
A PUNCH-CARD SYSTEM SUITABLE FOR USE VITH SMALL 
| SAMPLES IN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH L/ 
By Lowell Adams 
Biologist, Branch of Wildlife Research 
With the increased use of quantitative refinements in wildlife » 
Search and management, there is need for techniques to speed the han: 
of masses of statistical data. One such technique is the punch-card 
system for compiling and analyzing data. This system has not been c. 
monly used in wildlife work because it is designed for use with lar-- 
collections of data than usually are at hand. Also, machinery for i 
use is prohibitive because of the cost. However, a relatively new k:.. 
of punch-card system is available which is inexpensive and suitable rf 
use with small collections of data. This is the Notech-card sSysten, 
which, to my knowledge, has not been used in wildlife work but which . 
remarkably well suited for that purpose. The system is here describe: 
and compared with the better-known Hollerith punch-card systems. (Cot- 
tam and Curtis, 1948). 
Funch-cerd systems are techniques for compiling and analyzing ds: 
quickly and accurately by mechanical means. The compiling and analy-: 
of data, whether done by punch-cards or manually, is essentially a pr- 
ceas of sorting into categories and tellying the frequencies of obser. 
tions in the respective categories. For example, in analyzing hunter.- 
return data, a wildlife manager may wish to sort the returns accordin- 
to county of residence, species of game hunted, where hunted, hours s: . 
in hunting, end the like. He will then have information as to the tc. 
number of hunters from each county, how many hunted each species of ge: 
how many hunted in each locality, etc. The punch-card system can spe... 
this analysis of data to an amazing degree. 
Essentially, the punch-cerd systems consist of coding the deta sc 
as to express them in terms of holes in 4 piece of cardboard instead c. 
numbers or symbols on a piece of paper. With the data thus portrayed, 
various categories can be selected from the mass cf data by mechanical 
or electrical machines which select according to the position of the 
holes in the cardboards. 
The more elaborate systems, such as the Hollerith punch-cards, 
have become familiar to the public through their use as financial forr.. 
such as-the United States postel notes, which are printed on stiff per 
and heve rectanguler holes punched in them. 
1/ The use of the Notch-card system was originally suggested by 
Mr. Clarence Chase, Forest Economist, Lake States Forest Experiment St: 
tion, where the system has been in use by Mr. Chase for several years. 
