Reports of Field Agents 



417 



Even under these difficulties, the herd reached St. Anthony in fairly 

 good condition. After two days' rest, two bulls, six cows and seven year- 

 lings were loaded into a box-car and hauled to the town of Joseph, Oregon. 

 At this point it was again necessary to load the elk into the crates and haul 

 them forty-six miles north to the place known as Billy Meadows Pasture. 

 Again on account of heavy snows in the mountains, it required four days 

 to reach the pasture. 



Several years ago the United States Forest Service built a five-foot wire 

 fence around 2,500 acres of fine pasture land and forest, enclosing this place 

 known as Billy ]\Ieadows Pasture. This was done for the purpose of carry- 



YOUNG EGRET IN OREGON COLONY 

 Photographed by William L. Finley 



ing on experiments in sheep-grazing. This pasture is now the home of this 

 band of elk. Two strands of wire were added to the top of the fence, making 

 it a seven-foot fence. The experiment was successful, and it is likely that 

 during the coming winter a few more young elk will be added to the herd. 



During the past year I made several tours of inspection, visiting our wild- 

 bird reservations in this state. A brief report of these is as follows : 



On April 6, 191 2, I made a trip to Klamath Lake Reservation. One 

 of the isolated islands in the northwestern part of the lake we found to be 

 occupied by Farallone Cormorants. The most of the nests contained eggs. 

 The White Pelicans were just beginning to nest. I saw very few Gulls and 

 no Terns. Visiting one of the colonies of Great Blue Herons, I found upon 

 investigation that most of the birds were sitting on four or five eggs. In four 

 nests I was very much surprised to find young birds not more than a day or 



