362 ANKUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



Tlic woik oil bird mi<!:ration has been carried on alon<)^ lines fol- 

 lowed durin«x i)re\"ioiis years. Tlie effect of the war is still apparent 

 in the lessened number of persons able to cooperate with the Survey 

 in gatherin<jj data on bird mifjration, but an improvement is notice- 

 able. As a result of special efforts it is expected that the number of 

 volunteer observers will be greatly increased during the next j^ear. 

 Reports on bird migration Avere received from more than 250 ob- 

 servers, and many of them contained both spring and fall records. 

 Progress has been made in abstracting records from published sources, 

 and the work of copying the field notes of the various members of 

 the Surve}^ has been brought up to date. The number of record cards 

 in the distribution and migration files, including biljliograpliy, is 

 now about 1.400,000. These files are in constant use in connection 

 with the work of the l)ureau and in repljnng to correspondence. 



Xo general publications have been issued during the year, but the 

 following are nearly completed: "Distribution and Migration of 

 North American Terns and Their Allies," " Distribution and Migra- 

 tion of North American Grebes, Loons, and Auks," and a circular of 

 instructions for bird banding. 



BIRD BANDING. 



As an aid to the study of the migration of birds the work of the 

 American Bird Banding Association was taken over and active 

 preparations for carrying it on have already been made. It is 

 planned to develop the investigations along two principal lines — 

 the banding of waterfowl on their breeding and wintering grounds 

 and the systematic trapping and banding of the smaller land birds. 

 Results already obtained by the independent prosecution of the last- 

 named line of work by a few private individuals have shown that 

 this method of studying bird migration affords information of great 

 importance; for instance, knoAvledge of the routes followed by indi- 

 vidual birds in traveling between their wnntering and breeding 

 grounds. It is certain that the systematic and energetic prosecution 

 of this method of research hj a central agency which will enjoy the 

 cooperation of many independent observers will result in the accu- 

 mulation of a mass of valuable information on the movements of 

 birds and will throw light on many obscure problems connected with 

 this interesting study. During the few months that this work has 

 been directed by the Survey it has attracted wide attention from 

 both sportsmen and naturalists throughout the country. Cooperation 

 has already been promised by most of the State game commissions 

 and bv many private individuals and organizations so situated as to 

 be able to furnish substantial assistance. 



BIRD COUNTS. 



Reports of the sixth annual series of counts of birds breeding on 

 selected areas, mainly on different types of farm lands in various 

 parts of the United States, were received from about 30 observers, 

 who reported on 45 separate areas. Many of these counts were made 

 on areas reported on during previous years. This part of the work 



