A KiiJ’OBT ON IMliAC£ 70 BICB BY BIBBB IK COLOl'.ABO, mBTOK,

i^HB MA7A00HBA COUNTS. T£JUiB.

Is Aooordanoa with letter of authority 212->Bi and written instruo-
tiona, after owipleting an inveatigation of datoage hy Birds to rice in
Arlsaaeas 1 left little Book, ArJtansaat on t^unday Becenber 23, and pro-
ceeded to Eagle Lake, Texaa, arriving there on Ohriatmas day* Field work
was carried on in this region as followst Eagle Lake, Becember 25 to 27t
Wharton, Beoeiober 28; £1 Oainp^ Boeeaber 29; Bay City, Becember 30 to Jan-
uary 2* From Bay City, Wadsworth and Matagorda were visited on January 1
and a trip made by automobile on January 2 covered regiozis devoted to
rloe culture near Markham, £1 tiaton, Ashby, Citrus Grove, Slmpsonville
and Wadsworth* On January 3 aome infonoation regarding bird damage was
seoured in Houston at the office of the Southern Bioe Growers Assooia-
tlon* This last area lies outside the region assigned at the head of this
report*

Om^AL INFQ9-AIATI(1I .

w

In the counties vmder oonsidaration rice is one of the most im-
portant oropB. The land surface is level and fozmorly was mainly open
prairie with occasional oak motts scattered thraug^ it* Bioe is grown by
irrigation, mainly by means of water drawn by pumping stations from the
Colorado Biver* At Eagle L^ water is pnmped from the river into Eagle
Lake and then drawn out again on the opposite side into raised irrigation
oanala* At the time of my visit Eagle Lake, normally a body of water
three miles long by one mile broad was dry save for a narrow canal through
the center that oonnooted two pumping stations on opposite aides of the

- 2 -

lake bed* Bleewbare ivater is drawn from the Colorado Blrer into lateral
oanala that carry It directly to the rice fields* Hear £1 OaiBi>o inaoh rioe
was irrigated by means of water taken from wells and this practice is fol-
lowed to some extent in other parts of the area under discussion*

There had been very little rain in this region for the past two
seasons and everywhere the soil and the vegetati(»i appeared abnonially dry*
The small amount of precipitation had been followed as a natural conse-
quence by a loarked decrease in the volume of stream flow in the Colorado
liiver* so that the sv^ply of water available for irrigation has not suf-
ficed for the needs of the rioe growers* Because of this the areas de-
voted to rioe in 1917 covered only about one-third of the acreage in normal
years* and extensive tracts fonserly devoted to rioe culture are now given
over to cotton and com grown by dry farming methods*

Plowing begins here in January and rioe is planted from the end of

February on into April* Hormally the rioe harvest is over by the middle

in

of October* Occasionally heavy rains set in a nd/ so sm instances it is said
that it was not possible to get the rioe out of the fields until January*

In 1917 the harvest was completed early and there was no shooiced rioe in
the fields at the time of iqy visit*

Investigstlon of bird damage was limited to securing information froi^'
rioe growers who seemed reliable* and to the identification in the fiela of
the species of birds implioated* f.}ienever opportunity peimitted any time a-
vailable was devoted to study and observation of the habits of species that
were said to be injurious* Twenty-seven blaokblrds belonging to four ape-
oies that had been feeding in rioe stubble were collected and their stom-
achs preserved for examination in the laboratory*

- 3 -

i2AUAG£ BY BLACKBUtBS.

Eloo growors In tM8 region almost viUiont exception made oomplaint

of damage by blackbirds in tbo rice fields. Bet&ils of tbe more important

«

claims given by trustworthy individuals follow.

Complaint of damage near Eagle Lake liad been made to the Biological
Survey in a latter written by 0. J. Vintennsn, aaanager of the Lakeside Ir-
rigation O 03 g>any. Ur. Wintenaan stated that the greatest destruction fron
these birds came at the time when the rice was in the "milk” and from then
on until the grains were fully foined. This period began at the end of
duly and extoudod through August into the early part of the month of Sep-
tember. Blaokbirds began to flock in this region during the closing days
of duly and by the end of August were present in large bands, fhsse birds

t

had roosts in the reed beds of Eagle Lake that they resorted to at nig^t
and from here they spraad out during the day in all directions to feed in
the rice fields. Apparently most of the damage here was due to Bed-winged
Blackbirds and (to a less extent) Great- tailed Qrackles. Hen were sta-
tioned in the fields to drive the birds out by shooting but without much
effect as the blaokbirds when alarmed would fly only a short distance before
alighting again. Sbese birds oonttiaed to feed upon rice until it was flh-
i^ly threshed. In wet years when it was necessary to leave the grain in

St

the field for some time because of inability to get it out, birds frequent-
ly ate all of the rioe exposed, or even stripped some sheaves ooiq>letely.
Some damage in addition was done by the Great-tailed Oraokles whan the rioe
was sprouting in spring. These birds pulled the grain whm it was an inch
or so hi{|^ and ate both the aprout and the kernel from which it had sprung.

♦

It was said that blackbirds were present in abundance at plowing time.

. 4 -

especially during February and March and at this time they fed in large
numbers in the newly turned soil. Uany of these birds were i) 0 i 80 ned by
means of rice that had been steeped in a solution of strychnine*

Bo definite estimate of the actual damage done by blackbirds could

be given as rice was taken over such an extended j>erlod. blackbirds fed
in the fields In such numbers however that the loss from this source must
be considerable each season.

At the office of the Southern Moe Growers* association in Eagle

I

Lake I met Ur. B. Uollhenny* local manager for the association, who made
similar statements to those detailed above. C. H. Banning. Ur* Sinclair,
and Ur* Denton had had similar trouble* G* W* U* Terrell of Lissie. six
miles east of Eagle Lake had not had much trouble with birds this season
but had suffered serious damage during preceding yeers* This season ha
stated that he had poisoned the birds feeding in his fields during April
and ha attributed his freedom from damage to this fact*

At Eagle Lake Ur* Wlnterman and «lr*U0Ilhenny showed me samples of
rice in which were a small percentage of kernels that apikirently had seen
pinched or injured oy birds while ins grain was still soft* This produced
a malformation in the matured grain that rendered it worthless* In addl-

tion many rice grains sitowed a brown spot on the glume varying in size from

♦

a minute point barely visible to the na^ed eye to an area nearly a milll-
meter in diameter* These were believed^ to^be caused by minor bruising by

A

birds* bills as they fed on adjacent kernels* In one average sample of
BOO rioe grains 68 or 34 per cent were thus affected* This sxiot is re-
stricted wholly to the glume and in no way injures the grain beneath* O&re-
ful examination however showed that ^se spots were caused by a fttn^s

growth and that birds had nothing to ao with It* Subsequent examination

in the laboratory verified this*

Dt» %• W* Dnaon and U« W* Carver of the Soathem Bioe Crou'ere* Aeao-
oiation in £1 CaapDRaade little oooplaint against blaokbirds in their fields
this past year* Dr* Dason stated that this season Ked-t;inged Blackbirds had
fed in an area of four or five acres of rice about a low willow bordered
slough while the rioe was in the milk stage* but that he had had no other
experience with similar damaige from these birds*

?* F. Wilson at £1 Camp^ a prominent rice-grower* estimated his loss
from blaokbirds during the past season at about ^*000* Injury in his fields
had been much more severe this year than usual* ?he damage was done by Bed-
wings that had gathered in his fields in great flocks* at the time that the
grain was in the milk* He considered the Oreat-tailed Crackle as less inju-
rious* Some grain was also destroyed this year when the rice was still in
the shook*

h* H* Hancock* manager of the rioe mill at K1 Campoporroborated these
statements and said that this season he had lost about five aoras of irlce in
one field near town belonging to him* Ve visited this field and 1 found the
rioe in the area in ^luestion still unout though cattle had been turned in
here and bad tramj^d it down* This rioe grew in a low spot in the field and
X oonsiderod that part of it had been killed out by stagnant standing water
or for soma other reason* About half however had produced rioe end the
frayed out heads and scattered rioe hulls remaining were evidence that it
had been damaged by birds* This productive area extended as a band arotmd
the barren central portion* The latter was overgrown with tall weeds that
furnished convenient perohee to ttie birds after feeding*

Hr* Viok also oOfiQ>lained of datsage by blaokbirds to rioe in the

mllic and Harfts of the firm of Harfta Brothers made similar statements.

In Bay Ulty additional information vas secured from U. d. Marshall,
assistant to the itianager at the offioe of the Southern Kioe Growers* AB 80 <dx>
tlon. He stated that tlie worst damage came from tlie Hed-winged Blacicbirds
which are known locally as "lilce-birds” or ’’Heed-blrde”. These birds at-
tacked the rioe as soon as the grain begim to fill and oontinxied to feed in
t)ie rioe fields until the crop was finally threshed. This past season oom-
plaints of damage had been nuiueroas but the actiyitiee of the birds seemed
somewhat local, borne fields were badly hurt, whide others were praotioally
untouched. ' Where certain fields had ripened earlier than others nearby
damage In them had been severe. In other oases severe loss to rioe in the
shook oaioe when threshing in certain fields had been postponed until late.

