Syracuse Univ. Bull.. Volume 22 AUGUST. 1922 Number 7 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin (VOLUME I. NUMBER 2) OF The Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station OF The New York State College of Forestry AT Syracuse University Published Quarterly by the University, Syracuse, New York Entered at the Post Office at Syracuse as second-class mail matter / with the compliments cf TE3 ROOSEVELT TTILD LI 1:3 FOREST EXPERIMENT STITIOIJ Syracuse, New York THE LATE VISCOUNT TAMES BRYCE 1838-1922. Late Member of Honorary Advisory Council Syracuse Univ. Bull.. Volume 22 AUGUST. 1922 Number 7 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin (VOLUME I. NUMBER 2) OF The Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station OF The New York State College of Forestry AT Syracuse University Published Quarterly by the University, Syracuse, New York Entered at the Post Office at Syracuse as second-class mall matter ANNOUNCEMENT The Serial Publications of The Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station consist of the following: 1. Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin. 2. Roosevelt Wild Life Annals. The Bulletin is intended to include papers of general and popular interest on the various phases of forest wild life, and the Annals those of a more technical nature or having a less widespread interest. These publications are edited in cooperation with the College Committee on Publications. Exchanges are invited. CHARLES C. ADAMS Director and Editor [102] Copyright, 1922 by Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station TRUSTEES OF THE NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF FORESTRY Ex Officio Ur. Charles W. Flint, Chancellor Syracuse University Dr. Frank P. Graves, Commissioner of Education Albany, N. Y. Hon. Alexander Macdcnald, Conservation Commis- sioner Albany, N. Y. Hon. Jeremiah Wood, Lieutenant-Governor Hempstead, L. I. Appointed by the Governor Hon. Alexander T. Brown Syracuse, N. Y. Hon. John R. Clancy Syracuse, N. Y. Hon. Harold D. Cornwall Lowville, N. Y. Hon. George W. Driscoll Syracuse, N. Y. Hon. C. C. Burns VVatertown, N. Y. Hon. Louis Marshall New York City Hon. William H. Kelley Syracuse, N. Y. Hon. Edward H. O'Hara Syracuse, N. Y. Hon. T. Henry Walters New York City Officers of the Board Hon. Louis Marshall President Hon. John R. Clancy Vice-President [103] HONORARY ADVISORY COUNCIL OF THE ROOSEVELT WILD LIFE STATION American Members Mrs. CoRiNNE Roosevelt Robinson \e\v York City Hon. Theodore Roosevelt Washington, D. C. Mr. Kermit Roosevelt New York City Dr. George Bird Grinnell New York City Dr. GiFFORD PiNCHOT Harrisburg, Pa. Mr. Chauncey J. Hamlin Buffalo, N. Y. Dr. George Shiras, 3rd Washington, D. C. Dr. Frank M. Chapman Xew York City Col. Henry S. Graves Xew Haven, Conn. Ei RoPEA.v Members V^iscount Gkey Falloden. England Viscount Bryce* Forest Row, England Sir Harry H. Johnston Arundel, England * Deceased, January 22, 1922. [104] ROOSEVELT STATION STAFF Franklin Moon, M. F Dean of the College Charles C. Adams, Ph. D., ScD Director of the Station Alvin G. Whitney, A. B Assistant Director William Converse Kendall, A. M., M. D Ichthyologist VViLFORD A. Dence, B. S Assistant Temporary Appointments * Thomas L. Hankinson, B. S Ichthyologist** Perley M. Silloway, M. S Roosevelt Field Ornithologist Henry S. Pratt, Ph. D Roosevelt Field Naturalist Charles E. Johnson, Ph.D Roosevelt Fur Naturalist Aretas a. Saunders, Ph.B Roosevelt Field Ornithologist Collaborators * Edward R. Warren, B. S Roosevelt Game Naturalist Richard A. Muttkowski, Ph.D Roosevelt Field Naturalist Gilbert M. Smith, Ph.D Roosevelt Field Naturalist Edmund Heller, A. B Roosevelt Game Naturalist M. F. Skinner Roosevelt Field Ornithologist * Including only those who have made field investigations and whose reports are now in preparation. ** Resigned as Station Ichthyologist October i, 1921. [105] ROOSEVELT ON WILD LIFE INVESTIGATION " There must be ample research in the laboratory in order even to present those problems, not to speak of solving them, and there can be no laboratory study without the accumulation of masses of dry facts and specimens. " I also mean that from now on it is essential to recognize that the best scientific men must largely work in the great out-of-doors laboratory of nature. It is only such outdoors work which will give us the chance to interpret aright the laboratory observations." Theodore Roosevelt. THE RELATION OF FORESTS AND FORESTRY TO HUMAN WELFARE " Forests are more than trees. They are rather land areas on which are associated various forms of plant and animal life. The forester must deal with all. Wild life is as essentially and legitimately an object of his care as are water, wood, and forage. Forest administration should be planned with a view to realizing all possible benefits from the land areas