THE DUCK SICKNESS IN UTAH. 25 
RELEASE OF BANDED BIRDS. 
Aluminum bands were placed on the legs of about 1,000 ducks that 
were cured and released at the mouth of Bear River. From these 
banded birds data have been obtained upon the permanency of the 
cure and the subsequent longevity of individuals that have recovered. 
The bands used thus far are of two types: Each bears a number 
stamped upon one side; on the reverse, one is marked " Notify U. S. 
Dept. Agr., Wash., D. C.;" the other " Notify Biological Survey, 
Washington, D. C." These bands are light and in addition are little 
affected by salt or alkaline waters. Returns have come in at the 
present time from about 170 of these ducks. Many of these were 
killed locally, but nearly always under circumstances that indicated 
that they had fully recovered. Others have come from greater 
distances. Individual records range west to the Pacific Ocean in 
California, south to the Mexican border in New Mexico, east to 
Joplin, Mo., and north into southern Saskatchewan in Canada. 
Three birds banded in 1914 were killed by hunters during 1916, and 
another released at the same time was reported in 1917, so that there 
can be no doubt that the birds treated recovered fully. 
Valuable information has been obtained from reports on these 
banded ducks as to the lines of flight pursued by waterfowl during 
their migrations. This is of the greatest importance, and it is desired 
that sportsmen or others who chance to kill these banded birds send 
immediately full details to the Biological Survey as to the number of 
the band, together with date and place of capture. 
