when he lost
250 trees from pocket-gopher work. A
break in an irrigation canal near Gila
Bend, Ariz., caused by pocket gophers,
resulted in a $35,000 crop loss and re-
quired nearly $5,000 for repairs.

Cooperative campaigns for the con-
trol of pocket gophers carried on in
15 States afforded protection to large
areas of forage and grain crops and
fruit and forest trees, as well as to
irrigation water. It is well to give
typical examples of the protection af-
forded: An irrigation-district superin-
tendent at Tuscon, Ariz., reported,
“We have poisoned pocket gophers on
our irrigation project the past four
years under the management of your
assistant and have had splendid results.
I would estimate the saving at at least
$4,000.” A date grower reports an
estimated saving of $10,000 worth of
date palms through pocket-gopher con-
trol work. A farmer says: ‘“ Saving
from pocket-gopher poisoning on 540
acres estimated at $1,200.” On the
Nebraska National Forest 14,000 acres
of pine plantations were treated in co-
operation with the Forest Service, and
the damage by pocket gophers was
checked, whereas in the past 25 years
about a third of all trees planted had
been killed by the rodents.

A two-reel motion-picture
Million-Dollar Pockets, graphically
depicting methods of coping with
pocket gophers, was released during
the year and has been shown in prac-

film,

21

tically every State in which the bu-
reau is conducting control operations.
The film has stimulated great interest
and has accomplished much in bring-
ing before the public the necessity of
destroying pocket gophers in localities
where they are actively or potentially
injurious.

FIELD AND HOUSE MICE

In addition to house mice, several
forms of field mice are distributed
over the whole of the United States,
the degree of infestation varying to
a great extent from year to year.
During some years these rodents are
scarce in certain localities in which
in other years they increase to large
numbers and inflict heavy damage ta.
farm and orchard crops, in some cases
ruining entire fields. The injury to
field crops is brought about by mice
eating the roots of the plants reached
by their numerous burrows. The in-
jury to fruit trees and shrubs consists
in the destruction of the bark near
the surface of the ground. When the
girdling is complete and the cambium
eaten through, the action of the sun
and wind soon complete the destruc-
tion.

There are many cases in which 20
per cent or more of the trees in or-
chards are killed by mice. One
orchard in Washington State suffered
50 per cent damage this season, and
a heavy infestation of mice in Jones
and Lyman Counties, S. Dak., was
responsible for the loss of more than
40,000 acres of corn. Damage _ by
house mice to grain in storage in
warehouses of the northern Sacra-
mento Valley, Calif., has been reported
as amounting to $100,000 for the year.
The pine mouse, a species of field
mouse, is exceedingly destructive to
fruit trees and shrubs in the Hastern
States and to a minor extent to bulbs
and root crops also.

Field-mouse infestations of serious
proportions were noted in California,
Idaho, Oregon, South Dakota, Wash-
ington, Utah, and many Hastern States.
Control was undertaken in the West
in these States and in the East in
North Oarolina, Maryland, Maine,
Pennsylvania, and Vermont. More
than 53,000 pounds of poisoned bait
were used in the Wenatchee and Ya-
kima districts in Washington alone to
control this pest.

BROWN RATS

The brown rat, introduced from the
Old World and now established in ey-.

22

ery State of the Union and the Terri-
tory of Alaska, is the most injurious
of rodents. Feeding indiscriminately,
it damages manufactured and other
commodities and destroys all kinds of
vegetable and animal matter, and at
the same time contaminates large
quantities of food. As a disease car-
rier the rat is a serious menace, and
is responsible for deaths among hu-
man beings through its spread of bu-
bonic plague and other infectious dis-
eases,

An example of rat depredation that
indicates the extent of its destructive-
ness and shows something of the range
of agricultural products concerned was
furnished during the year in Gal-
veston County, Tex. One fruit grower
reported that rats ravished his berry
patch to such an extent that instead
of his being able to ship 115 lugs
(boxes) of berries as he had the pre-
vious year, he could pick only 4 lugs
this season. One farmer reported a
loss of $500 in sweet potatoes and tur-
nips from 20 acres, and another re-
ported a loss of $60 in figs, $1,500 in
trees girdled, and $100 in truck crops.
Losses in watermelons, cantaloupes,
tomatoes, carrots, beets, beans, and
corn were also reported in the same
county, one farmer stating that he lost
$1,000 in watermelons on 10 acres
through depredations of rats.

Action in the control of rats has
been undertaken during the year in
16 States in the form of organized
antirat campaigns in cities and country
districts or demonstrations showing
methods of destroying this pest. Among
the cities in which extensive antirat
campaigns were conducted were Port-
land, Oreg.; Tacoma, Wash.; Oak-
land City, Ind.; Stevens Point, Wis.;
and Sylva, N. C.

Notable among the campaigns in
country districts was one in Texas or-
ganized in 54 counties. In the course
of the work 22,200 pounds of barium
carbonate were used in preparing
poison baits, and prizes were offered
to persons destroying the most rats.
As a result 3,690,528 dead rats were
counted in these contests. On the
basis of the estimate of governmental
and industrial experts that each rat
will destroy from $1.80 to $2 worth of
foodstuffs and other property in a
year, this represents an immediate
total saving of more than $6,500,000 to
Texas, the amount of property these
rats would have destroyed if they had
lived another year. In the campaign
in Ellis County, Tex., with a popula-
tion of less than 57,000 persons, 243,321

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

rats were destroyed in one month,
probably a world’s record.

Farmers’ Bulletin No. 1533, Rat
Control, issued at the beginning of the
year, has been in great demand, and
about 200,000 copies have already been
distributed. A motion-picture film.
How to Get Rid of Rats, also was re-
leased during the year and has been
shown in practically every district of
the United States where rats are in-
jurious.

WOODCHUCKS

Woodchucks inhabit rocky places,
woodlands, and bramble thickets, and
from the nature of their habitat, come
in contact with agriculture only in
seattered localities. When their
haunts are immediately adjacent to
farm lands, however, they become a
serious pest. In the East they appear
to be more numerous in certain agri-
cultural areas than formerly, and in
many open fields are now burrowing
far from their usual haunts. Wood-
chuck damage is diverse and affects
many different crops and fruit trees,
and particularly such forage crops as
alfalfa, clover, and other legumes. In
control measures undertaken in eight
States poisoned baits and calcium
cyanide as a fumigant were used. A
leaflet (No. 21) entitled ‘‘ Woodchuck
Control in the Hastern States” was
issued and has been widely distributed.

PORCUPINES

In the forested areas of the West
the increase in numbers of porcupines
is very evident, and much damage is
done to trees. It is important that
control measures be taken in many of
the national forests to protect both
the well-developed trees and _ the
younger growth. Control operations
were carried on in six States, the ac-
complishments in Oregon and Arizona
being especially noteworthy, and con-
siderable progress in methods of pre-
paring poisoned baits was made dur-
ing the year. A leaflet on porcupine
control, based on field and laboratory
research, is in preparation.

