350 ANNUAL REPOBTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



biological surveys of States and field operations in general have been 

 curtailed, owing to the limited funds available. Notable additions 

 have been made to the various information files and card indexes on 

 the distribution, abundance, and habits of North American birds and 

 mammals, the accumulating data yearly affording more complete 

 knowledge of the life histories and complex relations of wild life to 

 human welfare. These files, containing information gathered from 

 many sources, increase steadily in value and are indispensable in 

 conducting the work of the bureau. They are constantly being con- 

 sulted to furnish information sought b}' other governmental depart- 

 ments. State officials, scientific and other institutions, and individuals 

 throughout the United States and many foreign countries. Note- 

 worthy advance has been made in the banding of birds as a means 

 of obtaining exact information concerning their migrations, which 

 is of special value in connection with the enforcement of the migra- 

 tory-bird treaty act. 



BIOLOGICAI. SURVEYS OF STATES. 



Because of limited funds, field-survey work was continued only in 

 the State of Washington. A field party operated in the Olympic 

 Mountains, mainly in the higher sections and on the northern slopes 

 of this isolated mountain mass. The State College of Washington, 

 which is cooperating with the bureau in this survey, had a representa- 

 tive with the party a part of the time from the first of July to the end 

 of Septemloer. During October, November, and December, a field 

 representative of the bureau continued work in various scattered 

 localities, chiefly east of the Cascade INIountains. and practically 

 completed the biological survey of the State. With the completion 

 of field work the preparation of the final report was undertaken. 



Progress was made in the preparation of faunal reports, especially 

 on the " Mammalu of Wyoming " (nearly completed) and the " Mam- 

 mals of Oregon." Technical studies of mammals were continued dur- 

 ing the year and systematic revisions of the shrews and chipmunks 

 were well advanced. 



DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



Work dealing with bird migration has been carried on as in previ- 

 ous years, and the number of voluntary observers reporting on the 

 subject was about 2.50, including some new observers from the South- 

 ern and Western States, regions from which reports are greatly de- 

 sired. Considerable progress has been made in abstracting records 

 from published sources, and the copying of the field notes of various 

 members of the survey is now up to date. The number of record cards 

 in the distribution and migration files is now nearly l,r)00.000. Con- 

 siderable work has been done on the bird collection in identifying,, 

 carding, and arranging material of recent acquisition. 



BIRD COUNTS. 



Reports of bird counts numbered about 65, a slight increase over 

 those of last year, and included many made on the same areas as in 

 previous years, which form a valuable and exceedingly important 