Mr. Ufiirshall showed me a number of rioe samples ooutaining so-oalled "pocky"
grain where kernels seemin^y had bean injured by birds. Tho grains had
been coaqpressed or injured v/hlle still soft* this resulting in malformation
or shriveling in the spot affeoted. It yma believed that this was done by
the blackbirds as they fed on the soft rioe In late summer. Grains that were
St^ueezed or peoked but not destroyed develo^^ed Into thece deformed kernels.
Where these are abundant in the threshed rioe they reduce tho valjp of the
grain.

Mr. J. f. foster stated that Great-tailed Qraokles did oonsiderable
damage by pulling sprouting rice In spring but that they did little harm
later in the season. Bed-winged Blaoabirds were more serious pests. Dam-
age oommonoes as soon as the rioe kernels begin to foRoi usually this ooours
about the first of August. Injury by these birds oontinues cLn through the
fall until the grain Is finally threshed. The inroads of blackbirds are

- 7 -

beet prerented by ohooting. 7hie pest season Poster hired a men to
keep the blackbirds from feeding In one field of 76 acres* The simonltlon
used In this atteo^t cost in all about $60*00. The effort was euooessfal
ni^if the birds were unable to do much harm. He stated that poisoning is sosie-
times suooessfnl and at others not* At times blackbirds refuse to take pol*
soned grain or again after a number have boen poisoned their oomimnlons

leave these fields and feed elsewhere*

W. H* barasay of Bay City olaireed damage from "Jackdaws" (Great-tailed
Orackles), "Blackbirds" (Brewers Blackbirds) and "Hice-blrds" (Bed-winged
Blackbirds)* Damage is inflicted in the same way as described by other men
in preosdlog paragraphs* ilr* Bamsay stated .that in 1917 because of shortage
of water only about 800 acres of rioe had been ^.>lanted in a region where for-
merly from 4,000 to 6,000 acres had been grown* He believed that greater
dftinoe* from blackbirds than usual had resulted as the attacks that formerly
had been distributed over a vide area had this year been concentrated on a
oonq;>arativoly small acreage* Bo atten^ts wore made to drive the birds out*
The amount of rioe destroyed by the birds on the basis of the yield on
other years for 4tie similar area was given at about 20 per cent of the
total*

G* W* Xhlly of Bay City had raised no rioe in 1917 because of sdiort-
age of water but had grown about 700 acres in 1916 and varying amounts on
previous years* Be reported muoh damage from blackbirds* Mr* Kelly stat-
ed that in land that had been devoted to rioe culture for a number of
seasons it was usually necessary to plant ths seed grain as shallow as pos-
sible* In some oases ths seed was only partly covered and this was liable
to be eaten by blaokbirds* These birds also palled the sprouting grain

- 8 -

espeoially when the ground was eoft* As soon &e the rioe kernele began to
form blftokbirde gathered in great flocks to feed on the grain and oontlnued
to frequent the fields as long as any of the crop was exx>osed. Before the
rioe WQS out it was dii'fioxilt to drive tlie blaokbirds out as damage result-
ed from trami>ling the grain* After the rioe had been out and shooked Ur.
Kelly stated that he had employed as many as fifteen men to keep the blaolo-
birds out* Pwo or three of these were given guns and ammunition* The oth-
ers were mounted on males and rode about after the birds oraoaing whips
loudly to frighten them out* This method was at times very sucoesbful* Con-
siderable damage is caused by blackbirds in fieldu that stand for some time
after the grain has ripened* The mature heads weight the stems down and
when blackbirds ali£^t on them to feed the stalks break down* Where lar^e
flocks of the birds are feeding this frequently flattens down considerable

areas of grain so that it oaimot be out*

0* A* Dlland of Aarkham, manager of the Blue CreeA. Canal Company*
stated he had had 6*000 aores planted In rioe this year. He stated that
damage from blackbirds this season had been oonsiderabie* The birds began
feeding in the fiolds when the grain was In the milk but the worst damage
had been done to the grain after it had been shocked* in one field of Sarly
Prolifio Hioe part was threshed soon after it was out while toe rest was
left until a month later* Blaokbirds had been feeding lu the field in the
meantlum and bad stripped isucb of tne grain exposed on the shooks* The
difference in yield in the two parts of the field a.woaated to 9^ bags to
the aore* (a bag of unhulled rioe weighd from 166 to 1^0 pounds; It con-
tains approximately 4 bushels).

U* H* Foster* a rloe-grower below Uarkham, stated that he had had

iL

- 9 -

cmoh trouble with bltiolchlrda and that they had been eepeoially bad this
year* Shooting azui poieonlng wae resorted to but these ueasures brought
only moderate sucoess*

jlre* C* W* Turner above Citrus Grove stated that blackbirds had been
iBttoh worse this past year than In 1916* In the spring of 1916 all of the
farmers in that region by agreement had poisoned the blaokbircs at sowing
tiise in the spring* This so reduced the niuBbers of the birds that there
was little trouble the following fall* In 1917 these measui'&s were not
adopted and the birds had again beoomo abundant* Blackbirds had been so
bad this past season that it had boon necessary to protect certain shocks

a

of choice rice desired for seed by throwing sacking over them*

s

A* ?* Johnson* a merchant in Citrus Grove* stated that his customers
had made many complaints of damage by blackbirds this past year and that
he had sold mors amnunltion to be used against them than usual* One mem
had purchased ahedls to the amount of ^40*00*

I* 0* hoborta of Wadsworth stated that in that vicinity the destruc-
tion of the nests of blaokbirds was a common practice in order to aid in
keeping down the numbers of these birds*

Similar statomeuts were mdo by a numoor of other rioe-growers but

need not to inoorporatod here as if this were done it vvould lead to need-
et

less repltion*

A

From all accounts it see^aed that alight damage was done to the rice
crop at planting and after the grain had sprouted* Beroue damage ocgaa
when the rice reached tlie milk stage in its development and ooutinued un-
til the grain was finally harvested* hxoept in a few oases no detailed
estimates of the amount of damage inflicted by blackbirds could be made
as the birds were working in the fields over such an extended period of time*

- 10 -

At tha tima of thla Invaetigatioa tha folloulng spades of blaoicblrds

were found In this areut

«

Great- tailed Grookle t otogsaalccalas malar
ned-vluged BlaoAblrd ( Agel&lus phoenloeus 1
Brewer* a Blackbird (£upbagu8 cyanoooDhalus 1
Oowbii^ (Llolothrua atar i.

Prom dosorlptlona fumlahad by the rloe growers It saomad that tha

Bed-winged Blackbird known looally aa tlia **Elco-blrd” or ”Eeed-bird", wus

the moat destruotlve. It Is poaalble tliat the Gowbird was confusod with

this species also as 1 found Gowblrds abundant, yet no mention was made of

them in discussing bird damage to rloe* Complaints against tha Great-Tailed

Oraoka whloh was known as the "Jeokdaw” or *'Crow-Jaok” varied but It seemed

that It was in general injurious. Compared with tho I'.edwlnge however there

are ooBiparativoly few Individuals of this species present* Tha status of

Brewer's Blackbird was uncertain as In only a few lastanoes was it charged

directly with doing harm* As It is an abundant breeding species it seems

probable that the flocks do feed in the rice fields during late summer and

a be

early fall; this howevor is mere supposition and need^ to/uu bs tant iated by
observations at the proper reason*

As tha greater part of the damage takes place from the time that
the mice Is in the milk until it is threshed a period extending from the
end of July to the first part of October, tha barm must be aooomplished by
nstive birds* The Eed-wings have about completed nesting at the beginning
of this period and old aM ywing gather in large flocks* It is probable
these bends khal do the major part of the damstt^e* During fall <uid winter
large flocks of other Ked-wlngs and many Cowbirds oorae in here from the

- 11 -

Borth* fb» resident form of the Red-mln^d Blaokbird is the Vera Crus
Ked-wing l Agslaias Bhoenioeus riohmondi l* This form is represented among
the birds that 1 oolleoted and in addition specimens of the hastem Bed-
wing ( Aaelaius p» oreda tortus ) and ThioB-b tiled Ked-wing ( Agelaius p« for-
tis ) were taken. The two latter forms are migrants that had come in from
the Horth.

