Show WILD DUCKS WEAR U S BAND S by frederick C lincoln associate biologist U S biological survey As a means or securing precise information concerning tile the migrations and life histories of the migratory birds of north america thousands of anem are every year marked with numbered aluminum bands that carry I 1 in addition to the number the legend notify abiol sarv wash D C that Is the used on oil the bands in the bureau of biological survey of the U S department of agriculture this means of investigation ams been carried on in both europe and america tor for more than 25 years and a great quantity of 0 important information is being obtained these data will be of the greatest service to both federal and state game officials in determining the proper open seasons for or the game species and in affording adequate protection to those that are valued for their insectivorous habits as well as for their thair songs and brilliant the banding work Is carried on both by regular employees of 0 the bureau and ty by volunteer cooperators these last now number over 1200 in both the united states and canada they hold special federal permits usually supplemented ted by state permits authorizing them to trap or otherwise secure migratory birds tor for banding purposes they receive no salary or other re numeration ten for their services except the pleasure of working with live birds bird 5 and the knowledge that they are contributing to important investigations the writers activities in the field have been centered mainly in the study of the migrations of the ducks and in iii the state of illinois alone a about bo ut ducks ibave have lieen been banded mostly mallards these banded birds have been retaken from the northern provinces of canada to the gulf of 0 mexica alexica several on the atlantic coast and a very few were killed as far west as california the bear river nl marshes ashes have lon long been known as a region attractive to ducks and other waterfowl it probably being a sate safe assertion that these thebe marsh lands constitute one of it not the most important breeding grounds tor for such birds in the united states As such their value in the eyes of sportsmen is of great magnitude this interest being a matter of concern to the hunters of 0 many states tile the citizens of 0 utah are in fact the trustees for a duck breeding ground that unquestionably helps tol to serve many of the states stales west of the mississippi river evidence of this Is indicated ty by the returns that already have been i received from birds banded at the dackille duckville Duc kville kille gun club during the period from 1914 to 1916 by dr alexander wetmore who was then engaged in a study of the sickness that had repeatedly been responsible tor for the death of thousands of ducks and other birds doctor wet mores bands being the ithe address of 0 the biological survey were returned from 12 states and one cabadi canadian an province as well as mexico many of these birds were not those that had bred in the marshes and it 11 is tor for the purpose of ascertaining the extent of the region that Is served by the birds nesting in this thia great natural nursery that the writer is now a visitor to this city through the interest of state fish and game came commissioner david madsen and the active cooperation of state game warden james S hull and his sons it Is hoped that at least a thousand ducks will be marked with the numbered bands during the present month already a good part ot of this number nu niber are wearing the markers so that success seems assured tile the next part depends upon the cooperation of hunters or other persons who may chance to obtain a banded bird all banded birds should be reported to the biological sur survey vey at washington D C the number of the band and the date and place of 0 capture the bureau has no funds to use in fit paying rewards for such buell information as it relies sol solely ely upon tile the mutual interests that it has haa with the sportsmen of the country in learning more about our wildfowl so that they may be perpetuated for or the pleasure and use ot of coming generations erat ions all reports received will be acknowledged and the writer informed as to when and where the birds was banded As thousands of 0 birds already have been banded in other states and in canada there tg Is always the possibility ot of securing a bird that has haa made an exceptionally long flight |