Woodcock on nest in typical nesting habitat. (Photo by G. L. Burley, North Carolina) 



24 States and Provinces sliowed no sijinificant 

 change in size of breedinof population (index 

 value, 2 percent). 



Because of the serious need for banding informa- 

 tion, an investigation, carried out in Maine in 

 1962, led to effective methods of cajjturing large 

 numbers of woodcock in summer. Birds were 

 found to fly to open fields in the evening, where 

 265 were taken subsequently by means of spot- 

 lights and mist nets. Results indicate that, with 

 more manpower, it would be feasible to condiict a 

 large-scale summer banding program. Similar 

 .studies are planned for other poit ions of tlie 

 woodcock's bi-eedinii: raiijjc. 



S and h>ll crane investigations. — A sandhill crane 

 study in central and western Mexico, conducted in 

 January 1962, resulted in determination of the 

 number and the subsj)ecies of cranes wintering in 

 this area. A total of 20,475 birds, the majority 

 in the Bustillus and Babicora valleys in the State 

 of Chihuahua, were found during tlie course of the 

 study. 



On the basis of mid-toe measurements, taken at 

 random from footprint impressions at roost sites 

 and feeding grounds, it was determined that most 

 if not all of the cranes using the central highlands 

 of Mexico are lesser sandhill cranes. By the same 

 technique, it was found that a population of l,(Ht(i 



Young sandhill crane at .38 days of age, hand reared at {>ens operated by New Mexico Game and Fish Department, 

 Santa Fe. ( Photo by E. L. Boeker) 



22 



