67-1 ANNITAI. KErORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



April 10 (lie i^elicans began to arrive, and the birds represented on 

 the reservation inchided mallards, widgeon, sprig, teal, Canada geese, 

 blue herons, night herons, conuorants, grebes, j^elicans, gulls, terns, 

 coots, killdeer, avocets, and bitterns. Some trouble was experienced 

 on account of the setting of tule fires, and one of the offenders was 

 convicted and fined $50. A conviction was also secured for killing 

 a swan on the reservation. Every effort has been made to see that 

 the regulations are enforced as strictly as possible without arousing 

 undue antagonism, and conditions have steadily improved during 

 the year. 



MiNiDOicA, Idaho. — This reservation, stretching some 30 miles 

 along Snake Kiver, promises to be a great waterfowl preserve. Many 

 ducks are found on the two large islands in the lake formed by the 

 dam, and the rushes which are spreading rapidly along the newly 

 made shore lines will in time make more and more valuable breeding 

 places. The reservation is isolated and will probably not suffer 

 greatly from poaching, except possibly in the spring and fall, when 

 it will be necessary to have some patrolling done. Local sentiment is 

 in favor of protecting the birds and neighboring settlers have volun- 

 teered assistance in seeing that the}'' are not molested. 



Passage Ivey, Fla. — Although the severe storms wrought consid- 

 erable havoc among the birds on the island, the reservation is indeed 

 a wonderful breeding ground. Thousands of Louisiana herons are 

 to be found on the island, great numbers of laughing gulls and black 

 skimmers, and numberless other birds. The reservation is in a rather 

 precarious condition on account of the continued washing away of 

 the shore at one end, more than 200 feet having washed away 

 since 1905. 



Pelican Island, Fla. — The breeding season in 1911 began unusu- 

 ally earl3^ The first eggs were laid on October 20 and the first 

 young hatched on November 17. The month of November was very 

 stormy. In January the severe storms destroyed practically all the 

 eggs and the young, with the exception of about 100 half-grown ones, 

 so that the winter proved rather disastrous to the birds. About 

 2,000 old birds returned to the reservation in February and nesting 

 began again on March 9. On the 1st of April there were some 550 

 nests with eggs and hatching began on the 13th. Nearly 100 visitors 

 stopped at the reservation during the winter and spring. 



NATIONAL BISON RANGE. 



With the 10 calves born this spring, the buffalo on the National 

 Bison Kange have now increased to 81, making an increase of 44 over 

 the original number placed on the range in October, 1909. The 

 only loss among the buffalo was one old cow. As it was found that 

 the beaver had all disappeared irom Mission Creek, arrangements 

 were made to procure some stock from the Yellowstone National Park, 

 and it is expected that a few animals will be transferred next autumn. 

 In March, 5 elk were shipped from Jackson Hole, AVyo., but 2 of 

 these died from injuries received while en route. The antelope on 

 the range have become somewhat scattered, but 5 were seen recently 

 near headquarters. 