OTHER INJURIOUS RODENTS

Other injurious rodents, including
the wood rat and the kangaroo rat, are
responsible for considerable loss to
agriculture in certain sections of the
country. Where these rodents are nu-
merous enough to be injurious, control
measures haye been recommended.

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

MOLES

Moles are found only in the Pacific
coast region and in the eastern half
of the United States. Where they
burrow in such places as gardens,
lawns, and fields, they are considered
a pest because of the displacing of
plants, covering of growing crops, the
use of their runways by field mice, and
the obstruction their mounds offer to
the use of machinery. The damage
caused by moles in bulb-raising areas
in the Northwest is coming to be of
considerable economic importance be
eause of the rapid increase in this
industry.

CONTROL OF ANIMAL-BORNE DISEASES
RABIES

Sporadic cases of rabies were re-
ported and verified during the year in
Oregon, being possibly the remnant of
a heavy outbreak that occurred in that
State in 1926. In Nevada, 14 posi-
tive caseS were recorded, 3 in coyotes,
2 in bobeats, 5 in domestic cows, 2 in
sheep, and 1 each in a domestic dog
and a house cat. These cases indicate
that rabies is still fairly well distrib-
uted over that State. Biological Sur-
vey hunters in Nevada took rabid ani-
mals from five counties, where some
livestock was lost, but the spread of
rabies was expeditiously suppressed in
practically all cases. In Colorado dur-
ing early spring a rabies outbreak of
considerable proportions occurred in
the area between the towns of Golden
and Boulder, the disease being confined
entirely to dogs, and so far as known
not reaching predatory animals. Spo-
radic cases of rabies occurred in Wash-
ington, particularly in the eastern part
of the State, but through effective co-
operation of the Washington State
Department of Health and the State
eollege at Pullman it has been possible
to detail hunters quickly to districts
where outbreaks threatened and to
utilize this expert personnel to reduce
the number of predatory animals by
the use of both traps and poison.

TULAREMIA

Tularemia among jack rabbits in
South Dakota and among field mice in
California was reported during the
year, and measures of control were
undertaken by the rodent-control force
of the bureau.

BUBONIC PLAGUE

Two cases of bubonic plague among
human beings have -been reported in

23

Contra Costa and Santa Cruz Coun-
ties, Calif., one of which proved fatal.
Positive cases of the plague were
found in ground squirrels from these
counties as well as in those from Ala-
meda, San Benito, Monterey, and San
Luis Obispo Counties. Special atten-
tion is being given in cooperation with
State and Federal public health offi-
cials to checking the spread of the dis-
ease in the infested areas through re-
ducing the ground-squirrel population.

MAINTENANCE OF WILD-LIFE
RESERVATIONS

As civilization advances, the re-
moval of forests and the drainage, of
marsh and water areas for cultivation
and industrial purposes continues, and
the necessity for establishing more
reservations for migratory birds and
big game throughout the United States
increases proportionately. The refuge
idea as a means of conserving valua-
ble wild life is not new. It has al-
ready been well tested and success-
fully used in several States as a means
of restocking depleted covers, and the
steady increase of birds and animals
on the Federal reservations during the
year is further proof of the soundness
of the system. It is now recognized
that the refuge system or some exten-
sion of the principle is the only means
by which the extermination of many
ot the valuable forms of wild life can
be prevented in North America.

To be most effective, a game or bird
reservation must be given constant at-
tention by a resident protector, one
who is thoroughly familiar with the
area. Frequent patrols are necessary
to prevent poaching and to control
predatory animals or other natural
enemies. The upkeep and increase of
food plants and the checking of dis-
ease also are important functions of
reservation protectors and require con-
tinuous attention and study.

Reservation administration falls
within three recognized lines of actiy-
ity: (1) The acquisition of lands for
reservations; (2) the protection and
maintenance of bird refuges and game
preserves, and their wild life; and (3)
restocking with suitable species. Land
acquisition is now going forward on
the upper Mississippi River wild life
and fish refuge and the newly author-
ized Bear River migratory-bird refuge
and requires the services of engineers,
surveyors, and land valuation and pur-
chase experts. Included in protection
and maintenance of reservations is
watchfulness for the welfare of the
animals, improving the areas for their

24

use, and facilitating enjoyment by the
public.
Reservaticns make it possible to re-

store to surrounding or similar areas’

indigenous forms of wild life that may
have become extinct by reason of over-
shooting or other causes. The utiliza-
tion of surplus stock on reservations
for transporting and planting else-
where is increasing from year to year.
A list of wild-life reservations under
the jurisdiction of the survey and of
other branches of the Federal Govern-
ment was published in the Yearbook
for 1927, and recent changes are men-
tioned in this report. The total num-
ber under the jurisdiction of the bu-
reau at the end of the year was 78.

BIG-GAME PRESERVES

Fenced preserves and other areas for
big game under Biological Survey ju-
risdiction are the national bison range
in Montana, the Niobrara reservation
in Nebraska, the Sullys Hill game pre-
serve in North Dakota, the Wind Cave
game preserve in South Dakota, all of
which are surrounded by game fence;
and the winter elk refuge in Wyoming.
No seriously adverse conditions at
these reservations were experienced
during the year. The approximate
number of big-game animals on these
reservations on June 30, 1928, is shown
in the accompanying table.

NATIONAL BISON RANGE

It has been necessary to reduce the
herds of buffalo and elk at the national
bison range, Montana, in order to pre-
vent overcrowding and the possibility
ot disease and starvation through nat-
ural inerease. This reduction has been
effected by the sale or gift of animals
for stocking other ranges and for exhi-
bition in public parks and zoological
gardens throughout the country, and
by slaughter and disposal for food pur-

‘feeding grounds.

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

poses. Twenty-three buffalo from this:
range were shipped to Alaska near the
end of June in an experiment made by
the Alaska Game Commission to es-
tablish a herd in the Tanana Valley,
near Fairbanks, under funds appropri-
ated for the purpose by the legislature
of Alaska. The removal of the sur-
plus animals will assist materially in
the recovery of forage on the range,
although some additional animals will
have to be disposed of in order to bring
the stock within safe bounds. The
building of additional game fences will
enable the preserve to carry a greater
number of animals by permitting graz-
ing by rotation. The herd of mountain
sheep at the bison range has been in-
creased by the birth of 14 lambs, bring-
ing the total number of animals in the
herd to 92.

