REPORT OF THE ACTING CHIEF OF THE DIVISION OF 

 BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Division of Biological Survey, 



IVashingfot, D. C, September 1, 1000. 



Sir : I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the work of 

 the Biological Survey for the fiscal year ending- June 30, 1900. 

 Resi^ectfully, 



T. S. Palmer, 



Hon. James Wilson, Secretary. 



Acting Chief. 



WORK OF THE YEAR. 



During the fiscal year 1899-1900 the work of the Biological Survey 

 has progressed along the lines indicated in former reports. Field in^'es- 

 tigations, having for their object the study of the geographic distri- 

 bution of mammals, birds, and trees, and the more exact determination 

 of the life zones of the United States, were continued; laboratory and 

 field studies of the food of birds, especially of species of economic 

 importance, also received much attention. Just before the close of 

 the year the work of the Division was enlarged by the assignment 

 of all matters relating to the importation and preservation of birds 

 contemplated by the act of Congress, known as the Lacey Act, which 

 went into effect on May 25, 1900. This act carried no appropriation 

 and has therefore greatly increased the burdens of the office without 

 making any provision for carrying out the new and important work 

 thus imposed. 



field work. 



The field work was mainly a continuation of the investigations 

 mentioned in the report for last year, and was carried on in two States, 

 California and Texas; in two Territories, Xew Mexico and Alaska; 

 and also in Mexico, British Columbia, Manitoba, and the Xorthwest 

 Territories. The work of outlining life zones in California was con- 

 tinued in the Coast Range and carried southward to the bay of San 

 Francisco, under the personal direction of the chief of the Division. 

 Some work was also done on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada dur- 

 ing the summer of 1899, and was taken up again in the spring of the 

 present year. During the present season a careful examination will 

 be made of that part (jf the Sierra lying between Sierra Valley and 

 the Yosemite, including the region about Tahoe, Donner, Independ- 



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