marsh-nesting "birds. Commen.tin'g on it'S's'tatiis" in central British 'Col-umlDip), the 

 Chief Migratory Bird Officer for that Province stated that: "Taken as a whole the 

 Coot raayhe ri;Khtly Considered' as one of the commonest "breeding waterfowl in the 

 "region. «'■■••■•■•-, ■„ ■'" 



.•■■■■■•■' Mourning Dove 



Continued improvement in the numerical status of the Mourning Dove was reported 

 generally throiighout its "breeding range. This was particularly notev/orthy in the 

 Southeastern States. As was the case in the fall of l^'4-3, shortage of ammunition, 

 gasoline, and other war-induced causes, had influence in keeping rlown the total kill. 

 This is fortunate, for the reason that there are still improvements to he made in 

 the management program. Because of the "breeding hahits of the "birds, a perfect 

 program may not "be possihle "but all evidence thus far accumulated, (and it is now 

 fairly -extensive) , indicates that it will "be "better management not to permit a.ny ' 

 hunting of these "birds "before Octo"ber 1 in that part of the country south of the ' 

 northern "borders of North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. 



White-winged Dove 



* ' - ■■ 

 'Continued study of the White-winged Dove in Texas "by the "biologist of the ■ 

 Central Flyvray showed a trend toward esta"blishment of new "breeding areas north of 

 the Rio Grande Valley. This wider distri"bti.tion in counties away from the -"border may 

 "be a.n importa^nt factor in the salvation of the species as a game "birci for the reason 

 that extensive destruction of its hahitat in the Valley for agricultural ■piu'poses 

 is rapidly 'reducing the remaining nesting grounds. . . . 



The experimental management program tha.t has "been in progress for the past two 

 years has worked satisfactorily and, in .general, has the support of the sportsmen 

 a,nd "biologists who have studied the pro'blem. 



No important changes of the situa.tion in Arizona were recorded. 



Band - tailed Pigeon 



The "biologist of the Pacific Fl;;/\";ay ga.ve special attention to these "birds 

 during, the I'-'^U season. In his report he states: "The Band- tailed Pigeon has 

 undou'bted.ly shown a healthy increase in mwiher's during the past few years." ^ This 

 investigator reported a good crop of pigeons in the oak-covered foothills in Cali- 

 fornia., not less than 2,500 having "been seen on K'ovem"ber 26 in the general vicinity 

 of Bakersfield. Reports of increase also v/ere reported from New Mexico a.nri Colorado. 



In most of the States where an open season is provided, the Band-tail is not a. 

 popular game hird and relatively few are killed. The heaviest kill is made in the 

 foothills along the San Joaauin River, and in the southernmost counties of California, 

 Unfortunately, reports indica.te that many hunters who shoot these "birds consider them 

 merely a,s targets a.nd make little effort to retrieve their game, resulting in un- 

 pardonable waste of valua."ble food. 



Stimmary of 19^^ Operations 



To summa.rize the migratory game hird situa.tion as it appears on July 1, 19^5, 

 it may "be reported that the "biologists of the Atlantic and Mississippi Plywa.ys pre 