WINTER ELK REFUGE

The winter was one of sufficient se-
verity in western Wyoming to require,
as in the previous season, the feeding
of a heavy tonnage of hay to an in-
creased number of elk visiting the
The first elk to enter
the refuge was a lone bull on Novem-
ber 6; a week later 10 cows and calves
came in, and 1138 elk were counted on
November 20. By the end of Noyem-
ber about 2,500 elk were on the refuge
and adjacent ranches, and during De-
cember and thereafter the number in-
creased steadily. The snow averaged
about 1 foot in depth at the end of
December, and feeding the elk began
on January 12 and continued to April
21. More than 9,000 elk were fed dur-
ing the winter, a substantial increase
over the maximum count of 7,549 the
previous year. The total quantity of
hay fed by the Federal and State gov-
ernments was 3,460 tons, compared with
3,006 tons during 1927. The inereas-
ing numbers of elk visiting the refuge
area emphasize the importance of plac-

TaBip 2.—Big-game animals on reservations of the Buredu of Biological Survey,
June 30, 1928

Deer
Moun-
Preserves Buffalo} Elk Ra tain Total
I sheep | White-| yru16

tailed | ~
National bison range, Montana_.____________- 459 M190) pease 92 1 34 1150 925
Wind Cave game preserve, South Dakota____ 189 1155 3873
Sullys Hill game preserve, North Dakota____- 129 56
Niobrara reservation, Nebraska__-___-.____-_- 1106 207
CAR} a LAs aya as MAN eNO ar a BOE 755 1 480 1, 561

1 Estimated.

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

ing a definite limit to the size of the
Jackson Hole elk herd, and point to
the necessity of providing more winter
forage for a suitable number of ani-
mals if starvation in another severe
season is to be averted.

Early in the fiscal year the Isaak
Walton League of America transferred
to the department satisfactory title to
the 1,760 acres of land in Jackson Hole
adjacent to the elk refuge, which the
Waltonians had purchased, with a
view to increasing the total area in
the Government holdings.

The feeding of augumented numbers
of elk during the past two winters re-
duced to a comparatively few tons the
stock of hay that had accumulated dur-
ing previous mild winters. Only about
195 tons remained on hand. The crop.
on the refuge this year will probably
be about 1,500 tons. If next winter
should be mild there is a possibility
that the refuge hay crop, supplemented
by hay purchased by the State of Wy-
oming, will suffice for the needs of the
elk, but another very severe season
would result in starvation on a large
scale. To maintain and replenish the
supply each season, it is important to
increase the size of the refuge and thus
make unnecessary emergency purchases
of hay at high prices. Steps are being
taken to increase production on the
Government lands and to reduce the
proportion of injurious squirrel-tail
grass.

In accordance with a recommendation
of the elk commission, a biologist fa-
mniliar with big-game animals was de-
tailed to a study of the life history
and needs of the elk. The results of
work already accomplished are dealt
with under another heading. The elk
commission recognized the necessity of
acquiring additional land adjacent to
the present refuge to insure adequate
winter-feeding facilities, and recom-

25

mended appropriate Federal legisla-
tion. A bill introduced in Congress in
December to provide for the enlarge-
ment of the elk refuge contemplated
the acquisition of about 12,000 acres of
suitably located land under an appro-
priation of $275,000. This bill received
the approval of the Bureau of the
Budget to the extent of authorizing
an appropriation of $150,000, with the
proviso, however, that this amount
would be available only in case an
equal amount in subscriptions or land
were contributed by the State, counties,
organizations, or individuals. The bill
still awaits congressional action.

OTHER BIG-GAME PRESERVES

Including three fawns born to the
antelope at Niobrara reservation in
Nebraska during the year, there are
now 10 of these animals at this pre-
serve. The antelope band at Wind
Jave preserve, S. Dak., was increased
to 29 by the birth of 7 fawns. An 80-
inch game fence, which will inclose
approximately 4,000 acres of addi-
tional rugged land, was brought nearly
to completion on the Wind Cave pre-
serve. Five and one-half miles of
stock fence also were completed at the
elk refuge in June.

UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER WILD-LIFE AND FISH
REFUGE

Land-acquisition work on the upper
Mississippi River wild-life and fish
refuge continued. Progress was con-
siderably hampered, however, because
of the average price limit of $5 an
acre fixed by the legislation that au-
thorized the establishment of the
refuge. Many tracts that could not
be purchased have been leased with
the object of purchase, and this action
has assisted in controlling the situa-
tion. The present Congress, however,

TABLE 3.—Young of big game born on reservations of the Bureau of Biological
Survey during the calendar year 1927 *

Deer
Ante- | Moun-
Preserves Buffalo} Elk 7 tain Total
One sheep | White- Mul
tailed mee
National bison range, Montana______________- 118 SOR Set wa 20 5 273
Wind Cave game preserve, South Dakota____ 14 A aS E Salers O02 49
Sullys Hill game preserve, North Dakota____- Oi ar seaae [abe ee | eee Ba 14
Niobrara reservation, Nebraska___-___________ 18 Be Ge a eee 31
PT tall eee ek Sie fare OH, aera PAT se 165 121 6 | 20 | 5 50 | 367

1 Including some data published in the report covering the fiscal year 1927, the change
from fiscal to calendar year being in the interest of greater accuracy in the compilation

of figures.

Some figures in the text of this report are for the fiscal year.

26

has authorized the payment of a
maximum average price of $10 an acre,
and this will facilitate future acquisi-
tions.
ministration of this refuge, as ap-
proved June 24, 1927, by the Secretary
of Agriculture and the Secretary of
Commerce, were issued in July (S. R.
A.—B. 8. 67), by the Biological Sur-
vey, to cover such matters as wild-life
protection, fire prevention, and recrea-
tional uses of this important area, and
have proved adequate.

A resolution recently passed by Con-
gress authorized the acceptance of
title to about 488 acres near the city of
McGregor, Iowa, donated by James
Buell Munn, of New York City, as an
addition to the refuge. A large part
of this area was not subject to over-
flow, but will be useful for observation
and administrative purposes, and con-
gressional consent was necessary to
acceptance. The lands are valued at
between $30,000 and $40,000.

OTHER IMPORTANT REFUGES FOR BIRDS
BIG LAKE

Big Lake bird refuge, in northeast-
ern Arkansas, which was deep in
water during the flood period of 1927,
was visited by an even greater flood
this year. The levees around the
refuge were threatened, and at one
time the water had risen to the tree-
tops on certain areas. Late in June
the entire refuge was. still under
water.

MALHEUR LAKE

At Malheur Lake bird reservation,
in eastern Oregon, the water has been
higher than for a number of years,
with resultant benefit to the water-
fowl and growth of their food plants.
There appears to be promise that for
the first time in four years the young
pelicans hatched on the reservation
will safely reach maturity.

