The Idaho recorder., 1921-08-19

~ Thinks 10 Federal Migratory
! ! !: I : ; ! !: ! ] !
BIRD act aud treaty with Canada
Tor its.enforcement. The Importance
CfAT OF this fact aside from all senti
ment In regard 10 the feathered
IkT songsters. In that without the birds
EDNT we should soon be eaten up by In
NaN" sect pests. or course. the more we
know about the migratory birds and
their travels. the better can treat them. There
lore, bird banding u useful purpose,
The United States Department Of Agriculture
has Just published department circular 10. "In.
structions for Bird. Banding" by Frederick c. Lin.
coin assistant biologist OF the bureau OF biologi.
cal survey. This circular says. by way OF intro
duction. that birdbandng In America dates from
the early years OF the Nineteenth century. when
Audubon placed silver threads around the legs
Of breed of phoehes, aud rewarded the fol-
lowing season by having two OF his birds return
10 nest In the same vicinity
In Europe bird.bandng was attempted as early
a. l7io. but II not until $500 that 1t was un.
dertakcn systematically. Between that year and
lota about 10 different organizations took up the
work. and their activities have developed much
valuable information.
In the United States active experimental work
vas begun In 1901, and between that year and
100 several local attempts at bird.banding were
either planned or prosecuted. one OF these, by
the New Haven tConn) Bird club. was reported
To the annual meeting OF the American Ornitholo.
gists union In 1909. with the result that the Amer
lean Bird Banding association was organized In
New York City on December & Of that year This
association continued To advance the work tdur-
Ing the last few years under the auspices OF the
Llnnaean Society OF New York; until Ii outgrcw
the resources available
Because Of the valuable Information TO be Sc
cured relative TO the movements and life histories
of our migratory birds. especially the game aud
insecfyorous species. the work of the association
was taken over by the biological survey In 1870
II Is the plan Of the survey TO advance this method
Of research along two principal lines: First, by
the handing Of ned.lin.s formerly practiced:
end second hy the systematic trapping and band
Ing OF adults
Through bird-bandng operations. a carried
IN Europe and America. large numbers Of mgra
tory birds have been banded. and data OF consid.
erabie importance obtained during the last ~
years In the United States these activities have
received added Impetus within the last year
two. through the evolution OF the method OF sys-
t.matic trapping Birds have been marked In VA.
fious ways. but the most satisfactory Is by means
Of numbered aluminium band or ring attached
10 the tarsus. or hare portion OF the leg The ap-
pcatlon Of stain or dye to the flight tail
feather tle attaching OF memoranda written on
parchment. and various other devices have been
tried In the past but are not satisfactory for any
general investigation.
Since II lis the returns FROM birds banded that
furnish the data desired In this branch OF re
search. u IL Of prime Importance that the methods
employed he improved and that the percentage
Of birds under observation be increased. Nothing
has been found more satisfactory 20 the accom-.
rlishment of this than systcnliZed trapping As
the banding Of hcdgliugs has the advantage Of
anording valuable information the ages OF birds
the biological survey wishes 10 encourage thes.
activities. bai II desires to lay special emphasis
o. the added value " the systematic trapping OF
adults. Federal permit FOR this work IL required
under the provisions of the migratory. bird treaty
act Application Tor such permit should .be ad-
ssssscd 10 the bureau Of biological survey United