158 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



The two numbers of North American Fauna issued were No. 18, 

 " Revision of the pocket mice of the genus Perognathus" by W. 11. 

 Osgood; and No. 19, "Report of a biological reconnoissance of the 

 Yukon River region," by W. H. Osgood and Dr. Louis B. Bishop. 

 Both of these numbers, as well as Bulletin No. 13, on " Food of the 

 bobolink, blackbirds, and grackles," by Prof. F. E. L. Beal, were 

 mentioned as being in press at the time of the last report. Bulletin 

 No. 14, on "Laws governing the transportation and sale of game," 

 by T. S. Palmer and H. W. Olds, was issued in an edition of 5,000 

 copies, a number which would have been inadequate to meet the 

 demand had it not been preceded by a 32-page circular (No. 31) con- 

 taining an abstract of the matter presented in the bulletin, of which 

 circular 15,000 copies were distributed. There is a large demand for 

 publications concerning game, especially on the part of railroad and 

 express companies, and in several instances the Department has 

 received single applications for almost as many copies as were issued 

 in the regular edition. Applicants are usually willing to purchase 

 such reports, but under the present law there is no provision for 

 sales in the quantities desired. As such publications are intended 

 largely for the use of State officials and common carriers in order to 

 secure better enforcement of the game laws, a liberal distribution is 

 advantageous to the Department. An effort has therefore been made 

 to secure as wide a distribution as possible by the preparation of 

 special circulars and tables, which can be issued in large editions at 

 comparatively small cost. The Department is not, however, in a 

 position to meet an unlimited demand, and unless special provision 

 for the purpose is made it will soon be unable to supply many appli- 

 cants who need the reports and will put them to good use. 



The Yearbook articles related to economic ornithology, and were 

 entitled "How birds affect the orchard," bv Prof. F. E. L. Beal, and 

 "The food of nestling birds," by Dr. S. D. Judd. 



The circulars, six in number, were as follows: No. 28, " Directory of 

 State officials and organizations concerned with the protection of 

 birds and game ; " No. 29, " Protection and importation of birds under 

 act of Congress approved May 25, 1900; " No. 30, " Wild animals and 

 birds which maybe imported without permits;" No. 31, "Informa- 

 tion concerning game;" No. 32, "Directions for the destruction of 

 prairie dogs," and No. 33, "Protection of birds and game — Directory of 

 State officials for 1901." 



The original edition (5,000 copies) of circular No. 31 was exhausted 

 almost immediately, and it was necessary to publish reprints to the 

 number of 10,000. Reprints of North American Fauna, No. 16, 

 "Biological survey of Mount Shasta," and bulletin No. 12, "Legis- 

 lation for the protection of birds other than game birds," were also 

 necessary. Owing to the unabated demand for Farmers' Bulletin No. 

 54, "Some common birds in relation to agriculture," a tenth edition, 

 of 20,000 copies, was issued during the year, which makes a total of 

 more than 220,000 copies of this bulletin thus far printed since its 

 first appearance in 1896. 



ROUTINE WORK. 



The routine work of the office has increased very largely during the 

 year. The number of letters received was 6,540, and the number 

 written about 4,000. This is an increase of more than 50 per cent over 

 the number received (4,253) and mailed (2,041) in 1900. The miscel- 

 laneous office work includes examination and filing of reports, sched- 