NEW AND ABANDONED RESERVATIONS

MATANZAS, PATHFINDER, AND UPPER
KLAMATH ESTABLISHED

During the year three new reserva-
tions were established: Matanzas Bird
Refuge, Fla., August 10, 1927; Path-
finder Bird Refuge, Wyo., April 19,
1928; and Upper Klamath Wild-Life
Refuge, Oreg., April 3, 1928. The
Upper Klamath refuge consists of
5,200 acres of marshland along the
west side of the lake of the same

Joint regulations for the ad-

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

name. It is of considerable impor-
tance to the waterfowl of the region,
in view of the wholesale drainage of
marsh areas for agricultural purposes,
and especially the practical elimina-
tion of Lower Klamath Lake, embrac-
ing about 80,000 acres, and formerly
one of the most important breeding
and resting grounds for migratory
waterfowl in western North America.

BEAR RIVER REFUGE AUTHORIZED

The outstanding feature of the year
in reservations was the approval on
April 3, 1928, of an act of Congress
providing for the establishment of the
Bear River migratory bird refuge on
the marshes at the mouth of Bear
River, Utah. The legislation author-
ized an appropriation of $350,000, of
which $200,000 was made available to
initiate the work and carry it through
the fiscal year 1929.

Through the construction of a sys-
tem of low dikes, fresh water from
Bear River will be impounded over
tens of thousands of acres, mainly bar-
ren mud flats bordering the present
shore of Great Salt Lake. The cre-
ation of a refuge in this locality
through a system of dikes has several
objectives: The spreading of fresh
water over the broad salt-impregnated
mud flats will end the appalling losses
of waterfowl, especially ducks, through
so-called alkaline poisoning. It is esti-
mated that in the past few years not
less than 7,000,000 ducks have perished
from this cause alone within and ad-
jacent to the area to be included in the
refuge. It has been found that aquat-
ic vegetation providing an abundance
of food for waterfowl grows amazingly
in water so impounded, and thus a
poisonous death trap for the birds will
be converted into a great feeding and
resting ground for a host of migrants
which in their overland flight, as shown
by bird-banding operations, visit points
in neighboring States as far west as.
California. The construction of the
dikes will also greatly increase the
breeding areas for resident waterfowl
and prevent the periodical invasion of
salt water due to slight rises in the
level of Great Salt Lake. In 1924 an
inundation of this sort destroyed
thousands of acres of fresh-water
marsh in the Bear River Delta, thus
contributing very materially to the ad-
verse conditions.

Under the new law not less than 60
per cent of the area is to be maintained
ag an inviolate sanctuary for migratory
birds, the remainder being subject to.

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

possible use as public shooting grounds
under regulation. Much of the area
involved consists of national domain or
of lands that will be added through
the cooperation of the State, but some
areas must be purchased. Active
steps are being taken to initiate the
land-acquisition and engineering work.

MOSQUITO INLET REFUGE DISCONTINUED

The Mosquito Inlet bird reservation,
near New Smyrna, on the east coast of
Florida, became of little value to birds
owibg to the growth of the town and
consequent question of jurisdiction.
An Executive order abandoning the
refuge was accordingly issued on
March 17.

RECREATIONAL USES OF WILD-LIFE RESERVATIONS

Designed primarily to prevent the
extermination of numerous valuable
and interesting species or to extend to
them needed protection, some of the
wild-life reservations afford unusual
opportunities for recreational enjoy-
ment by the public and for scientific
observation and study. Many kinds
of wild life are essentially shy and re-
tiring and to thrive must be granted
seclusion. This is especially true of
bird colonies during the breeding sea-
son, The big-game preserves, how-
ever, afford places where the public
can enjoy the sight of wild animals at
short range. Public interest in such
recreational advantages is shown by
the increasing number of visitors to
some of the larger and better-known
reservations. This public appreciation
is gratifying, although the presence of
visitors adds to administrative bur-
dens, and funds are lacking to provide
properly for their comfort and safety.
The Sullys Hill game preserve, near
Devils Lake, N. Dak., continues to at-
tract an increasing number of visitors.
During the year 23,233 persons and
4.903 visiting automobiles were re-
corded, taxing to the utmost the avyail-
able facilities.

In addition to affording protection to
wild life, the upper Mississippi River
wild life and fish refuge will ulti-
mately furnish opportunities for pub-
lic recreational uses at many points.
These will include camping, fishing,
and even public shooting on certain
areas. On parts of the navigable
waters and meandered lakes within
the upper Mississippi refuge, hunting
of waterfowl was permitted during the
1927 season in accordance with State
laws and the regulations under the
migratory-bird treaty act. Public

27

shooting of migratory game birds is
permitted also on a part of the Pig
Lake bird reservation, Arkansas, and
on other refuges where limited hunting
will not defeat the purpose for which
they were created.

URGENT NEEDS OF RESERVATIONS

Additional funds are required for
the proper maintenance of many of the
game and bird reservations. During
recent years appropriations have per-
mitted the carrying out of only the
most vitally necessary improvements
and repairs.

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS RESERVATION

The Aleutian Islands bird reserva-
tion extends in a chain for about 800
miles southwestward from the end of
the Alaska Peninsula. It embraces
many large and small islands on which
the status of wild life is but imper-
fectly known. Requests for permits to
use some of the islands for sheep rais-
ing, fur farming, and other commer-
cial developments require careful con-
sideration to protect the wild life and
safeguard the interests of the natives
who are dependent upon the island re«
sources for their livelihood. As soon
as funds can be made available a
regular warden service should be es-
tablished and a seaworthy vessel pro-
vided to patrol the area. A compre-
hensive survey of the wild life of the
reservation and conditions affecting it
is needed as a basis for efficient ad-
ministration,

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS RESERVATION

The Hawaiian Islands bird reserva-
tion includes widely scattered islands
far out in the Pacific Ocean northwest
of Hawaii, constituting as a whole a
group of surpassing interest from the
wild-life standpoint. Certain of the
islands are the natural homes of birds
found nowhere else. Some of these
birds have become extinct, while Others,

| including the Hawaiian teal, have been

so greatly reduced that they are not
likely long to survive without special
protection. The islands provide breed-
ing places for large colonies of alba-
trosses and other interesting sea birds,
and thus invite raids by poachers and
trespass by fishermen. At one time.
rabbits were unwisely introduced on to
some of the islands, and on Laysan,
the most important of the group, these
rodents so destroyed the vegetation
that most of them starved. The de-
struction of vegetation produced con-
ditions very unfavorable for bird life.

28

Efforts to eradicate the rabbits with
a view to making the vegetation avail-
able to the birds have apparently been
successful. Two wardens should be
placed on Laysan Island and provision
made for regular visits to the other
islands.