Large flooks of Blaokbirds were feeding in rioe stubble in the re-
gion under oonsideration. Many were seen near LakSt £1 Campo and

Wharton but on the Vhole the birds seemed more abundant in Matagorda County.
These birds were feeding upon waste rioe and ui>on rarious seeds that were
found in the rioe stubble. In cleaning up the red rioe and waste rioe
Blaokbirds omst do a certain amount of good as this aids in preventing
growths of volunteer rioe (sdiich are always worthless) in the following
year. As the fields are dry here save when irrigated it is a coonon prao-
tioe to ttim hogs in on the stubble to feed on the waste grain. Some .

growers oomplained that the blaokbirds destroyed waste grsin that other-

»

wise would have been eaten by hogs and so turned to profit. This ocmiplaint

• . ' V

■ o

however does not seem vali|d as there is enough waste grain for both, and
hogs are not able to olean up the rioe thoi*oughly where it is widely scat-
tered. The praotioe of feeding hogs in this manner is not universal and
destruotion of blaokbirds to prevent their feeding in the stubble isss^Ms
■■ fnamew seemingly would not be Justified.

To ascertain in a general way to what extent blackblirds were feed-
9|B ing on waste rioe 27 blaokbirds of four speoies were oolleoted and their
stomaohs and crops preserved. On subsequent examination it was found
that rioe bad been eaten by twenty-four of the individuals taken. In the

6

following table the amount of rioe taksn by each bird in proportion to the

other food eaten is given In the form of estimated percentages by bulk.

The amounts of red rioe also ore indiooted.

Agelaius phoenloeue.

#146455,

5 grains

ot

rioe.

remains

Of

others

92^

146456,

SI

ft

ft

ft

H

ft

- (1

red rioe) 97%

146467,

21

ft

N

ft

N

H

H

6^

146468,

4

ft

fl

tt

It

tt

ft

20%

146466,

72

91

ft

It

tt

ft

W (60

red rioe) 100%

ilegav^nlsoolus major moorouraa:.

#146461. Hemaina of rioe grains 92^

146462, I. « H « 9oj{

146465 , 50 graizut of rioe, remains of others 99^

aolothrus

. #146473,

16

grains of rioe.

remains

of others

(1 red

rioe

146474,

35

tl

W M

• • 1

W tt

(34 "

It

146475,

15

M

N tt

C ft

N ft

(7 ”

If

146476 ,

10

tt

M H

N

19 H

(

146477,

27

tl

N tt

fl

M II

(17 ”

II

146478,

15

ft

II H

fl

fl II

(14 ”

tl

146479,

3

tt

H If

( 2 «

ft

146480,

9

ft

It ft

remains

of Others

(3 ••

If

146481,

14

tt

N ft

n

It H

(13 •’

M

146462 ,

komalne

1 of rioe grains

(all red)

146463,

10

grains of rioe.

remains

of others

(6 red

rioe

146484,

30

H

II it

tl

fl m

(20 "

H

146485,

64

N

ft fl

M

(63 ”

It

U6487,

45

II

remains

of others

(9 red

rioe

146486,

hemaius

1 of rioe grains

146454,

54

grains of rioe

The other seeds eaten by these birds consisted largely of weed
seeds picked up in the stubble. A few hid eaten ^ffir ooxn, probably
waste grain picked up where cattle had been fed.

Hear the towh of hagle Lake considerable numbers of hedowinged filaok-
birde. Brewer’s Blackbirds, Oowbirds and Great-tailed Grackles gathered to

. 13 .

roost in the irusbss f Salrpna validus } covering the dry hed of Eagle Lalce*
These birds were observed in looming and evening as they passed to or from
their feeding grounds. It is probable that they spread out from this cen-
ter to considerable distances during the day. Larger gatherings of these
birds might be expected on years when the lake bed was filled with water,
and shelter in the rushes more^ secure. Luring the day flocks of blackbirds
were observed feeding in the fields and along the roads. Many Brewer* s
Blackbirds frequented the streets of the town and others were seen feeding
under the trees in the Live Oak ootts. Booall pools of water were attrac-
tive through the day and a number of the birds shot were taken as they came

in to drink. Ootae of the Great-tailed Orackles seemed rather slow in spread
ing out to feed In the moraing. One female shot about ton in the morning
near the canal running through Eagle Lake had the stomach entirely empty.

The bird seemed healthy and was in good condition.

At Vharton. on the afternoon of Leoember L8. flocks of blackbirds
were coming in to drink at a large sand bar in the Oolorado Elver. When
first observed between 400 and 600 birds were gathered in the tops of three
or four trees standing In a clump on the river bank, hed-wings. Cowbirds.
Brewer's Blackbirds and Great- tailed Graokles were represented, the rela-
tive abundance of the species being represented by the order in which they
are named. From the resting flocks small parties circled down to drink
ano ba:‘:he for two or three minutes and then rose and rejoined their fel-
lows. Small flocks numbering fr<»s 30 to 50 individuals left at short in-
tervals following two regular lines of flight and other parties similar
in sise came in to Join the main flock so that though the individual birds
were changing continually the number present remained about the same.

- u -

Daring on hour I estiioated that appro^^imately 2000 birdii had come in hero
to drink and birds were still watering here three hours later*

Hear £1 Cempo scattered flocks of Bed-wings* and Brewer's filaokbirde
were seen in the fields and with them a few great-tailed Orackles were
feeding. The day spent here was very windy with the thenoometer at 30*^ or
lower all day so that birds were moving about very little* Because of
this no estimate of their abundance could be made*

Blaokblrds of all the species mentioned were much store abundant in
Hiatagorda County than In the other regions visited. On January 2* great
flocks of Bedwings were seen in the out-ovor rice stubble* One suoh band
oontained between 10*000 and 15*000 birds and at least 30*000 were seen dur-
ing the day* One flook of Cowbirds found below Llarkham oontained about
5*000 birds* Brewer's Blackbirds were coioDon and Great-tailed Gracklea were
present in fair numbers*

D&MdO£ BY BLACKBIBDO BBLOW UOtTJTOlI* T1JU3*

H* Hoffpauir of the Southern Bioe Growers' assoolation In Houston
said that the only serious oomplalnts of depredations by bluckbirds had
oome from near the Old Biver Canal below Jdoore's Bluff* Hero blaokbirds
done much damage to rioe after it had ripened* One farmer loet so
muoh of bis crop that hd had decided to give up the culture of rice and
Others nearby had^many serious complaints* These were the only instanoea
in which damage frcsa this source had been brou^it to attention

DAMAOK to KIC£ by wild ducks.

From reports received It eoooied that oonsiderahle daniage «&s doiM
In the rioefields by duoke during wet seasons. When the fall months were
dry the orop was threshed soon after it was out and shocked.. On some years
however excessive rainfall' had made access to the fields difficult or even
Impossible and at times rice was exposed in the fields until Jaxniary. Un-
der suoh oironmstances wild duoke feeding in the fields- destroyed a large
part of the crop* especially where the rioefields were partly flooded.

t

Where rioe has remained long In the field it must however be considered a
total loss as it would be of no 'value when threohed even If not molested
by birds. The fall of 1913 was exceptionally wet and hi^ water had

t

flooded many of the fields. Ducks then were said to have eaten much rice
but since bad done little damage except in a few looel instances. In the
course of ordinary years the entire rioe crop would be under shelter be-
foi*a ducks came in in any numbers from the Forth and any depredations would
be restricted to local birds.

Some growers stated that Blue-winged Teal and ’'Stnnmer Ducks’* lived

, I

I

in the riceflelds during late sunaer and that in some instances they did ' ^
some damage to rioe. (The ’’Summer Duck" is apparently Anas falvlaula
maouloBa though in part this naoae nay refer to an undesorlbe^TlI^lard of

u

which there are specimens in the Hational Uuseum taken near Port Clark,

. *
Texas.) Suoh damage is however apparently slight and amounts to little.

Most of the rioe growers ^uestionsd did not consider it of Inqportanoe.

areas in the lowlaade along the Colorado hlver were reported as more sub-

Jeot to suoh damage than fields looatsd farther inland.

One or two !3en made uoreplelnt of ducks feeding In the stubble after
the rioe had been out* thue securing mute rioe that otherwise would hare
served as food for hogs but axioh coax)lsint8 oeened rather far fetohed* One
man stated that the waste grain composed of shattered rioe that gathered at
each stand of the separator In threshing was sufficient to furnish feed for
50 to 100 hogs during a period of ten days to two wooks* Ue claimed that
large flocks of duoka frequently came in at nl^t and cleaned up this entire
amount in a short period. 3uoh claims for damage however can hardly be con-
sidered seriously.

At the time of my visit large numbers of Geese were feeding in the
rice stubble in ^tagorda County. Selow ilarkham 5u0 geeso belonging to 6
species or subs^^eoies. via.. Conada. Hutchins, Wnlte-frontou., blue and
:5nov Geese, were seen feeding in one field. One Snow Uoose that was taken
had eaten 61 grains of rioe. while in the giasard of a Canada Goose shot in
an open pasture remains of grass otade 99 per cent and rice huls comxjoaed
the other one percent. lio oomplainti was made against these birds.

BA2.UCE BY BLfCKBIBDS TO 0TH£h CHOPS.

