UETED STATES 
                       DEFAJRTEY OF THE IKERIOR 
                          BURIAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEX 
 
                               Washington, D.C. 
 
                                    October 15p 196. 
 
 
Mr. Victor H. Cabalane, Chairman, 
      Committee on Bird Protection# 
           American Ornithologists' Union, 
                Room 5414, South Interior Building, 
                    Washington, D.C. 
 
Dear or. Cahalanet 
 
       1 have read with interest hr. Van Nae'as comment in his letter 
to you on the killing last June of a long-billed curlew at Chatham, 
4assachusetts, by the holder of a Federal permit to t,ke aigratory 
birds for scientific purposes, and your obsorvationý and suggestions

with reference to the exclusion of the long-billed curlew, an perhaps 
some other species, from such permits. 
 
       The long-billed curlew, as you undoubtedly know, is not an un- 
common bird in the western part of the United States and hardly can be 
said to be, at the present time, in any danger of serious reduction in 
numbers. In fact, there is every indication that the species is taking 
advantage of our Federal wildlife refges and reservations and is actu- 
ally multiplying to a fair extet. It is tue that the long-billed 
curlew is now comparatively rare in the eastern section of the United 
States, particularly along the Atlantic Coast, and it would seem9 except

in some rather extrnordinary instance, that this species ought not to be

aolested in this region. We have, therefore, concluded to withhold per- 
mission Q any of these permits hereafter issued to take the long-billed 
curlew in any State on the Atlantic Coast. 
 
       I am glad to inform you that our records show that only tuenty-six

long-billed curlews were taken by permittes in 1967, and twelve in 1968,

principally in California, Texas, and western States. 
 
       You may be assured that this Bureau will always welcome any sugges-

tion or recommendation your Comnittee way make as to wigratory birds the

Committee thinks should be withdrawn from soeeies permitted to be taken 
under Federal permits. We will give the Committee' s recomaiendation most

serious cosideration, 
 
                                 Very sincerely yours, 
 
                                 (SGD)Ira A. Gabrielson 
 
 
Chief.