SAVANNAH RIVER BIRD REFUGE

‘Of particular importance as a haven
for certain rare and valuable migra-
tory birds is the Savannah River bird
refuge in South Carolina. Thousands
of the rare and beautiful wood duck—
near extinction a few years ago—nest
there. It is made up of abandoned
vice plantations and is unusually at-
tractive to all species of wild fowl
‘common to the Atlantic coast, and
many woodcock ‘and Wilson snipe visit
the area. Unfortunately, funds are not
available to provide adequate super-
vision for this reservation or to mark
properly its boundaries.

INVESTIGATIONS OF PROPOSED REFUGES

There is urgent need for funds to
‘enable the survey to investigate and
determine the suitability of areas that
‘care being proposed for refuge purposes.
During the year an engineer was en-
gaged to make a reconnaissance of the
Klamath marsh area in Oregon, to
ascertain its suitability for refuge uses.
It was found practicable from an engi-
neer’s standpoint, but the Indians who
control the lands have thus far been
‘averse to making any arrangements
with the Government for disposing of
them for this purpose. A survey was
‘also made of Lower Klamath Lake to
‘ascertain the possibility of flooding a
portion of it so as to restore for migra-
tory waterfowl an area long used by
these birds. This was found to be im-
practicable for the reason that the au-
thorized use of the water for irrigation
and other purposes would not leave
‘enough to meet the requirements.

LAW ADMINISTRATION

Respect on the part of sportsmen
‘and the public in general for Federal
and State laws for the conservation of
wild life continues to increase from
year to year, and United States district
‘courts and district attorneys have con-
tinued their interest in the enforce-
“ment of the regulations. There are
still many hunters, however, who will
violate the law whenever opportunity
is afforded.

‘the Federal

‘State game and fish laws.

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

PROTECTION OF MIGRATORY BIRDS
BETTER LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDED

Demands for better enforcement of
migratory-bird regula-
tions are insistent and general. Citi-
zeus everywhere express their approval
of the law but assert that enforcement
is notably inadequate. The reason for
this criticism becomes evident when it
is realized that the appropriation
available for enforcing the migratory-
bird treaty act regulations allows for
the full-time employment of only 24
salaried game protectors throughout
the entire country. Each game pro-
tector must on the average cover two
States, and in his work can have little
assistance from the United States
deputy game wardens, since funds are
not sufficient to permit many of these
latter officials—generally voluntary co-
operators—to be assigned to this duty.
The fact that United States game pro-
tectors are known to be few encourages
poachers, market shooters, bird snar-
ers, plume hunters, and other violators
to ply their illegal trades in contempt
of the law, and serves to bring the
Federal regulatory work into disre-
pute among many sportsmen. The es-
tablishment of an adequate force of
game protectors would have immediate
beneficial results in a quickening of
public interest in wild-life protection
and in strengthening the public sup-
port of the migratory-bird treaty act.
It is confidently felt that illegal prac-
tices in the taking of migratory birds
in the United States can be reduced to
a practical minimum by a force of not
to exceed 100 protectors.

FEDERAL AND STATE COOPERATION

Cooperation between the game pro-
tectors of the Bureau of Biological
Survey and the State game wardens
has continued with gratifying results
and with mutual benefit, for Federal
protectors in numerous instances dis-
covered and reported infractions of the
Informa-
tion and evidence in connection with
such offenses have been referred to
the State game departments and have
enabled them to collect in fines and
eosts the sum of $7,860.99. Several
United States game protectors have
been issued commissions as State
game wardens in order to further this
cooperation. State wardens also have
given Federal officers valuable aid.

Several publications were prepared
by the survey and widely distributed
to facilitate better cooperation be-

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

tween Federal and State authorities
engaged in conserving our birds and
game. One of these was the twenty-
eighth annual Directory of Officials
and Organizations Concerned with the
Protection of Birds and Game, issued
as Miscellaneous Publication No. 6 of
the department. The annual summary
of the game laws of the United States,
Mexico, and Canada (Farmers’ Bul-
letin No. 1550) was published, and
390,000 copies were widely distrib-
uted; and 110,000 copies of the annual
publication containing the fur laws
(Farmers’ Bulletin No. 1552) were is-
sued. The bureau also issued a pam-
phlet (S. R. A.—B. S. 68) containing
the text of the treaty between the
United States and Great Britain for
the protection of migratory birds and
various Federal laws and regulations
for the protection of wild life. The
open seasons for game were conveni-
ently set forth in a poster, 16,500 cop-
ies of which were issued as soon as
possible after adjournment of the
State legislatures. This poster was
reprinted in numerous sporting and
outdoor periodicals, and the informa-
tion was thus widely disseminated.

A statement compiled by the bureau
and issued through the press service
showed that about 6,000,000 hunting
licenses were issued by the States for
the season 1926-27, and that about
$8,000,000 revenue was derived from
this source. The larger portion of the
funds so received by the States is em-
ployed in the protection and propaga-
tion of game and fish and in the acqui-
sition and administration of lands for
State game refuges.

HEARINGS UNDER THE MIGRATORY-BIRD
TREATY ACT

No general public hearings or con-
ferences were held relative to migra-
tory-bird conditions, but a part of the
annual meeting of the migratory-bird
treaty act advisory board, which was
held as usual in the city of Washing-
ton during the month of December,
was open to the public. The board dis-
cussed and approved certain modifica-
tions in the regulations affecting open
seasons on waterfowl in Illinois and
affecting the location of sinkboxes
(batteries) in coastal waters. Recom-
mendations relative to the open seasons
on gallinules and to the open seasons
on mourning doves in South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Missis-
sippi were also approved. These rec-
ommendations were adopted by the
Secretary and approved by the Presi-
dent. Upon later representation from
the State game authorities of Georgia

29

and Louisiana the bureau made further
recommendations relating to the open
seasons on mourning doves in these
States and proposed amendments,
which were adopted and approved, to
bring the Federal regulations into har-
mony with State laws.

The status of the woodcock has been
given much attention not only by the
survey but by the advisory board. In
New England and in the Maritime
Provinces of Canada reports indicate a
gratifying increase of these birds, but
in the areas west of the Alleghenies
to the Mississippi River and in a major
portion of the coastal States a serious
decrease has been almost generally re-
ported. The latter areas comprise the
larger portion of the woodcock’s range,
and the unfavorable status of the bird
in these regions is significant. Accord-
ingly the advisory board favored the
recommendation made by the survey
that, notwithstanding the situation in
New England, the maximum open sea-
son on woodcock be reduced from two
months to one month. The regulation
effecting this change was adopted by
the Secretary and approved by the
President.

