BUBEAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 259 



Dakota. In the winter field investigations wei'c made on ihc ninn- 

 bei-s. distribution, and habits of waterfowl wintering in southeastern 

 Georgia and central and eastern Florida, 



TECHNICAL STUDIES. 



Technical revisions of the Hying squirrels and rice rats were com- 

 pleted and are ready for publication. A revision of the so-called 

 mountain-beavers (genus ApJodontla) was finished and arrange- 

 ments made with the University of California for its publication. 

 Studies of the grizzly and big' brown bears w^ere revised and the 

 results are noAv in press. 



As in previous years, a large innnber of specimens of mammals and 

 birds have been Identified for public institutions aiid individuals, 

 and considerable progress has been made in mapping the distribu- 

 tions of both mammals and birds. 



MAMMAL AND BIRD RESERVATIONS. 



The section of mannnal and bird reservations is charged with the 

 maintenance of 7i national reservations, of which 5, including the 

 Niobrara, originally created as a bird reservation, are big game pre- 

 serves and 69 are bird reservations; and with the supervision of 

 transfers of game. In the big-game reservations at the end of the 

 fiscal year there w^ere 246 head of buffalo, 184 of elk, and 49 of 

 antelope. 



GAME PRESERVES, 



National Bison Eange, Montana. — The bison herd on the range 

 came through the Avinter in very satisfactory condition. Thirty 

 calves born in the spring increased the number of buffalo on the 

 range to 194. The losses during the year included 3 adult animals, 

 a bull and a cow that died in the fall of 1916 and a cow that was un- 

 able to give birth to her calf. The nucleus of this herd, 37 animals, 

 was placed on the range in the fall of 1909, and 3 others the follow- 

 ing year. Only 5 bison haA'e died since the herd was established. 



The 75 elk and 26 antelope on the range wintered well, but com- 

 plete re<:urns on the number of J^oung born to these herds have not 

 yet been received. 



A mile of the boundary fence running through the Jocko River 

 Sw^amp, Avhich was subject to overflow, was rebuilt on higher ground, 

 eliminating a serious danger of animals escaping from the reserva- 

 tion. 



Wind Cave National Game Preserve, South Dakota. — With 7 

 calves bom this year the total number of buffalo on this preserve is 

 34. . Animals lost during the year include 1 crippled buffalo, which 

 it became necessary to kill, 2 elk, and 3 antelope. There are 61 elk 

 and 23 antelope on this refuge, exclusive of the young born this year. 

 Antelope born on the range are Avilder and apparently hardier than 

 those transferred to the refuge, and it is belieA^ed that in time a satis- 

 factory herd of these beautiful and rapidly disappearing animals will 

 be built up. 



Winter Elk Refuge, Wyoming. — Owing to an unusually severe 

 winter the losses of elk w^ere somewhat larger than usual. During 



