Vol. XXIT-1 Notes and Ne-ws. 211 



1905 j o 



Paso. In New Mexico field work was done in the northern, middle, and 

 southern parts of the Territory. The work in Mexico, under the direc- 

 tion of E. W. Nelson, was continued, and a supplementary study of the 

 distribution of animal and plant life was made on the southern end of the 

 Mexican table-land, on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, on the coastal low- 

 lands near Tampico, and in the highlands of Chiapas. The biological 

 exploration of the Mackenzie Basin, including Great Slave Lake and part 

 of the Barren Grounds in the neighborhood of Great Bear Lake, was con- 

 tinued from the previous year. E. A. Preble, who has charge of this work, 

 wintered at Fort Simpson on the Mackenzie for the double purpose of 

 studying the conditions during an arctic winter and of being on the 

 ground to resume field work in the early spring long before the opening 

 of communication with the outside world. These investigations, in con- 

 nection with recent work in Labrador, and the explorations already car- 

 ried on by the Biological Survey in the Hudson Bay, Athabasca, and 

 Great Slave Lake regions and Alaska, will form a most valuable chain of 

 observations, making it possible for the first time to understand and intelli- 

 gently discuss the distribution of the numerous boreal types of animals 

 and plants that inhabit Alaska and enter some of the Northern States. 

 Explorations in Alaska have been continued under the direction of 

 Wilfred H. Osgood, among the northern spurs of the Rocky Mountains, 

 about the upper and middle Yukon, and on some of the islands of south- 

 eastern Alaska. A report on the work done by Mr. Osgood about the 

 base of Alaska Peninsula in the summer of 1902 is ready for the press, 

 and will appear shortly. " x 



The investigation of the food of our native birds was continued as 

 usual, through both laboratory work and field observations, the investi- 

 gations of the past year relating in large part to the birds of California, 

 where Professor Beal was engaged for seven months, with a view of deter- 

 mining not only what damage birds do to the fruit crops, but to what 

 extent they tend to check the ravages of noxious insects. 



The work on bird migration was continued as usual, migration sched- 

 ules being received from the regular observers and filed for future use, 

 and also special circulars requesting data on the arrival and departure of 

 the Nighthawk, Catbird, Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, and Redstart, with 

 a view to determining more accurately the principal routes of migration. 



The section of Game Protection, under Dr. Palmer, is becoming better 

 equipped and organized, and the report of its work holds a prominent 

 place in the report of the division. It covers: " (1) Supervision of the 

 importation of foreign birds and mammals; (2) cooperation in restricting 

 interstate shipments of game contrary to law; (3) protection of game in 

 Alaska, and (4) collection and publication of matter relating to game pro- 



1 Published Nov. 23, 1904, as North American Fauna, No. 24, and noticed 

 in ' The Auk ' for Jan., 1905, p. 92. 