LAW VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES

During the year migratory bird
treaty act cases were handled and dis-
posed of as shown in Table 4. From
lack of sufficient evidence, youthfulness
of the accused, the imposition of
adequate fines in State courts, or other
satisfactory reasons, 88 cases reported
by United States game protectors were
not forwarded for prosecution. Six
cases tried before juries resulted in
conviction and the imposition of sub-
stantial fines. Penalties included jail
sentences imposed by Federal judges
in 11 cases, and fines ranging from $1
to $500 and totaling $11,213.05. De-
fendants were placed on probation in
4 cases and paroled for six months in
1 case, and in 4 cases sentence was sus-
pended. Two defendants were par-
doned by the President after having
served 30 days of a 40-day sentence.
Migratory waterfowl] illegally possessed.
or unlawfully killed valued at approxi-
mately $1,000 were seized during the
year, aud those fit for food were do-
nated to hospitals and other public
charitable institutions. Among the
violations for which offenders were
punished were the following: Selling
and shipping waterfowl without Fed-
eral permit; trapping ducks; killing
ducks in closed season; exceeding the
daily bag limit on ducks; shooting
waterfowl from power boats; hunting

30

ducks after sunset and mourning
doves prior to half an hour before
‘Sunrise; and killing nongame and in-
sectivorous birds for which no open
Season is provided.

Four persons illegally trapping fur-
bearing animals were apprehended by
reservation wardens on the upper
Mississippi River wild life and fish
refuge and prosecuted in State courts,
where fines were imposed totaling $90
with $125.25 additional costs; two of-
fenders were remanded to jail for 60
days in default of payment. The first
cases involving a violation of the act
creating this refuge were reported for
prosecution and were pending at the
end of the year.

Since the passage of section 84 of
the United States Criminal Code, de-
signed to protect wild animals and
birds and their eggs on Federal ref-
uges, 79 prosecutions have been insti-
tuted in Federal courts. New cases
submitted to the solicitor during the
past year numbered 4; 5 cases were
terminated by convictions, with fines
totaling $205; and 1 was dismissed.

PERMITS ISSUED

Scientific collecting and other permits.—
Permits issued during the year to col-
lect migratory birds and their nests
and eggs for scientific purposes num-
bered 200, bringing the total outstand-
ing to 1,665. Thirty-seven scientific
possession permits were issued during
the year, principally to taxidermists,
making the total outstanding 321.
Permits issued authorizing the posses-
‘sion and sale of waterfowl for propa-
gating purposes numbered 653, bring-
ing the total number of such permits
to 3,750; a number of permits of this
description were canceled during the
year. Outstanding permits for pos-
gessing specimens accidentally killed
‘or found dead now number 469, of
which 67 were issued during the year.

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Reports on file indicate that 42,155
wild ducks, chiefly mallards, and 4,762
wild geese, mostly Canada geese, were
raised in captivity under permit. In-

| cluded in the total were 670 wood

ducks and 169 pintails. These figures
constitute a noticeable increase over
the reports of the previous year. The
propagation of game birds is being
encouraged in every practical way, and
wide use was made of the bulletin on
the subject. There is reason to be-
lieve that in some areas where ducks,
particularly mallards, have become
scarce, restocking might be success-
fully accomplished through the propa-
gation of birds by sportsmen’s organi-
zations and by individuals. Many of
the wild fowl raised in captivity have
been liberated.

Permits to kill injurious birds—Three or-
ders authorizing permits for the kill-
ing of migratory birds when found
injurious were issued by the Secretary
under article 7 of the migratory-bird
treaty and Regulation 10, as follows:

An order (August 10, 1927) permit-
ting the killing of shrikes by leaders
of the cooperative quail investigation,
or by any reliable person designated
by them, in any manner when found
injuring or destroying valuable birds
on lands in Thomas and Grady Coun-
ties, Ga., and Leon and Jefferson
Counties, Fla., on which the quail in-
vestigation is being conducted.

An order (August 17, 1927) permit-
ting the killing by shooting of gulls
and terns throughout the United
States by any person when authorized
by a permit issued by the Secretary
and countersigned by the Chief of the
Bureau of Biological Survey, in such
numbers as may be necessary, not ex-
ceeding 50 in the aggregate of both
kinds, and in sections where such
birds have become objectionable about
private property or a menace to pub-
lic health. Permits issued under the

‘TABLE 4.—Cases of violation of the migratory-bird treaty act handled during
the year 1928, disposed of, and still pending

Cases Number

Pending from former year_._..---_------- 403
-New cases reported....-........--.------- 423
Totals oe eee ie ee ee ER 826

SD {sposedsOfe ne = se ae eke ee 440
Pending at end of year__........-.------- 386

Cases Number
Disposed of by:

Conviction 22 23 332
Dismissal ee 57
Verdict of not guilty____--_---_----- 10
No: bill found eee eae 3
Nolle prosses a eee 20
Abandonment of prosecution__--.-_- 15

Denial by court of permission to file
information eS 3

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

order are valid for one year from the
date of issuance.

An order (May 18, 1928) permitting
any person, when authorized by a per-
mit issued by the Secretary and coun-
tersigned by the chief official in charge
of the fish and game laws of the State
of Maine or his duly authorized rep-
resentative, to shoot herring gulls be-
tween July 20 and August 20 of any
vear for which the permit is issued,
when necessary to protect the blue-
berry crops on areas within the State.

INTERSTATE COMMERCE JN WILD BIRDS AND
MAMMALS

Administration of the Lacey Act,
which regulates interstate commerce in
wild birds and mammals, continues to
uncover large numbers of violations of
State laws relating to traffic in pelts
of fur animals. As heretofore most
of the evidence of apparent violations
has been referred to State game of-
ficials for investigation and State pros-
ecution when the shipments proved to
have been illegally made. Federal
operations are greatly handicapped,
and the illegal traffic continues, from
the fact that Federal employees are
not empowered to seize illegal ship-
ments of skins and furs. Some head-
way has been made, however, in re-
stricting violations, in that the courts
of one State, to prevent violators from
profiting by the sale of furs illegally
taken or shipped, have ordered the
proceeds of such sales to be paid to
the State.

When furs have been removed from
the jurisdiction of one State and com-
mingled with articles of interstate
commerce in another, usually they are
not subject to State seizure. A Dill
has been introduced in the present
Congress to confer authority upon em-
ployees of the department engaged in
enforcing the provisions of the Lacey
Act to seize illegal interstate ship-
ments of the dead bodies of wild ani-
mals or parts thereof.

In its cooperation the survey has fur-
nished game-protection officials in the
various States with evidence of 4,672
shipments that apparently contained
illegal skins. During the fiscal year
the several States closed 475 cases
based on information originally fur-
nished by the survey, in which the
aggregate fines assessed amounted to
$17,909.50 and the costs to $1,237.30, a
total of $19,146.80. Sixty-five beaver
skins were seized at the instance of a
Federal protector, and sold by the
State for $700. Six cases also were

31

settled in State court by the imposition
of jail sentences ranging from 15 to 90
days each.

