246 ANNUAL REPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



That the violations reported by no means approximate the number 

 that have occurred is to be expected and is due to the impossibility, 

 in many cases, of procuring evidence sufficient to convict. Inspec- 

 tors and wardens appointed under authority of this law have no 

 power of arrest or search, and hence many violators escape. A fur- 

 ther difficulty is that the limited number of inspectors necessitates 

 unduly large districts, some of them difficult of effective patrol. 



As the activities of the inspectors have been confined mainly to 

 " trouble zones," very large sections have necessarily been left with- 

 out supervision, but in such instances State authorities, cooperating 

 with Federal wardens, have rendered efficient assistance. The law 

 has proven exceedingly popular with the people at large, and with 

 a considerable percentage of sportsmen. During the course of the 

 year the bureau has received a large number of petitions, requests, 

 suggestions, and protests touching various regulations, chiefly urging 

 longer seasons and spring shooting. All of these will receive careful 

 attention when amendments or changes of the present regulations are 

 considered. With a few notable exceptions, the State legislatures, 43 

 of which have been in session this year, have made progress in line 

 with the Federal law and regulations. 



Notwithstanding many violations of the regulations in different 

 sections of the country, the law was generally observed by sports- 

 men, and as a consequence chiefly of the cessation of spring shooting 

 waterfowl and shorebirds passed to their northern breeding grounds 

 in greater numbers than for many seasons. The general observance 

 of the prohibition of spring shooting resulted also in the breeding of 

 many thousands of ducks in certain localities where they have not 

 nested for many years. These results following the enforcement of 

 the law are an earnest of the results to come. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



Publications during the year, in addition to miscellaneous circulars 

 and announcements, arranged by the division preparing them, were 

 as follows : 



ECONOMIC INVESTIGATIONS. 



Department Bulletins : 



No. 107. Birds in Relation to the Alfalfa Weevil. 



No. 171. Food of the Robins and Bluebirds of the United States. 



No. 205. Eleven Important Wild-Duck Foods. 



No. 217. Mortality Among Waterfowl Around Great Salt Lake, Utah. 

 Farmers' Bulletins : 



No. 609. Bird Houses and How to Build Them. 



No. 621. How to Attract Birds in Northeas'tern United States. 



No. 630. Some Common Birds Useful to the Farmer. 



No. 670. Field Mice as Farm and Orchard Pests. 



BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



North American Fauna : 



No. 37. Revision of the American Marmots. 

 Department Bulletins : 



No. 128. Distribution and Migration of North American Rails and Their 

 Allies. 



No. 185. Bird Migration. 



No. 187. Preliminary Census of Birds of the United States. 

 Yearbook Separate, 1914 : 



No. 642. Our Shorebirds and Their Future. 