: 'i '

The Great-tailed Graokle wae reported to be very destructive to
sprouting corn in regions w]iere corn was grown extensively. ^With refer-
ence to uestraotion of com by this bird see Biol, burvey Bull. SB, p. 6).
There was almost universal ootuplaiut of the oom-eating habit of this bird
In the faming region about iharton and El Campo and it was* muntlonea else-
where.

Blaokbirda of various speoiea were said to destroy the teed heads
of various varieties of iCaffir Com that were grown for oattle feed.

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A HttPQKT cm TO filCE BY BllOXi IK gHK

STATl. oy ARKASBA3

In aocordanoe with letter of authority 212-Bi, 1 left Washington,

D* C* on i^eoeisbor IS and prooeeden to Little Booh, Aricans&s, for the pur-
pose of gathering inforaation on daisage by birds to rice in the State of
Arkansas. It was desired to know the speoies of birds implioated in suoh
damage, the period or periods at whioh ham was done and extent and oonse-
qneaoes of such damage as definitely as possible. Little Book, Arkansas,
was reaohed on Xteoember 15. In Little Book 1 visited Mr. £. V. yisart.
Inspector in Interstate Oommeroe and Game for the Biologioal Survey, who
had forwarded reports of damage in fields of rioe by wild docks an d se-
cured information as to areas from which complaints had oome. These were
all in Arkansas County, Arkansas, and oame from areas adjacent to the
towns of Stuttgart, DsVitt and Glllet. 1 worked at Stuttgart from Decem-
ber 16 to 18, and at DeVitt from December 19 to 20. Glllet was visited
on December 21 and further investigations were made at De Witt on Deoem-
ber 22. The return Journey to Little Book was made on December 23,
after further conference with Mr. Visart X proceeded to Southern Texas as
direoted in my letters of authority and instructions.

In carrying on this investigation leading rioe growers and men in-
terested in the rice industry were visited and interrogated and areas in
whioh rioe was still stazuling in shocks in the fields were exasiined and
the condition of the grain noted. Samples of grain showing damage by
birds were seoured and although weather oonditious during most of the
period were such as to militate against suooessful photograj^hy a few views
wers taken in damaged fields near De Witt. In addition obeervations and
notes were made of the api>earanoe and movements of birds in the areas

under ooneideretion and partioular attention uas given to the epeolflo
Identifioation of such epeolea ae were lo^lioated in damage to rioe.

(lEUSBAL jgPQRMAglQH

' 't

Arlcansas Coxmty* from uhioh.oomplainte of damage to rioe by birds
had oome is located in southeastern Aricansas near the Mississippi Biver*

, A

The greater part of the entire county is level though the southern por-
tion near De Witt and Gillett is somewhat indulating»inln its original
condition the County eas about equally divided between extensive areas
of open prairie and belts of hardwood timber* hioe culture was begun
here first about fourteen years ago* Serious development of the industry.

began about eight years ago and since then therei^has been great increase

* • '

in the acreage devoted to this crop* Water necessary xor irrigation of
the fields is seotired from wells from 150 to 900 feet deep which furnish

an abundant supply* ihiring the. harvest rice is handled in much the same
manner as wheat* The fields are drained* the grain is cut and bound in-
to sheaves with binding machines and then these sheaves are placed in

ehooks to await threshing* At the present time a large part of the ■

*

.m

original prairie land has been given to the growing of rioe and in addi-
tion tracts of timber are being cut in order to mahe more arable land a-
vallable* Uome cotton and com are grown near and below De Witt but rioe

is at present the staple orop for the entire County* The crop for 1917
vao 08 tlnaatad at atout two million bushals*. The Inoreaaa In acreage de<»

voted to rioe has been steady until 1917 the land In this crop had

A *

reached a point where it had progressed more rapidly than means for

I

:iW

threshing had provided. The spring of 1917 eas soaaewh&t late and farmers

eeMseAcv by

hy unfavorable weather at tbs time of outting.

were hindered

A

These delays with the laoK of suffieiont threshing facilities threw the
tiaw of threshing late in many oases. This was especially true near Stutt-
gart and i}e tfitt where there was considerable shocked rice in the fields
as late as Hoveaber 10. Oillett though only a short distance further south
is reported to have a somewhat earlier season and the greater part of the
rice there had been threshed by the end of October.

hies is also grown in juonoke and Prairie Counties north of Arkansas
County but no reports of serious damage by birds hare oome from these

I

areas as yet. ,

DAMAQh BY DHCiC:.

It was reported that a cold wave with unfavorable weather ooming
shortly before Thanicsgivlng made it necessary to postpone the completion
of the rioo hai^est while at the same time many ducks came into this region
and began at once to feed in the fields. . Accounts varied some as to the
actual date on which damage from this source began but it appears from the
meteorological report for Arkansas for the month of Hovember that there
Vras a marked fall in temperature and general cold throughout the State from
Kovember 23 to 26 and it seems probable that the duoks began to come at

e

this time.

The first reports of damage to the ehooked rice by ducks oame from^^^

i,a*fleldthbout^tentic41o»..*below,,8tutt6art»-,beloaging«to Basye. On

the following nights dnoks fed in other fields nearby and at the same

4

began to work In fields whore rioo was still in the shook near De Witt.

Fields near Stuttgart where daioage by duoke bad been reported were
visited on Seoerabor 17. The field belonging to £• J. Basye mentioned
above ae the one where duoka first began to work had an area of 80 acres
azul rice in the shook was still present on about 60 acres* This rioe was
cut and shocked about Novombor 15 according to local reports* Shortly
after ducks began to come in .to feed here at night arriving about dusk
and leaving before daylight* <^n about the third night recourse was had
to night shooting to keep the birds out but in this particular ease it
did little good* lien who were present stated that the birds came liter-
ally in hordes, do eager were they for food that only those within a
few yards would rise at a shot and all would alight laasediately* Effort
was made to thresh this rioe as soon as possible but so little of the
grain reoibined that after half a day the attempt was abandoned*

On examining this field critically 1 found that in the upper fourtii

e

the grain had been soiaewhat injured by frost while it was maturing so that
about half of the rioe kernels in each head had failed to mature* In
the remainder of the field however the yield * as nearly as could be
Judged* had been heavy and the rioe* of ths variety known as Honduras*
was of exoellent quality* The ducks had ooiae in here while the ground
was still soft and from one-sixth to one-fifth of ttm shocks in the field
had been pulled dovna or trampled down by the birds in feeding* while in
some instances in low spots the straw had actually been tran^led into

the mod. Other shooks had had the cap shoaves pulled off and in all
praotioally the entire yield of rioe had been destroyed* What remained
was not worth threshing* The heads had been entirely stripped (see fig.f)

by the duoks and it required come search to diaoover a bundle that had
been protected so that seniplec of uninjured heads night be secured. The
damage was attributed entirely to Uallards and feathers still soattered
about in the field belonged to this species* 7he birds in feeding had ^
palled out the sheaves or hod clambered over the shocks until they vere
flattened down so that all of the grain had been exposed. In taany oases
paths had oeeu worn about tha flattened base^of the shocks as the birds
had worked about thesn* In some places the ducks seemed to have rested
for considerable periods after feeding as feathers were soattered about
"on piles of ordure* Samples of duck dung were collected at different
X>oints in the fields. Under the miorosooi>e these were found to be mode
up almost entirely of the rough halls of rice ground up during the pro-
cess of digestion. As this field was now lend, the yield of rioo had been
very heavy* A conservative estimate placed the loss in this field as
6000 bushels of rice valued at a few cents more than vS.OO per bushel.

On this same day I examined a rioefield belonging to Henry Jensen
that had also been damaged seriously by Mallards. This field oontalned
about fifty acres of Blue Bose rioe which was still in the shook. Ton
acres of this was near a farm house and bordered a well-traveled road.

The oumage by ducks in this tract had boon slight* but ducks had fed ex-
tensivoly in the remaining 40 acres, and were still working there as 1
flushed a few Mallards in crossing the field and several flocks wore seen
eiroling about waiting for on opportunity to alight. In this field there
hferi been considerable water which had frozen holding the shooxs of rioe
firmly in place. Books had fed all about these shooxe and had olambered
over them eating every grain of rice that was exposed or could be reached.