No cases involving violations of the
Lacey Act were reported for prosecu-
tion during the year; but approxi-
mately 80 investigations were still
pending; 258 investigations involving
apparent violations were closed.

IMPORTATIONS OF FOREIGN BIRDS AND MAMMALS

The close of the fiscal year marks
the completion of 28 years of super-
vision by the Biological Survey of the
importation of foreign birds and mam-
mals. During this period more than
15,000 permits have been issued for
the entry of a corresponding number
of shipments, including several million
birds and mammals. Approximately
9,000,000 birds have been imported dur-
ing these years, about 6,000,000 of
which have been canaries, 2,000,000
miscellaneous birds, and 750,000 game
birds. Complete figures are lacking
for the first year in which the law was
in operation, and also for 1919 and
1920, immediately after the World
War, when importations fell off to a
small fraction of the former number.
With the exception of five years the
total number of birds annually im-
ported has varied from 200,000 to more
than 600,000, the half-million mark
having been passed only in 1927 and
1928. The figures indicated for 1928
have never before been attained.
Canaries have averaged 1,000 a day in
1913, 1914, 1927, and 1928, and in four
other years (1907, 1910, 1911, and
1912) they almost reached this mark.
Nearly two-thirds of all game birds
imported have been Mexican quail.
Next to these stand pheasants, formerly
a large item in the entries, but State
game farms and private enterprises
now supply most of the stock for this
country, and importations have fallen
off considerably. Hungarian par-
tridges reached their highest mark,
36,507, in 1911. Miscellaneous birds
have normally varied from 40,000 to
200,000, but in late years have fallen
below the maximum. Only in 1922,
1923, and 1927 have they exceeded
100,000, but in 1923 they reached
197,265.

The number of permits issued dur-
ing the year was 1,211, an increase of
144 over that of the preceding year,
and inspection of shipments at ports
of entry increased from 3387 to 411.
Six additional permits were issued at
Honolulu, Hawaii, for the entry of 53
miscellaneous birds. The total num-

32

ber of foreign birds imported was
682,308, of which 8,741 were without
permit. The importations under per-
mit consisted of 458,449 canaries,
56,307 parrots, 84,915 quail, and 82,637
representatives of miscellaneous spe-
cies.

MAMMALS

Permits for the importation of mam-
mals included chiefly foxes, muskrats,
and bears, and a number of others
largely for exhibition purposes. Com-
paratively few fur-bearing animals ex-
cept foxes and muskrats were brought
in, and so far as known no injurious
species were admitted.

The importation of foxes from
Canada again showed a decided de-
crease from the number imported the
previous year, 3,044 as compared with
4,242 in 1927. During the past eight
years the records indicate that nearly
35,000 have been brought in from
Canada, two-thirds of which were
entered in the three years 1924, 1925,
and 1926, figures for which were 4,781,
8,424, and 7,809, respectively. The
peak, reached in 1925, was followed
by a slight decrease in 1926, a falling
off of nearly 50 per cent in 1927, and
a still further decrease during the past
year. The fact that the fox-farming
industry is steadily progressing and
has now reached a more normal and
substantial basis would indicate that
the increase of 1924-1926 was. due to
some special stimulation or that the
number of fox farms in the United
States has now increased sufficiently
to supply a large proportion of the
breeding stock.

Besides foxes, muskrats for fur farm-
ing and black bears for exhibition pur-
poses have been imported in some nuim-
bers. A considerable number of the
latter species are brought in each year
during summer and early fall. Many
inquiries have been received regarding
the introduction of the South American
coypu, With a view to its establishment
as a fur-bearing animal, but as yet no
actual importations have been made.

Among the most interesting mam-
mals imported during the year were
representatives of the two existing
forms of sea elephant (Mirounga), the
southern form represented by a speci-
men from South Georgia, imported by
a large circus and placed on exhibition
during the spring; and the northern
by several Guadalupe sea elephants
brought in and exhibited by the San
Diego Zoological Society...Thus, for
the first time, both of these rare mam-

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

mals were on exhibition at the same
time in the United States. Other in-
teresting mammals included four brown
hyenas and several rare monkeys.

BIRDS AND THEIR EGGS

The importation of birds included
84,915 Mexican quail, 12,620 Hungarian
partridges, several shipments of pheas-
ants, a few waterfowl, and other mis-
cellaneous game birds. For the first
time in several years a number of
pheasants were brought in from Eng-
land, chiefly to introduce new blood.
Many of the Hungarian partridges
were imported by the State of New
York and others were shipped to States
in the West, where considerable inter-
est in their introduction has developed.

Permits were issued for the entry
of 4,956 eggs of game birds, against 530
in 1927. Shipments this year were
chiefly pheasants from England, the
largest including 1,500 eggs; eggs of
ducks and grouse were also cntered
from Alberta.

Among the more interesting birds
imported were a Somali ostrich
(Struthio molybdophanes), 2 shoebill
storks (Balaeniceps rez), 2 mikado
pheasants (Calophasis mikado), 3
Impeyan pheasants (Lophophorus im-
peyanus), and 26 argus pheasants (Ar-
gusianus argus), T Formosa tree par-
tridges (Arboricola crudigularis) and
19 chukar partridges (Alectoris graeca,
Chukar); a number of rare pigeons,
including 5 Caroline Island pigeons, 3
white-fronted amethyst doves (Phlo-
goenas kubaryi), and 2 doves of the
species Claravis pretiosa; parrots in
considerable variety, including several
black cockatoos (Solenoglossus aterri-
mus), 4 hyacinthine macaws (Anodo-
rhynchus hyacinthus), 5 rare parra-
keets (Psittinus ineertus), and 6
Forster lories (Trichoglossus forstert) ;
2 queen wydahs (Diatropura progne),
3 half-moon wydahs (Coliostruthus ar-
dens) ; and 4 emperor starlings (Cos-
mopsarus regius)—the starlings being
imported for the first time in October,
1927.

Mexican quail—During the season of
1928 the number of quail imported
from Mexico was slightly less than in
1927, the total number being 84,915,
as compared with 85,141. Of the birds
imported this season 28,910 were en-
tered at Brownsville, 33,190 at Laredo,
and 22,515 at Hagle Pass, Tex. The
system of issuing permits at the bor-
der, which proved so successful last
year, was continued. ‘The entries, as
last year, were made by three import-

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

ers who held concessions from the Mex-
ican Government. These concessions
authorized a larger number of birds
than had ever before been imported,
and plans were made for shipments on.
a large scale, but the record of entries
shows that the number actually
brought in was less than in 1927.
Inspectors of the Bureau of Animal
Industry issued all permits for the ex-
act number of birds brought in and
examined all shipments at the border
before reshipment, but no quail disease
was reported. Weekly reports were
made on the number of quail entered
and details as to shipments. These
quail were distributed to about one-
third of the States, as follows: Ken-
tucky, 12,155; Alabama, 12,085; North
Carolina, 8,719; Maryland, 7,505;
Oklahoma, 6,624; Georgia, 5,560; Vir-

ginia, 5,496; Kansas, 5,044; Texas,
4,267; Florida, 3,716; Pennsylvania,
8,607; New York, 3,210; Missouri,

1,832; New Jersey, 1,412; South Caro-
lina, 566; and West Virginia, 536.
Several small shipments to other
States included about 2,585 birds.

