WILD LIFE PROTECTION — WALKER 345 



Such a method of calculating animal life as is outlined by Lin- 

 coln ' in " Culcuhitinn; Waterfowl Abundance on the Basis of Band- 

 ing Returns " is well worth giving a thorough trial under varying 

 conditions. It is a direct application of the method heretofore used 

 of calculating the value of basic breeding stock on the assumption 

 tliat tiie animals annually taken bear a more or less definite 

 relationship to the basic stock, 



Taylor's "Methods of Determining Rodent Pressure on the 

 Range " * points out some methods of making studies of certain types 

 of animal life and the practical apjjlication of such work. 



There is real need for the development of uniformity in termin- 

 ology and methods of studying and stating the data for wild-life 



/\ 



Gra-zin^ / -v\ Range. 



r^^ V* of /--^.z 



/ 



/, ^<\ ^-'y y/ 



linUKH 1^. — lllustrutioii of yiar by year increase froin an initial stock of lu aiiimals 

 Laving a potential annual increase of 50 per cent 



administration. Fur again furnishes a good illustration. The 

 graphs of the " Cycle of the Fur " show that there is a varying but 

 short period when the skins of animals are in a condition of the 

 maximum value. Tliis condition may be compared to the condition 

 of grain or fruit when it is said to be " ripe " or the condition of 

 meat animals when they are said to be "finished." Among trap- 

 pers the wortl " prime " is commonly used and is very satisfactory. 

 However, one writer has criticized the use of the term because 

 skins can not always be positively referred to either the groups of 

 prime or unprinie. Skins can, however, be so designated as accu- 

 rately as many forms of produce can be graded, but it may be desir- 

 able to establish certain standards with a series of grades as has been 

 done for cotton, grains, and meat. 



When biologists have entered upon such studies as are needed in 

 wild-life administration, it will bo found that the problems are 

 fully as interesting as those In other lines of biology and there is a 



■Lincoln, F. C, Circular No. 118. D. S. Department of Agriculture. 

 ♦Taylor, Walter P., Ecology, Vol. XI, pp. 5;;3-642, July, 1930. 