6

(•«• fig* 2) In some oases the oap sheaTes had heen pulled off and jpaths
were trodden about many of the shocks* The rioe inside which the daoks
had not been able to get at indicated that the yield of grain had been
heaTy* There was some indication of injury from frost along the lower
border of .this field bat this was oomparatirely sliest* Where the kernels
had been touched by frost the grain had not developed and this the ducks
had not touched as the halls were empty* A few shocks had been pulled
down but this was restricted tp .a< small ares when there was no ice* The

•i

loss here was estimated at about two- thirds of the crop* The damage was
4ue in part to blackbirds but the greater propox^lon, probably nine-tenths*

4

had been done by wild ducks* Uallard feathers were soattered about in

4

the fields and much duck dung composed almost entirely of rice hulls was
found*

According to authentic statements* Balph iihodes had lost about

1200 bushels of rioe through wild duoks in a field one and one-half miles

• '

from the Baeye plaoe noted above# liore damage would have reaiiltad here
but threshing started soon aft^ar the duoks oama in so that part of the
orop was saved*

Duoks oame in to another field nearby according to Otto Jensen

and destroyed ten shocks of rloo In one night while thxwshlng was going

• ^

on* The harvest was ooiq)leted in this field the following day or more
haxn probably would have resulted on the following night*

Charles Spioer stated that iSallards had attacked rice in two fields
belonging to him located not far from the Basye place* Damage resulted
to 30 acres in one strip and 16 acres in another* Ur* Spioer said that
he did not see these fields personally but that the incident had been

- 7 -

reported to him by hie eon. lie believed that the dajonge coap&roi. to
that inflicted on the Basye place was slight as his grain was threshed
insnediately before the duoics bad opix)rtxmlty to cot^lete the destruotion.

I

In studyixxg this damage it was of tom interest to note that in
the Stuttgart region damage by duoics was reported from fields in an area
not more than three miles across. Beports of harm did not oome from out-
side this aeotion though this oiay be ascribed probably to threshing be-
ihfe' eompleied'^in' the dreas before the dtioks began to work in them.

Other rioefields wliere damage by ducks was reported were visited
in ti^ section about lie Witt on December 19.

At the farm of Park Itoses a mile from De W’itt a field of 110 acres
of blue Rose rice in the shook was examined. This rice had been slow in
development and. the harvest consequently had been late, blallards had fed

here in large numbers, coming at night and leaving for some roosting

«

place at the approach of day. As the shocks were frosen solidly to the
ground they wore tom down in only a few instanoes but in many oases 1
found that the oap sheaf had been displaced. In all of the shocks much
of the grain exposed outside had been eaten and in one section compris—
ing about one-third of the field the exposed sheaves had been completely
stripped (eee figs. S-Aj). In addition the duoks had burrowed in between
the bases of the sheaves in many Shooks in order to get at the inside
grain. Uuoh straw had been pulled down by the birds in feeding and was
tranpled in around the bases of the shooks. Uallard feathers and oon-
aiderable amounts of excrement were scattered about. The yield in this
field as shown by undamaged sheave had been very heavy, hr. Uosee as-
timated his loss at approximately 2,000 bushels and this considering the

. 8 -

sis 0 Of th 0 flold and tha condition of tha grain at the tina of examina-
tion aaamad conservative • home damage here had been done by blackbirds
hat the major part vas to be ascribed to ducks* Several pictures were
taken In this field.

At the farm of B. X. Alters nearby itallards had been working In
about 40 acres of shocked rice hut the damage In this and another field
estimated at about 1200 bushels was due In large i>art to blackbirds as
was shown by the large quantities of rice halls scattered about. The out-
er sheaves In the shooics were stripped as desorlbed above In the field be-
longing to Mr. Moses.

William Sljqpson below Oe Witt claimed that Mallards had destroyed
oxie field containing between 100 and 125 acres of rice In the shook with
a resultant loss of about 5.000 bushels of grain. As soon as possible an
effort was oade to thresh the rice In this field but as only el^t or ten
bushels of rloe were secured from fifteen loads the attempt was abandoned,
and the remaining grain was left In the field. At Mr. Sliqp8on*s Invita-
tion a dosen or fifteen men came down here to shoot at night In order to
keep the duoks out but had little suooess. The birds began to come In

4

here about nine each evening and left before dawn. 1 visited this field

and found the remains of the rloe shocks eoattered about and the seed heads

$

entirely stripped. As hogs had been tamed In here to feed I was not able
to arrive at the original condition after the duoks were through. The
Shooks examined all showed evldenoe of damage by birds and Mallards were
still feeding here. About 500 Mallards were working In this field at the
time of ioy visit.

J. McMillan who was farming rloe on a field of 100 acres belonging

I

to Urn ?• Brown olalmod that birds had caused damge here amounting to

2000 bushels* This apparently was to be charged equally to llallards a nd
to blaokblrds* Threshing was going on at the time of my Tlslt but 1 was
able to examine about 40 acres of rice still In the shook* The shocks of
rice in this field had been frozen In before ducks began to week la tbe^
so tliat only a very fow haa been torn down* Thsrs wore amny signs of
where the daoics had been worlclng around and olambering over the shoohs
and rnaay tlallard feathers and amoh duoic dung composed alnost entirely of
rioe hulls was scattered about* In some oases the cap sheaves on the
sbooics had been lauch flattened, while straw had been pulled out and tram-
pled down all around the shoohs* Praotloally all of the exposed grain had
been taican* Mr* McMillan stated that duolcs began to work In here about

ten days previous (1* e* Dec* 7-10} and that Mallards oume In hordes both

«

during day and at night* They were aooompanled by great flooks of blaok-
blrda* Men were stationed in the fields to shoot and did some good In

driving the birds out but still the loss was severe* On Deoaiober 16,
twelve mott bad shot in this field and sinoe then duoks had given little
trouble*

fi* A* Soott claimed loss from Mallards in shocked rioe but this
grain had all been threebad so that the fields were bare* Ko estimate
was placed on the asiount of damage here*

The Ml ton Kioe and Land Ctunpany had lost oonsiderable grain in a
field of 40 sores the damage boing attributed equally to Mallards and
blaokbirds* This grain w&s still in the field but 1 was unable to gat in

to it as it was beginning

Besides those mentioned the following are said to have lost more

- 10 -

or looB rloe from litallards, tIs^ J. W. Burnett, John liattoz, J* ?ar<ly,
^obBBffer and a Flrenohnan named ilouton* Tbeae Beesaed to be the main caaea
in whloh damage naa Inflloted by duoka.

In Gillatt, H* £• Grill of the htilvell Ueroantile Comi)aDy said
that they had exx>erienoed slight damage from ducica* The daaiage was cooi-
paratively light howoTer as the birds did not come in until threshing had
begun and the iibrroat was oofflpleted at onoe. Some damage was alao attrib-
uted to these birds in fields belonging to C* Butoher, W. imngham, and
C* A* Frausen* As has been stated aboTo the season about Oillett was
earlior than farther north and praotioally all of the rioe orou had been
threshed by Hovember' 16* There was little reliance to be placed upon re-
ports of danago by duoits hore as 1 learned that there has been much vio-

•«

lation of the law {prohibiting night shooting in this region and men put
forth tho excuse that they were doing it to protect their crops* Ae a
matter of faot tho only reports of daaiage heard in Gillett that seemed
bona fide related to the fields destroyed near De Vitt and Stuttgart that
have been desoribad above*

At Stuttgart 1 heard aomewhat indefinite reports of damage by ducks
to rioe on the farms of W* U. Sorsworthy and W* 6* Walton near dt. Charles*
bat these were so vague that little oould be learned regarding the situa-
tion there. 4a tho area was remote and rather difficult of access It was
not visited as it was oonsidsred that these rumors were too indefinite to
warrant the expanse inoident to further investigstions*

From tho aooount given aoove it appears that ttallards inflicted
more or less sorlous damage in four fields near Stuttgart* and in about
twelve near De Witt* It was estitaated that in these fields wild ducks

vitli «OBBd aid from blaoicblrds bad dastroyod about 20,000 bushels of rloe
whioh at tiu> prevaliinis price of ^2*00 per bushel was worth ^0,000> Of
this damage it would seem that at least ^35,000 was to be asoribed to
ducka, mainly to jiallards*

Attempts made to keep the ducJcs out by night shooting v;ore suocess-

ful in some oases and in others were without effect*

drove the

A

birds out by frightening them with lanterns and by setting dogs on them.
\iihen 1 ‘esort was had to ni^t shooting on the Basye plaoe a looal gamo war~
den in Stuttgart was much incensed and secured the naises of roost of the
insn participating in order to proeooute them for hiolation of the game
laws* Before proceeding however it was said that he examined the field In
company with ilr* Basye and that when he saw the dani8.ge that had been dona
he carried the matter no further. It was reported that ho was requested
to •rn-iiii* a report to the btata Game Commission and that ho did so, but no
further action was taken. The mattor of the damage in this particular
field was givsn considerable publicity in the looal press' and it vns even

stated that the State Game Coimaission had sanctioned night shooting in or>
dor that the farmers might protect their orops, & statement that this body
ib said by Ur. Ylsart to have nellhor affirmed or denied. This led to
considerable infraction of the game law, in pertlouler near Gillett, a

section idich devoted to hunting where it was reported that many hundreds
of ducks were thus killed Illegally though the farmers of that area were
suffering no losses. proseeutions 1 however h ad been made.

