BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 565 



The reports on Colorado and New Mexico will include maps of the 

 life and crop zones, with a discussion of their relations and of the 

 crops best adapted to the several zonal areas. There will also be full 

 lists of the mammals of the State, with notes on their habits, distribu- 

 tion, and economic relations. 



GAME PROTECTION. 



Much of the work of the coming year will include the continuation 

 of projects already well under way, but in addition to these several 

 new features will receive attention. 



For the fuller supervision of importations of foreign birds and 

 mammals into the United States inspectors will be required to examine 

 a larger number of shipments than heretofore, the increase compris- 

 ing mainly importations of game birds for stocking covers or aviaries. 



Investigation of the economic habits of the starling and the 

 present distribution and abundance of this bird in the United States 

 will be continued, and similar investigations will be made of one or 

 two other species imported and liberated at the same time as the 

 starling. The object of this work is to ascertain to what extent these 

 birds have secured a foothold in this country and what results are 

 likely to follow their acclimatization. 



Investigation of the millinery trade in the plumage of birds will 

 be continued and extended. Through cooperation with state authori- 

 ties it is hoped to accomplish much toward the suppression of the use 

 of plumage of American birds for hat decoration. 



The knowledge gained by this year's investigation of conditions in 

 the Middle West will form a basis for measures dealing with illegal 

 interstate shipments of game in this region. The Department is now 

 in a position to cooperate effectively with the game officials of those 

 States in which the bulk of the traffic occurs. 



Much attention will be given to the question of securing big game 

 to stock federal preserves. Movements are already on foot looking 

 to the placing of antelope in the AVichita game preserve, and it is 

 hoped that arrangements may be made for procuring a stock of deer, 

 elk, and other species of big game for propagation on this and other 

 federal game preserves. ^Material will be gathered for a history of 

 the movement for federal protection of migratory game birds and a 

 study will be made of the habits of these birds. The results secured 

 will be published in bulletin form. 



Warden service will be placed on such of the reservations as are 

 shown to have immediate need of such services. The use of these 

 colonies of birds in the study of problems relating to bird life will be 

 encouraged. 



Growing interest is manifested in the propagation of quail, and it is 

 intended to make special investigation of methods of quail raising for 

 publication at a later date. In this connection attention will be given 

 to the f^eneral subject of game farming with a view to assisting state 

 authorities to devise a system of regulation which will eliminate all 

 opi)()rtunity of marketing wild game under cover of laws permitting 

 the disposing of game raised in confinement. 



