Vol.XXVII 

 1910 



] Cole, The Tagging of Wild Birds. 157 



diameter of approximately 4 mm. when the ends of the metal meet 

 evenly. This is about the size that would ordinarily be used for 

 sparrows and the like. For larger birds the band is merely cut a 

 little longer, while on the other hand, the ring may be made smaller 

 by allowing the ends to overlap, the extra weight being insignificant. 

 In practice, as a matter of fact, it is found more convenient to allow 

 the ends to overlap a bit in all cases. 



The record blanks which are sent out with the bands, and are to 

 be filled in when the bands are used, are essentially the same as 

 those described last year. A somewhat different method is em- 

 ployed, however, of keeping these records when they are turned in. 

 Instead of being copied on larger cards, they are gone over care- 

 fully to see that they have all the requisite data, and are then filed 

 serially in the order of their numbers, since they bear, of course, 

 the number of the band used. When a "return" record now comes 

 in, that is, when a banded bird is found and reported, the data of 

 this are filled in on a red slip of the same size as the banding record, 

 which is on white paper. The return records can then be filed in 

 their appropriate positions with the banding records, where on 

 account of their conspicuous color, they may easily be found when 

 desired. 



Having made these arrangements for the season's work, all that 

 remained was to distribute the bands and banding record blanks 

 among persons who were willing to assist in the undertaking. A 

 number of well known ornithologists, and some others connected 

 with educational institutions, were asked to assist by acting as local 

 agents for distribution of bands to field workers in their vicinity. 

 A considerable number complied with this request, and to these we 

 are deeply grateful for their disinterested assistance. In addition 

 to this quite a few persons made application for bands directly, 

 as a result of the publication in 'The Auk' last April of the paper 

 setting forth the plans of the work. In all something over 5,000 

 bands have been distributed this year, and we consider it extremely 

 satisfactory for the first season's work that api)roximately one-fifth 

 of these were used and are now being worn by a very considerable 

 number of species of wild birds. This leads us to a brief consider- 

 ation of the 



