BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 363 



EARLY MATING OF MIGRATORY WILD FOWL IK MISSOURI. 



Earh- in February, 1922, the bureau assigned an assistant biologist 

 to investigate mating and breeding habits of v,-ikl fowl in Missouri, 

 where it has been contended by a few persons, still persisting in their 

 demands for spring shooting, that wild ducks are not mated before 

 March 10 and do not breed in the State. Data gathered by this biolo- 

 gist, as previously mentioned, furnish incontrovertilde proof justify- 

 ing the attitude of the bureau in opposing the granting of any wild- 

 fowl shooting privileges later in winter than January 31. 



COOPERATION. 



Cordial cooperation extended by State game officials and sports- 

 men from practically every State has contributed in a large measure 

 toward the results achieved, not only in the enforcement of the law 

 but in creating favorable i)ublic opinion toward its observance. With- 

 out this cooperation the bureau, with its slender force of wardens, 

 would have been desperately handicapped. 



WARDEN SERVICE. 



During the year the number of United States game wardens varied 

 from 25 to 28^ They were aided by 48 United States deputy game 

 wardens, receiving a salary when employed during short intervals in 

 emergencits, and by approximately 350 United States deputy game 

 wardens stationed at suitable points throughout the country, who 

 receive a nominal sulary of $1 per annum and cooperate by report- 

 ing violations, tluis bringing about better observance of the law. 



Violations have been numerous and appear to have increased in 

 large sections of the country where there are no Federal wardens. 

 It became necessary in many instances to transfer wardens from re- 

 mote sections for temporary duty to localities where especially fla- 

 grant outbreaks of violations were occurring. These special assign- 

 ments were salutary, but to get effective results it has been found 

 essential to have regular employees at all times in important wild- 

 fowl i^ections. 



Data gathered by the bureau show that over 4.000,000 State hunt- 

 ing licenses were issued during the year, but this does not represent 

 the total number of hunters, since in many States farmers and others 

 in certain instances are exempted from the operation of hunting- 

 license laws. With the entire United States to patrol and with such 

 a large number of hunters in the field, it is eviclent that the services 

 of a sub.stantial force of game wardens are required if the law is to 

 be effectively enforced and desired results are to be achieved. 



MIGRATORY-BIRD TREATY-ACT ADVISORY BOARD. 



The annual nieeting of the Migratory-Bird Treaty-Act Advisory 

 Board was held in Washington on December 15. with nearly all mem- 

 bers present. Certain amendments of the Federal regulations sug- 

 gested by the bureau and concurred in by the board were adopted by 

 the Secretary and became effective on March 8. 1922, upon approval by 

 the President. These amenduients were as follows: The open season 

 for waterfowl in Xew Mexico was changed from the period October 

 16 to January 31 to the period October 1 to January 15; the open 