New regulations (S. R. A—B. S. 69),
which, among other provisions, modi-
fied the size of crates for shipping
quail, went into effect on November 21,
1927. The main object in reducing the
size of the crates was to make them
lighter and thus not only cut down ex-
press charges but render practicable
their return and re-use.

After the close of the season a move-
ment was started among southern im-
porters to change the season so that
quail could be obtained earlier in win-
ter. This, however, does not meet
with approval in some of the Northern
States, and moreover, would be within
open seasons for quail shooting, which
do not close in five of the Southern
States until after February 1. The
distribution of large numbers of high-
priced quail before the season closes
would seem a doubtful and expensive
experiment, and one well-nigh useless
unless the birds could be placed on pre-
serves or areas closed to all hunting.

CAGE BIRDS

About one-third of all the known
species of parrots have been brought in
at various times for purposes of exhi-
bition, and, like canaries, have increased
considerably since the World War.
Very few parrots breed in captivity in
the United States, but some live for a
number of years. The number im-
ported annually varies from about
35,000 to 60,000. Of these the largest
number are shell parrakeets, or bud-

30

gerigars, from Australia; and several
kinds of Amazons, including Cuban
parrots Panama parrots, and double
yellowheads from Mexico. Consider-
able numbers of cockatoos also were
brought from Australia, and some of
the rarer parrots and parrakeets from
the West Indies and South America.
One interesting genus of African par-
rakeet (Agapornis), represented by 10
species, has recently become popular,
and at least 8 of the species have been
available for aviaries in this country.

The shipment of cage birds from
Mexico continues but in reduced num-
bers. The Mexican Government now
requires export permits for cardinals,
mocking birds, and certain other spe-
cies, and before importation permits
are issued it is necessary for the im-
porter to obtain not only authority for
export from Mexico but authority for
possession from the State to which
they are consigned. Notwithstanding
the restriction of State laws on posses-
sion and traffic, applications still con-
tinue to be made for the entry of car-
dinals, mocking birds, and nonpareils.

PROTECTION OF WILD LIFE IN ALASKA

Alaska possesses many interesting
and highly valuable forms of wild life
that need more protection than is now
afforded them through the limited re-
sources available to the Alaska Game
Commission. With fairly large num-
bers of such noted big-game animals
as the mountain sheep, the moose, the
caribou, the mountain goat, the deer,
and the grizzly and Alaska brown
bears, and with foxes, beavers, minks,
muskrats, and lynxes present in con-
siderable numbers, there exists a real
opportunity to put into effect a wild-
life administration program that not
only will insure a continuance of game
and fur animals in present numbers,
but should operate to increase the
stocks of many of these and of other
species, including the marten, which,
without better protection, must rapidly
go down hill. Forward-looking Alas-
kans are behind the work of the Alaska
Game Commission. Demands are be-
ing made for more strict law enforce-
ment than can be given by the com-
mission through its force of seven
full-time wardens. Each of these
wardens is expected to handle an area
of over 70,000 square miles, as com-
pared with only 100 square miles cov-
ered by wardens in the better organ-
ized States.

Violation of the Alaska game law
and regulations is only too frequent
because of the small enforcement per-

34

sonnel now available. During the
year the operating expenses of the
Alaska Game Commission were more
than $67,000. From the sale of
licenses and from fines and forfeitures
for the same period there was derived
$66,000. It is a certainty that the
Alaska Game Commission can not
fully redeem its responsibility or with
success carry out its game and fur
conservation and protection program
without more funds with which to
increase its force of wardens and to
provide more adequate transportation
facilities for them, particularly boats
of a kind that can be kept continu-
ously in service under adverse weather
and sea conditions. At present the
boats of the commission have to be
laid up part of the year because of
insufficient operating funds.

Most of the governmental agencies
in Alaska do not have enough field
work in the winter season and their
boats are laid up. Not so, however,
with the Alaska Game Commission.
The trapping seasons are on from No-

vember to March, and it is essential-

that the wardens be in the field at a
time when without suitable boats they
are confronted by grave danger in the
adverse weather conditions that they
are certain to encounter.

The regulations adopted by the Sec-
retary under the Alaska game law of
January 13, 1925, already have shown
their effectiveness in the conservation
of the wild-life resources of the Terri-
tory. A popular presentation of the
improvement in wild-life conditions
there was the basis of an article pre-
pared in the bureau and published in
the 1927 Yearbook. Only such changes
in the original regulations have been
adopted from year to year as investi-
gations have shown to be necessary.
The regulations this year were pub-
lished in Circulars Nos. 4 and 5 of the
Alaska Game Commission. HEnforce-

ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

ment of the new law and the regula-
tions of the Secretary are under the
immediate jurisdiction of the five com-
missioners authorized by the act, one
of whom, the administrative officer, is.
the chief representative of the Bureau
of Biological Survey resident in the
Territory.

The amendments adopted this year
affect moose, caribou, mountain sheep,
and bears. The relative scarcity of
moose on the small section of the
Alaska Peninsula inhabited by them
made it appear advisable to close the
season in that region until such time
as this animal shows a satisfactory
increase. Large brown and_ grizzly
bears also were afforded additional
protection on the Kenai and Alaska
Peninsulas and in the Kodiak-Afognak
Islands group by a reduction in the
bag limit from 3 to 2 a season. The
limit allowed nonresidents on caribou
and mountain sheep was reduced from:
3 to 2 each a season. Other amend-
ments affecting big game relate to the:
handling of the meat of such animals
in cooked form in certain portions of
the Territory under permit of the
Alaska Game Commission.

Last year the regulations provided
short open seasons on beaver in cer-
tain regions and prescribed a system
of tagging the skins of these animals,
whether taken within or coming from
outside the Territory. This year the
season was again closed throughout
the Territory, and it is contemplated
that the tagging system will be of
great assistance in protecting beavers
much more effectively. Beaver poach-
ing was formerly a common practice
in many sections of Alaska, but owing
to the limited force at the disposal
of the commission, strict enforcement
of the law and regulations proved im-
possible. Under the tagging system
now in effect untagged skins will be
subject to seizure.

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICD : 1928