Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-08-04

know a1out the migratory birds and
their travels the better we can treat them There-
fore brd-banding serves a useful purpose.
The United States Department OF Agriculture
has inst published department circular 10, I'm
structions for Bird Banding" by Frederick O. LIN
coin assistant biologist of the bureau of bioogl
cal survey. This circular says, by way OF lntro-
ductiOn, that brd-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 brd-banding was attempted as early
as 171O but it was not until 1899 that it was un-
dertaken Systematically. Between that year and
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 bird-banding were
either planned prosecuted. one OF these by
the New Haven (Conn) Bird club, was reported
to the annual meeting of the American Orntholo-
gsts union in 1909 with the result that the Amer
ican Bird Banding association was organized in
New York City on December s, of that year. This
association continued to advance the work (dur-
ing the last few years under the auspices of the
Linnaean 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 formerly practiced;
and second by the systematic trapping and band
ing Of adults.
Through birdbandng operations, as carried on
in Europe and America, large numbers of migra-
tory birds have been banded, and data of consd-
cradle Importance obtained during the last 20
wears 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 means
of a numbered aluminium band or ring, attached
TO the tarsus, bare portion Of the leg. The ap-
pllcation Of a stain dye to the flight or tail
feathers the attaching of memoranda written on
narchment, and various other devices have been
tried in the past but are 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 satisfactory to the accom-
pIishment of this than systemized trapping AS
the banding of fedglings has the advantage of
affording valuable information the ages of BIRDS
the biological survey wishes to encourage these
activities but it desires to lay special emphasis
on the added value of the systematic trapping Of
adults Federal permit for this work is required,
under the provisions of the migratory-bird treaty
act. Application for such permit should be ad-
dressed to the bureau of biological survey, United