10 T HE -A.U DU BOON] 3B U ea ae 
There I met Mr. Jensen’s co-workers who were most gracious and help- 
ful. A research station is maintained at headquarters where many prob- 
lems of food, disease, migration, distribution, and waterfowl ecology in 
general are investigated. 
One of the problems of the research biologists is botulism. It was in the 
Great Salt Lake region that the seriousness of this disease was first 
recognized when countless thousands of ducks died in 1910. This western 
duck sickness, as it was commonly called then, has spread to other sections 
of the continent and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for many years 
has been devoting all possible efforts to control the situation which fluctu- 
ates in intensity from year to year. 
Studies by Dr. Alexander Wetmore, now Secretary of the Smithsonian 
Institution, and others pointed out the necessity for water control in infected 
districts. By maintaining constant levels of cold flowing water the volume 
of bacteria is reduced and, if necessary, the complete drainage of pools is 
also effective. Outbreaks in the Bear River district, since the establish- 
ment of the refuge with its water control system, have been greatly reduced 
and are almost negligible some seasons. 
In view of the fact that over 20,000 birds died as recently as 1942, the 
highest loss in the last 10 years, Mr. Wilson’s report for the period from 
September through December 1947 is encouraging. He stated “the loss of 
bird life on the refuge from botulism in 1947 was the smallest we have 
had, with the exception of 19438, since the establishment of the refuge.” 
The total loss last year of less than 2,400 birds was about one-tenth that 
of 1942 and less than one percent of the epidemic years of 1910 and before. 
Much valuable data on migration and distribution has been secured 
through banding operations, which have been an important project at Bear 
River for a number of years. At the close of 1947 a total of 35,337 birds 
had been banded, with approximately 2,850 recoveries or returns. The 
highest percentage of migrants move westward into California and the 
Pacific flyway. Some move due south into New Mexico, Arizona and 
Mexico. Others enter the central flyway in Colorado and move south- 
eastward into Texas. Few birds are taken east of the Mississippi River, 
but there are records of Redheads and Canvas-backs being recovered on 
the Susquehanna Flats in Chesapeake Bay. 
There is an observation tower at the headquarters where one may view 
the entire 100 square miles of the sanctuary. Looking down from this 
vantage point, the two outstanding impressions of anyone not accustomed 
to the vast expanse of western prairies are the absence of trees and the 
naturally flat terrain of the valley. This flat character of the land may be 
appreciated by considering the fact that the variation in the level of the 
refuge (exclusive of the works of man) is only three feet. 
Altho we drove for many miles after leaving headquarters, there was 
no time when we could not see hundreds of Canada geese stretching across 
the water from the roadways. These magnificent birds were almost 
invariably in pairs with their families of little goslings. I neglected to ask 
about the age of the young but I presume that it was from 2 to 3 weeks. 