handled. It should take account of their indirect value for recreation and health as well as their value for the production of salable material ; and of their value for the production of meat, hides, and furs of all kinds as well as for the production of wood and the protection of water supplies. " Unquestionably the working out of a program of wild life protection which will give due weight to all the interests affected is a delicate task. It is impossible to harmonize the differences between the economic, the esthetic, the sporting, and the commercial viewpoint. Nevertheless, the practical difficulties are not so great as they appear on the surface." Henry S. Graves, Former Chief Forester, U. S. Forest Service. Recreation, Vol. 52, p. 236, 1915. [106] ; CONTENTS 1. An Opportunity for Great Public Service Col. Henrj- S. Graves 2. An Investigation of the Beaver in Herkimer and Hamilton Counties of the Adirondacks Dr. Charles Eugene Johnson ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES 1 Plate 23. The Late Viscount Br^-ce, 1838-1922. Courtesy The Macmillan Plate 24. Colonel Henry S. Graves, Member of Honorary Advisory Council 112 FIGURES Figure i. Constable Creek, one of the sources of Big Moose Lake. View above second beaver dam from mouth of creek 119 Figure 2. Constable Creek; about a hundred yards above view in figure i showing beaver lodge and flooded woodland 119 Figure 3. Constable Creek; another view of the beaver flow. Mixed birch and spruce forest 120 Figure 4. Constable Pond; looking toward the outlet. Fringe of spruce timber under water 1 20 Figure 5. Constable Pond; flooded bay at inlet. Drowned timber chiefly of spruce 123 Figure 6. One of the dams in outlet creek of Lower Gull Lake; 146 feet long and 8 feet, 8 inches high 123 Figure 7. Twdtchell Creek; view a half mile west of highway. Spruce timber, long since drowned 124 Figure 8. Outlet creek of Russian Pond; showing dam two and a half feet high, damaging timber along the stream 124 Figure 9. Lower Gull Lake; dam at outlet flooding narrow fringe of forest around the lake 127 Figure 10. The lower of the Two Sisters Lakes; dam at outlet flooding a fringe of spruce timber 127 Figure 11. Beaver Pond at junction of Sunshine and Jack Pond Creeks, Twitchell Lake district 128 Figure 12. Dam at outlet of Oswego Pond, Twitchell Lake district. This has flooded an area extending half a mile above the pond. ... 128 Figure 13. Witchopple Lake; view of part of northwest shore and dam at outlet 131 Figure 14. \''iew along inlet creek of Witchopple Lake. Because of the low banks this beaverflow is submerging considerable spruce timber. 131 Figure 15. New dam on outlet stream of Razorback Pond, on property of Champlain Realty Company. Stand of large spruce above dam endangered by flooding 132 Figure 16. Beaver flow on creek entering Round Pond, northern Long Lake region 132 Figure 17. Beaver Pond on Pine Brook, northern Long Lake region. Chiefly cut-over and burned land, so that damage from flow is negligible. 135 Figure 18. Aspen, 17.5 inches in diameter, cut by beaver; north shore of Lake Eaton 135 Figure 19. Salmon Brook, Blue Mountain Lake region; dam 75 feet long and 3 feet high, causing flow about a mile in length 136 Figure 20. Salmon Brook, Blue Mountain Lake region. Dead spruce timber in the long flow on this creek 136 Figure 21. McCabes Creek, Indian Lake region; spruce killed in beaver flow. 139 ri07] io8 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin PAGE Figure 22. Creek entering inlet marsh, Big Moose Lake; view just below junction of the north and south forks. Formerly a good trout stream 139 Figure 23. View on Pine Brook, between Forked Lake and Long Lake, taken just above a beaver dam which had been torn out. Formerly a good trout stream 140 Figure 24. Beaver ponds on small tributary of Boulder Brook. Stream normally about two feet wide. No timber to damage here. 140 Figure 25. Beaver dam and pond on upper courses of Pine Brook, Cold River region; limit of a burned area. A good example of a beaver flow as a natural fire barrier 143 Figure 26. Part of meadow formed on site of old beaver pond; Grampus Lake stream, Long Lake region 143 Figure 27. Big Chief Pond, Big Moose Lake region. Part of south shore; beaver-damaged timber removed. An example of injury on a private estate 144 Figure 28. Beaver dam on Big Brook, Long Lake region; 172 feet long, 3 feet, 9 inches high. No timber to damage here. Beaver flows are frequently helpful to man for transportation purposes 144 " Figure 29. Beavers' tote road," cut through river bank; near Cold River. 147 Figure 30. White birch with double cut having spiral turn. Tree on edge of little knoll; 3 feet, 7 inches in circumference above upper cut. Big Brook, Long Lake district 147 Figure 31. Hemlock one foot in diameter, partly severed by beaver; Loon Lake, Beaver River district 148 Figure 32.