SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
WASHINGTON. D. C. 20560 
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17 August 1964 
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Mr, ¥i nst on Banko 
Division of Birds 
Sraithsonian Institu±ion 
Was ington, D. C. 
Dear Win: 
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20560 
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Just a note to let you know the cannon net arrived 
safely on Auyust 10 , We fired it the next day and netted 
61 birds in two shots. The next day we got 92 in one shot 
and would have gotten about 200 but the net had a broken 
electrical con* / he cannons would ' Em 1 
you can see by the report we have banded 403 Ruddies up to 
the 15th, Yesterday we tried firing it in a driving rain 
and wind storm and netted but two Ruddies and two plovers 
(one of which was snatched by a fox as it was released). 
Today the low pressure area is centered over the Pribilofs 
with winds to 40 knots and rain so we have not tried to do 
it again under such conditions, Without the cannon net I 
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am 
afraid the expedition would have been much less a success. 
When 
we ordered that last batch of firing devices we thought 
we would be able to get at least two shots a day off but now 
we find the birds becoming more wary and after one shot they 
are difficult to get in firing range, 
I hope the bi-weekly bird summary reports are okay, I 
am finding them very difficult to do under the conditions we 
have here. It is almost impose: /.I ate birds on 26 
miles of cliffs. 
Me will be departing St, George Island on about September 
4 which is the time the ship goes to St, Paul and then to 
Nikolski, Even if we don*t go to Nikolski we will have to 
leave as the ship is returning to Seattle. I just hope the 
birds are mostly gone at that time. 
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I have enclosed in the other letter to Maryanna, 
band 
recovery report, Tie took a Ruddy with an old Japanese band on 
it. lie took off the band and put on one of ours. lie will be 
anxious to get the data on it. 
The ship will be here tonite we hope so will close the 
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Oxl. 
Sincerely ours 
Max C- Thom son 