As a pravontlvs measure against loss to rios by duoke it may be
recommended that rloe growers make every effort to complete the harvest
of their crop before tt^s middle of Piovemter. A sihbII number of ducks

br«ecl in this rogiou t»at tbttso are so fo» th&t they would be c&i«blo of
doing x>ractlofilly uo harm and sei'ioua loroade are to bo feared only from
the atiaoKB of migrant and winteriug birds* These edM- not begin to ar>
rlvo hero until about Kovember 20 when oold weather driTosythem from
their noxihoTtx feeding grounds. Any rioe that remaiue in shocks at this

time will be eubjeot to attack and fros the ex^-'erience of this year it

• . _

would aeoK that in sorAo casos it may be lost completely. Bather than
chance this oontiugenoy the intelligent rioe grower should make every ef-
fort to get his orop harvested and under shelter as early as possible.
Otherwise he xuns chances of eustaining serious loss.

In some oases it might be possible to save late rice when it was
in danger of being attacked by ducas' by stacking the sheaves in round
stacks with the heads to^^ard the oentor. This would effectually prevent
any injury from birds. Such a method would entail handling the rioe a
second time after it had once been shocked and so would add to the ex-
pense of labor used in production. Thera would be eo'se additional loss
of rioe in handling as the grain ’'shatters” or rattles off from the heads
when dry but such losses would be small cos^red with the destruction of
the entire yield. It might be possible to stack the grain in centralized
areas where it could be threshed without necessity of hauling which would
aid in reducing the expense of labor end loss by ahattaring.

Damage by ducks bus been experienced here in slight amount on other
years previous to 1917 but has baon so slight as to attract little atten-
tion from all accounts. Suoh damage has always come in very wet years
when shocked rioe was left out for a long time, liater standing in the
rice stubble attracted ducks and these did more or less damage to the

_ 13 .

grain that had baan cut* In other instanoas it was said that fields had
been flooded before they were out and these were largely destroyed.

In connection with this damage to rice in Arlcansas County it is of
interest to icnow that Uallards bare been oooiaon in this region for many
years* Their aooustomed food here Is mainly acorns and it is only in re-
cent years since the development of the country that Stubblefields have
been available for feeding grotmds. Their normal food does not seem to
have been vary abundant as in January 1699. E. Hollister recorded (Wilson

I

Bulletin* 1902. pp. 11-12] that iiallards near Stuttgart "were all very
thin — so much so that they were really unfit to shoot. • • • • x noted a
bunch, on the depot platform, of fourteen dosien birds, the result of one
and one-half days* shooting by two market hunters, and not one bird in
the buxich but would be called a *crip' by a Northern or Western sx>ortSfflBn.

so emaciated was their condition. In Hovember . however, they are in most

• •

excellent shape and equal in weight to a Uinnesota or Wisoonsin *oom-fed*
iiallard.** This would seem to indicate that the birds are in good condi-
tion when they arrive in November but that if dexwndent upon normal food
supplies that they lose in weight and become thin.

It seams probable that the iliallard population of this area is con-
stantly shifting, from the time when the birds arrive in fall or throue^

<3t

the winter, as weather conditions locally and farther north vdry. Flocks
of ducks were seen constantly during the field worx in this region and save
for two male Pintails all were Jallards. About 5000 were seen on Decem-
ber 17 below Stuttgart and on this day those seen, save for a few birds
that were feeding on rioe stubble were flying north as the weather was
beginning to moderate after a prolonged cold spell* On Deoejaber 22 with

. u -

colder vsather threetenlng flooics of l^allerds wore trarelllng Uouth nearly ■
all day. Flocka of lUillarde were obeerred is many places feeding in rioe
stubble and in fields irtiare rioe was still in the shooics. The greater part
of the daoiage to the rioe crops had been done before December 10 and the blrde*'
seen seemed to be feeding largely on waste grain sawe in a few localities
where they were still attaoiclng shocked rice. Itany of the birds were be-

i

ing killed by hunters.

DAUAOE BY BLA.CEBIBDB.

Bice growers in the region under dieoussion almost universally made

u

ooiqplaint of damage b/ blackbirds in their fields. The species of ^teridae
implicated as nearly as could be made out were the Bed-winged Blackbird.
Oowbird, Bronzed Qraokle and Busty Blackbird. Con^laint against those
birds began in spring at the time of seeding. Bice is planted mainly by

seeders that distribute the grain while drags follow to cover it up. In

♦ ^

some oases where it was necessary for some reason to leave part of the
grain imoovered for a few honrs, bladkbirds esme in great flooks and cleaned
up almost the entire t^uantlty of seed that had been planted. It was stat-
ed also that Bedwings sometimes inflicted serious damage by pulling and
eating the newly sprouted rioe. deeding took place from the end of ilaroh

or the first of April on into the first week in iJay. Migrant blackbirds

•

of all the species mentioned above ia great flookTVlhyougb this region un-

^ ^ - ■

til April 10 or 16. After this -time any damage must be attributed iu large
part to the Bedwings with perhaps some aid from Bronzed Graoklos as these’
two species in the group under consideration are the most oomoon as breed-
ing birds. Cowbirds also occur during tne nesting season in fair numbers

and may aid in suoh damage* It eas generally agreed that the worst dam-
age resulted in the early plantings in April, probably beoause of the
hordes of migrants passing through which turned to the rioe beoause of
soaroity of other food supplies* Injury to the rioe at this time however
seemed to be somewhat local as only a part of the rioe growers >4ue8tioned
made oomplaint and in many oases these oomplaints were based* not u^>on
personal experience but upon information gained from others*

The greatest oomplaints of damage by blackbirds stated that the

■ j .

birds were very destructive to rioe grains ! when were in the milk and

from that time on until the heads were fully formed and ripened* This pe-
riod extended from the first week in August on into September the exact
date in eaoh oase depending upon the variety of rice and the date of plant-
ing* Blackbirds at this time have finished nesting and are gathering in

I

flocks* This flocking continues on through the winter until time for the
nesting season again* fields of rioe that happened to begin to mature
early were more subject to severe attack as blackbirds congregated in them
and continued to feed in them for considerable periods* Later when more

I

•xteuftive feeding grounds were available in the rioe fields the damage was

I

more distributed and therefore less noticed* Damage to the forming rioe
was almost certainly due to the resident Bed— wiziged Blaokbirde und Bronzed
Qraokles* The epeoies first named was stated to be espeoially destruotive*
It was said that Blackbirds oontlnued to feed An the rioe until it was
out* About Hovember 1 great flooks of migrante au^nented the numbers of
resident birds and at this tl.ae hordes of Busty Blaoxhirds and Cowbirds
were added to the greatly increased flooks of Bedwings and Oraoklee* These
birds fed in great flooks in the rioe stubble and where rioe was still in

- IB -

the flhocic fr*siu«atly strlppeci tho exposed grain*

Instances of douiage to shocked rice oane nnder personal ohserration
In some of the fields examined. The eork of blaokhirds in mature rice may
he readiiy distinguished from that of ducks as while the latter swallow

t

tho grain entire the blaokhirds crack off the rough more or less spinosely
pphesoent hulls and eat only the rice grain itself* Damage fi’om this source
was especially evl^ont in fields examined near De Witt* In the field be-
longing to J* UoUillan described above it was estimated that about half of
the damage inflicted was dons by blackbirds* hioe hulls were scattered in
heaps about the bases of many of the shocks and could be scraped up in hand-

t

fuls* Uixod with these bulls were r^uantities of bird droppings of the sise
and general appearance of blackbird exoreta* It would seem that the blaok-
birdsc rattled off much grain in feeding as considerable amounts of good
rioe were mixed through the saoplos of hulls examined* This loose grain
was of course lost to the producer even though it was not eaten*

Alfred Outasings of Hagler who has a threshing outfit stated that he
had noticed many instanoes in fields where he had threshed of injury by
bleokbirds* In eome instanoes whole sheaves would have the heads entire-

4

ly frayed out where the birds had been working on them* In certain oases
he estimated from the subsequent yield in threshing that the losses from
blaokblirds had run as bi^^ as ten bushels to the acre*

T* P. Qibbe living near Hagler estimated that Bronzed Oraokles dur-
jn g the first week in December had eaten about 300 bushels of rioe in one

* ■

field belonging to him while the grain was still in the shook* Ue attrib- ;

* t

uted loss in this particular instance in part to the faot that the field
was bordered by trees whioh gave the birds convenient resting places when

they were not feeding*

~ 17 -

h« i* Alters near Ja Witt olalmea lose oi about 1200 bushels of
rios largely from blaoicbirus though part of this grain was eaten by duoAs.

