The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1921-07-29

their travels the better can treat them. Ihere-
fore, bird-banding serves useful purpose
The United States Department of Agriculture
has Just published department circular ITO, IN
structions for Bird-Banding," by Frederick Z. LIN
colin assistant biologist of the bureau OF Diofoei-
cal survey. This circular says, by way OF intro
ducton that bird-banding in America dates from
the early years of the Nineteenth century, when
Audubon placed silver threads around the legs
of a brood of phoebes, and was rewarded the fol-
lowing season by having two of his BIRDS return
to nest in the same vicinity
In Europe bird-banding was attempted as early
as 17lO, but it not until 1899 that 1t was un-
dertaken Systematically Between that year anu
1914 about 20 different organizations took up the
work and their activities have developed much
valuable information.
In the United States active experimental work
was begun in 1901, and between that year and
1909 several local attempts at birdbanding were
either planned prosecuted. One of these, by
the New Haven (Conn) 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 8, of that year. This
association continued to advance the work (dur-
ing the last few years under the auspices of the
Iinnaean Society of New York; until it outgrew
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 and
insectivorous species, the work of the association
was taken over by the biological survey in 1920.
II is the plan of the survey to advance this method
of research along two principal lines: First, by
the banding of fedglings as formerly practiced;
and second by the systematic trapping and band
Ing of adults
Through bird-banding operations as carried
in Europe and America, large numbers of migra-
tory birds have been banded, and data of consid-
cradle importance obtained during the last 20
years In the United States these activities have
received added impetus within the last year or
two through the evolution of the method of sys-
tematic trapping Birds have been marked in
rious ways, but the most satisfactory is by
of a numbered aluminium band ring, attached
ito the tarsus or bare portion of the leg. The ap-
Indication of a stain dye to the flight tail
Feathers the attaching of memoranda written on
narchment and various other devices have been
tried in the past, but not satisfactory for any
general investigation.
Since it is the returns from birds banded that
furnish the data desired in this branch of re-
search it is of prime Importance that the methods
employed be improved and that the percentage
of birds under observation be increased. Nothing
has been found more satisfactory to the accom-
nlishnent of this than systemzed trapping. As
fbe banding of fedglngs has the advantage of
affording valuable information on the ages of BIRDS
the bfological survey wishes to encourage these
activities but 1t desires to lay special emphasis
IN the added value of the systematic trapping of
adults Federal permit for this work Is required,
under the provisions of the mgratory-bird treaty
oct Application for such permit should be ad-
dressed to the bureau of biological survey. United