more papers on hats were presiMitcd lliaii ever 

 before. 



Approximately 20(),()()0 bats were banded in 

 1064; 112,1)00 bands were issued, 20,038 records 

 were received, and 1,43(5 recoveries were reported. 



One of the more interesting cases disclosed by 

 bat banding was the recovery of a free-tailed bat. 

 Tadiirida hra-sillenxi>!, banded in Oklalioma in July 

 1963 and taken again in Tamaulipas, Mexico, in 

 Mai-ch 1004 — a distance traveled of about 1.000 

 miles. 



Research under way on the ^ oodworth area 



The Woodworth Station, a unit of the Northern 

 Prairie Wildlife Research Center, in Stutsman 

 County, X. Dak., was established in 1963. A con- 

 tinuous inventory of wildlife populations, espe- 

 cially waterfowl, together with a detailed land-use 

 history, will serve as a base for future compari- 

 son when land-use practices are altered and other 

 experimental work is conducted on station lands 

 in this highly important pothole waterfowl breed- 

 ing ground type. 



The 1964 survey indicated a waterfowl breed- 

 ing population of 73 pairs and a production of 

 18 broods per square mile, or 25 percent success in 

 breeding pairs. This was a marked decrease from 

 the 135 paii-s and 61 broods per s(iuare mile, and a 

 success rate of 41 percent, in 1963. Tlie 1964 sur- 



vey disclosed that only 54 percent of the 108 b;i ns 

 per square mile contained water in mid-May. 

 whereas 71 percent contained water at the com- 

 parable time in 1963. 



The area also supfwrted significant numbers of 

 other game species, principally sharp-tailed 

 grouse, gray partridge (Huns), ring-necked 

 phea-sants, and white-tailed deer. Altogether, 111 

 species of birds and 15 species of manvmals have 

 been recorded on the Woodworth tract. 



A land-use history of the Woodworth area was 

 completed in 1964. Man first used the land here 

 in the 1880's as "free range" for cattle and sheep. 

 About half of the area was granted to a railroad 

 in 1890, and the remainng half was homesteaded 

 in 1900-1907. Grazing by cattle and sheep con- 

 tinued to be the main land use, 52 percent serving 

 this purpose in 1964. 



Farming was begim by homesteaders in the early 

 1900"s, but has always remained a relatively minor 

 use. Ten percent of the land was cultivated by 

 1915. Economic and weather conditions induced 

 some fluctuations in the farmed acreage, but World 

 War II and subsequent developments increixsed 

 agricultural use to about 20 percent bj' 1964. 



About 20 j:)ercent of the area has always been 

 wetlands, with an average density of 108 wetland 

 areas, mainly potholes, per square mile. 



NEW RESEARCH FACILITIES 



Bird and Mammal Laboi-atories. — With con- 

 struction of a new west wing on the Natural His- 

 ton- Building of the U.S. National Museum, the 

 Bird and .Mammal Laboratories now have quar- 

 ters, remodeled and air conditioned, that are gen- 

 erally ample for present needs and i)etter lighted 

 and more comfortable than the old quarters. The 

 Mammal Section began moving offices and collec- 

 tions to the new quarters in October, and the big 

 job was essentially completed by the end of the 

 year. The Bird Section accomj^lished a similar 

 move earlier in 1964. Both laboratories are now 

 completely integrated with the l^ird and Mammal 

 Divisions of the Smitiisonian Institution, a nnitu- 

 allv advantageous arranjremiMit. 



New laboratory operated by the Patiixent Wildlife Re- 

 search Center at the Gaine.sville (Fla.) Re.-iearch Sta- 

 tion, where studies on the blackbird depredation 

 problem are beins conducttni. ( Photo by Green Studios. 

 Gainesville, Fla.) 