In general damage by blacAbirds at one season or another was olaimed
by praotioally all of the rioe growers interriewed and was so general that
it was aooepted by most as a neoessary evil to be endured during the rais-
Itig of tneir orop« 'fhis damage seemingly was so spread tnrou^ season that
it was not praotioable to make a definite estiioate as to its extent* There
is no 4 uestion however but that in the aggregate the grain consumed is of
ouoh more Importance than the amounts destroyed this season in a few fields
by ilallards* it seems probable too that the most serious damage is to be
attributed to the individual birds resident in the immediate vicinity*

At the present time but little atieiqpt is made by rice growers to
control the depredations of blackbirds* Bone said that oooaslonally they
spread oom ohop soaked in a solution of stryohnlne in the fields in spring*
Others did some shooting partioulurly in badly Infested fields where the rloe was
in tne allk but othemlso the depredations of these birds were disregarded*

During my field work in this region some observations of interest were
made in regard to the presence and movements of blaokbirds* Vlhen 1 arrived
at Stuttgart tho ground was oovorod by an inch or more of tuiow that covered
the rioe stubble* This curtailed tne feeding grounds of the large numbers
of birds present as It covered any food that had lain on the ground* At
this time essay of the rico growers wore hauling rioe to the mills so that
wagons loaded with rioe wore constantly traversing the roads* As Jute
sacks were valued this year at twenty-one oents each most of the farmers
were hauling rioe loose in apeeially oonstzruoted wagon boxos* 'fhough these
wagons were of tight construction nmeh rice was scattered along the roads

azid grobt S’looks of F.uaty Blaokblnts untcL Sroased Qraoicles gathered to feed
on this Waste gi'&izkWith thoA were u&ny meadow laras that seoiwd to he in
search of tlie same food. At Se ¥itt and Oillett the fields were hare of

M

snow and although many blaokhirds wore observed feeding in the roads this
haoit was not so imiversal as at dtuttgart. However it wes noted that the
uhiodowiarks still freciuented the roadways in largo numbers. Save in one
instanoe uo cos^dalnt was made against the meadowlark as a destroyer of
rloe durixig the present in^uiryt and in that one case evidence was not oer-
tain.

On iMoember 17 the Ihisty Blaokbird was found near Stuttgart in large
nooks. It was estimated that between 30*000 and 40,000 of these birds weare
seen dn this date. The birds were very common farther south also and large
numbers were seen eooh day. Hear Stutt^-art between 10,000 and 15,000 Bronsed
Graokles were seen also ou beosmber 17 and large numbers were present near
l>e Witt. The Oowblrd was less abundant but large numbers of Bedwlnge were
noted. At Dewitt it was noted that the blackbirds eeuood to })avo a roost
somewhere east of town as on December £0 and 22 ne * flocks

were passing constantly toward the west and southwest between seven thirty
and eleven in the morning. The greater of the birds observed were busty
islaokbirds with many Bronsed Grackles and a few Bedwlngs accompanying them.
All were flying steadily at an altitude varying from 100 to 300 feet above
the earth. Uany congregated about the stacks where the rice had been
threshed. After midday flocks gathered in willows and other tree growth
growing about pools where the birds rested during digestion of the food

e

contained In their crops.

Some of tlie faraers questioned stated that it was a decided odvon-

tog® to *n£.vd tbe SlacitllrdB feed In tha rlo# fitabbl© as thay ola&ned out a
large part of tns waate rlco that had lallef during the harvest and. also
a to the red rice that grew uloag toe loveos and elwownere* 7nl3 dl<«4 away
with the giowth of tolunteer rice daring the following year a ajattor of Im-

D

portauce as volunteer rice ie in nearly ali cates inferior in quality and
where it is abundant lowers tliO avemce grade of the rice produced so that
it brings a uaich lower price* Ked hlce la a eorious pest as the grains are
saiall and when abundant in the narvested output of rice they interfere
learnedly with the proper oiilling of the bettor varieties with v;hlch they
are mixed* Other rice growers stated that the waste rioe and rad rice
oould be oleened. out by lM>ge paetured in the fields and tne grain turned
to advantage that othowfise would be wasted* It Wfis generally udi&ltted
hiDwever tluit hogs were not entirely effective and most men ooaoodod that
tlie-iwork of the blaoicblrda In winter was beneflolal* Shis point should
be bonw in mind as It would seem that serious dumage to rice is caused in
large part by realdaat birde and t^iot oove in seasons whai the rice in
late migrants and /-Intering birds do little ham* rbeae statonento would
need oureful verification as they are based almost entirely upon Infonaa—
tlon given by imjn not wholly familiar with differences botwoon spoclea of
birds or with the migratory twvoinents of individuals*

Speolmens of Blaoibirds that wore oollected during the work in Ar-
kansas belonged to four species, vin*. Bronzed Gmcklo t ^ulscalus !i.* nejnej^)
«

Cowbird f i^olothrus a* ater l. Kuetjr Blackbird (L.U!?hai 9 ia caruligaBJ *
Rod-winged Blackbird t n^Tolnius ji* nredatorluo ) * She four speolmens of
the Red— winged Blackbird taken were all shot from one flock and belonged
to the form that breeds in ArJaxnaaa* It shoxild be noted however that two

- 20 -

nortliarn aabsjpeoioa of this' wldo-ranglng bird, the Thlok-billod Fedwlng
(Aiwlalus fortis 1 and the lorthem Hedwing tA<celalas p . arotolOCTiB l have
bean taken near Van Boren in western Arkaneas (of Howell, A» U., Birds of
Arkansas, Biol* Borrey Boll* 38, 1911, pp* 67>56) so that these forms may
oooor in Arkansas Ooonty also, doring late fall and throxigh the winter*
Bpeoimens taken near Van Boren in 1910 were oolleoted between Beoember 10
and 17.

Twelve Blackbirds among which were represented speoiaens of the foor
species enoBterated at the beginning of the previoos paragraph were collect-
ed from flocks feeding in rice stobule near Be Witt, on Becember 19* These
birds had all eaten rice to a considerable amoont as shown in the following
tabolation in which the nomber of rice kernels foond with the percentage
by balk of rioe oontalned in stomach and crop as compared with other food
are givens

Agelaios p* nredatorloB

#146438, 56 grains of rioe, remains of others 89 %

#146439 , 42 " »* •• •• " 96

#146440, 130 »• " « M w •• 84

#146442 , 20 " 90 ^

figphagns carol Inns

#146446, 6 grains of rioe Z&ft

#146447, 20 " N N remains of others 65 %

#146448 , 13 •' » It » w !• 40 ^

#146449, Fragmentary rioe grains 86 %

HQlothms £ 3 . ater *

#146443, 115 grains of rioe 65 %

#146444, 66 " " 70 %

#146446, 12 •* ** ** remains of others 70^ ’

gnlsoaloe 0 * Aeneas*

#146441, 67 grains of rioe, remains of others 69 %

The rioe eaten was all without t^uestion waste grain but it is of
Interest to note that only one grain of red rioe was identified in the

ooQBiderable number of icezneXs exaflilned* Thoogh more red rioe mey have
been ropresentad in tha ground up fragnanta In thesa stonaoha thara uaa
nothing presant to indicate that this was really the case#

The other food formed in tha etomacha of these blctf^kbirds was made
t^} largely of grass and sedge seeds with a very small percentage of an*
iznal matter* The Bronzed Oracicle had taken 00 seeds of poison Iry* Two
of the Kusty Blackbirds bad eaten oats in addition to rioe but this may
possibly hare been waste grain from horse droppings* All of the rioe
eaten had been hulledt thou^ taany bits of hulls had been swallowed by
the Busty Blackbirds and the Bronzed Orackle* Seemingly these two spe-
cies were not so expert at handling these seeds as the Hed-winged Black-
birds aad Cowbirds as la the stomachs of these latter species very few
remains of the ro^lgh hulls ooverlng the rice icemels were found*

imtAOE F&otl omsH SOaUGiS,

English Sparrows ( Passer domes ticus ) were conunon about the towns
rlslted and many were found about farm houses soatted through the country.
Some coat>lalnt was directed against these birds but most of the rice grow-
ers had paid little attention to them* He £* Orill of Qlllett said that
this year English Sparrows had destroyed the rioe in an area of about five
acres In a field farmed by him* This small area matured more rapidly than
ths surrounding grain and the sparrows fed 6n it while it was in the milk
destroying the entire yield.

Some stated that the oommon rat did damage to stored rioe and fre-
<iuently was a serious pest* The greatest damage oaoe when the rats attaoned

grain In saoks and out the sacks so that the leakage Interfeted with tiandllng

Vexae, Colorado, uburton and data^orda Countlaa. i>ac, 25, 1917 • Jan. Z, 1916.

B&gle Laka, Deo. Zbr-ZT '

Sliarton Deo. 28, iSl Oaspo Dee. 29-8
bay City to Matagorda Deo. Sl^Jaa.

£lxda. 8etJBore.

liarue araentatna .

One aeon at Matagorda Jan. 1.

Lama delaeoreneiA.

Oae aeon at Matagorda Jan. 1.

Pbalaeroeorax ▼. nexieaaoa iTl.

A aaall oonsorant aeen at Mi^tagorda Jan. 1 aay hare been an individnal of
tlda apeolea.

Anna platyrtonoboa .

