2 MISC. PUBLICATION 115, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
CONTROL FUNCTIONS OF THE BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 
The administration of wild life by the Bureau of Biological Sur- 
vey involves not only research into the habits, distribution, and 
requirements of the varieties, and the conservation of fur, game, 
insectivorous, and other valuable animals, but also the regulation of 
activities of a limited number of certain species that seriously inter- 
fere with the economic interests of man, and, in the case of some 
of the larger predators, prey upon valuable game species. 
The leadership of the Biological Survey in control operations 
during the years since 1915 has been requested and encouraged by 
State and other cooperating agencies. The funds made available 
from these sources for expenditure under the direction of the dis- 
trict leaders of the bureau have been far in excess of those provided 
for the purpose from the National Treasury. The investigations of 
the food and other habits, the geographic distribution, and the 
relationships of the wild birds and mammals of the country (includ- 
ing rodents and predators) have been carried on for almost half a 
century and provide the basis for the control work recommended 
and prosecuted. Research along these lines is being continued by 
scientifically trained men and will be expanded as funds permit. 
It is well for the conservation of the wild life of the country that 
leadership in the control of injurious species has been delegated 
to a governmental organization that is concerned with the welfare 
of the various forms and with the administration of wild-life 
refuges, one that is charged with the enforcement of wild-life con- 
servation laws, and one that recognizes the desirability of preserving 
representatives of all forms of wild life on suitable areas. 
LEGAL AUTHORIZATION FOR CONTROL WORK 
The legal sanction for control work by the Federal Government is 
contained in congressional direction in annual appropriation acts 
for the Department of Agriculture and in a special enactment au- 
thorizing a definite control program. The appropriation acts mak- 
ing funds available for the use of the Bureau of Biological Survey 
since the year 1915 have provided for investigations, experiments, 
demonstrations, and cooperation for the control of wild animals 
injurious to agriculture, horticulture, forestry, animal husbandry, 
and wild game, and for the suppression of rabies in predatory wild 
animals. The special program of control, which was called for by 
the Seventieth Congress, was drawn up by the Department of Agri- 
culture to cover a 10-year period, and was approved by the Seventy- 
first Congress (Public Act No. 776, of March 2, 1931). 