A fear aeen along the Colorado DlTor naar Bay City, Jan. 1.
lettlon carol Inenee .

fairly eosnon on a canal at Magle Lake Deo. 27. Several aeen along the
Colorado hlTer near bay City Jan. 1.

Snatnla sijaS&ih*

tmt aeen at a snail pool belov bay City, Jan. 1.

Marila aaericana .

An adalt sale aeen on an irrigation oanal near bi 2 Q>Bon'ville Jan. 2.

a*

Chen ji. hjperborene.

several flooka aeen flying below City Jan. 1. On Jan. 2 ncny ware
aeen feeding in benda in riee atnbble near Markban, Ashby, biaqpaonvllle and :JaU-
gorda. The birds were rery tens and pemitted close approach.

9

Chen caomleacens .

One exanined in Bay City that had been Aillod by a hunter Deo. 90. Five were
seen with flocks of White Ooeae on Jan. 1 below Bay City and m Jan. 2 a doaen nore

• M

. 2 •

were seen feediiif; with Sziow Oeeee in rice stubble. £• C* Kraane reported then
es ooBoon at the south of the San hemard River in ^tuaoriu County. These
blrdo wore known local 1/ a# "Brant."

Anser elblfrone lysbell .

IPPsour seen feeding in rice stubble near Sarkhau Jan. 2.

Branta oanadensis .

Boon near Bay City Jan. 1. Fairly eoiason near harkhaoi sad Blapsonvllle
Jan. 2. Flocks were feeding in ptisturoe and In rice stubble.

Branta £.* hutohlasi .

A few were seen near Bay City Jun. 1 and below Uarkhaa Jon. 2.

Ardea herodlas .

Seen near Uatagorda on Jaa. 1 and 2.

Pros

« Reported as fairly oomon at this season in the coast region froa

liatagorda east to the aonth of the San Bernard River in Brasorla County. Hone &ccn/
Grus wexicana .

One seen at Ragle Lake i)eo. 26, two observed near Bay City Jan. 1.

Fulioa naeriostoa .

A doten seen in a canal at Eagle Lake Bee. 27.

Qal linage dallcata .

Seen at Soglo t-aka on Deo. 25 and £7, On the latter day birds were seen
feeding In the open on soft wad exposed along a canal, i^hen frightened they
ran ashore and hid In vegotstlon but soon enne book again to their foedlng sta-

tion.

Pisobla alnotilla .
Two seen at

f;

^<;£.gle Lake Deo.

1 '

■ V

- ....

tv 6* *• '» ^ ‘

::

H- ‘ •

o.‘ r 9

. 8 -

PaltdnA a. »a)chalina »

Eavaral faedlng on modflata near tfatagorda Jaa. 1

Others seen la a

pond near Sla^sonvllle Jan* 2*

Aotltls ncLonlarla .

Two or three seen along the Colorado Klver near hherton Deo* 28* One
ohserred near Ut-j City Jan* 1*

aw

Xvuaenina agteric&nns *

Two oxarilned In £>sy City that had been killed by a hunter on Deo. 80*

*

Sewaral seen near tbe Colorado Elrer at Uatagorda Jan. 2*

Sana taro la fe4uata.rola *

Sereral feeding on dudflata at datagorda Jan* 1*

Qayeehus vocii’ewis *

i

Codwton* Seen at Lagle Lake Deo* £5 and 27; bliartcn Doc* 28; Bay City

Jen* 1 and 2*

Collnue Y* UaanuB .

•! -N.

,n

A flook of a dosen seen at

geoaidure a* gaarninella *

Lake Deo* 27

=■ yf>:

H

-iO a

_

. l1

Fairly eoanon* been at Eagle aake Doo* 2£> and 27; Mtartcm Deo* 26 and

near Bay City Jan* 8*

Cathartes a. aopteatrionalla *

CosttOB* Seen at Eagle Lake Doo
Jan* 1 and 2*

20 and 27$ fharton Dee* 26; Bay City

Cath&rista nrabn *

CoBEion* been at Eagle Lake Dec* 28 and 27; 'k

Dee* 26 and Bay City

Jan* 1 and 2*

OirvM

Mm

Seen at K1 Ow^po Deo* 29 and near hay City on Jan* 1 and 2*

- i -

Bcteo Vor»aIl» «

fftirly oomaon* Sson (it ii*gla Lake Deo* 26 aad 27^ siul near bey Citj o&
Jan. 1 and 2*
nuteo iineatttft *

Uoarson. iioen near Jiagle 2*a2e Deo. 26 and 27t near Bay City Jan. X and
in the violnity ot Ashby end Citrus Grove on wan. 2.

Butao al'aicandatua sennettl .

A fine adult in Xlgbt phase seen oiroling over a stubble riold near Bay
City Jan. 1*
f&ico snarverias *

Pairly ouauion* Seen near iiagle Lake Deo* 27. and in the vioinity ot Bay
City Jan. 1 and 2.

Strix vari^.

<>Be seen near Eagle Late Deo* 25* Hear Bay City on Jan* 1 1 foniid one
of these birds asleep in the sun on a low limb in open woods and oaoe up within
thirty feet of it before It awakened.

Soeotyto hypugaea .

One aoeu near datagorda Jan. 1*

«

Cerrle a. aleypn .

Several seen along the Colorado hlver near Vharton on Deo* 28; one
observed alozig the sasw streata near hay City on Jan. 1*

Dryobatos jt* oubg scans .

(joo seen at Eagle Dec* 27; one at Wharton Doc* 20 and one at Bay

City Jan. 1.

bphyrawious v* variaa «

one observed at Eagle Late Deo. 27, another at Bay City Jan. 1.

f

aelaaerpoi* (ifr>-tarocoDhaius.

Several eeen along the Colorado Klver near Wharton, Dec. 28.

6

Ctatuna orolinB *

Oommoa la tiiab«r«d areaa* tiaea at Kiisl* Lako i>eo* 2b and 27; Ib'laartoa
Me* 28; and Bay City Jan. 1.

Colaptaa aorataa .

Fairly onaaon. Seen at £aglo Laice Sao* 25 and 27, aeren-x at Bay City

Jaa. !•

Bayornle phoeba »

CoarsoB. Sotod. aa followsi Esgle Lalce Sac* 21 and 27; tiliartoa Bee* 28;
Bay City and llatagorda Jan. 1 and £•

a

%.

tttoepriB a. gi^gdl .

k •• *

' :./• ' •

Comon In a rostrictod area above Uatagordu wheWtho birda vero seen
Jan. 1 and 2. A fenale bird tiUenn had hod the bill Injurod in ^oxae nay so

that both upper and lover nandlbles had been tom anay. '?he bird nas in good

’ •

»

4

oondition but had been aiwble to free the long dorsal faathero frost their
eheatha developed at the last volt, save at the tlpa. 7hia uiru naa at least
one year old as shown by the progress of ossification la the diploe of the
oknll and the dnvelopaent of the ovaries. (speeiaeu)

Cianocltta crietetn .

^ o

Fhirly ooEzson at £agle bate on Dec. 2C and 27.

*

Oorvas brachyrtonchoa .

Two Been at Eagle Lake Dec. 27 and othore obaorved below ifharton Dee.

£9.

itolothms Otar .

Fairly coaBon at Eagle Lake Deo. 25 and 27; a nnabar observwd sear
(Qaarton Deo. 28; near karkhnn on Jan. 2 a flocA containing ooarly 5000 of
these eovbirds vaa feeding la a field of rico stubble. Vlfteen that sere
killed for their stoaBcha fron thla flook all belonged to the aubspeeles
•tor * (speolBea)

^bunduat* iicen at Baslu ^uas ^o* Zb and 27^ iShartoa 'Joe* 26« Si Oaaapo
i)ee. and in the ragioB betveen lUn^ Uit/. Citms Grora and Uat&norda on dan*

1 and 2* Keur K1 Eaton on Jan. 2 flocks eontHininit thousanda of theao birds
vero feediut^ 1& rice stnbble. Tho oubapeoiaa nrodetorlna . richmondl and fort la

a

I • »

are }'op}'«<>sntvd lu amall serisa of skins that vsro prsaarred. (spseinsns).

tituruwlifi ototota .

Abundant. Eeadovlam wore recorded »t Laslo lake Doe. S 5 and £ 7 , Wharton
ik»o. 26 , £1 Caapo Doc. 2 ^ ano 80 , and dajr Oity and olaewbore in data^rda County
on Jau< 1 and £• All that I was able to oxamlno at eloso ranso with binoculars
belonged to the eastern spool 08 « but it is probabls that neitleeta was represented
stitonK tlMMv. The birds were entirely Bilent at this tlae and though 1 vaa out eon-
stantly I heard none calling so that uo aid in their Idontifieation was to be de*
rired froa this source, i'rota the pale coloration of uany of tho birds It would
seen that nany l>elongod to the fom hoopoei .

Icterus malimocoohclns ausduboni .

<.910 of those orioles we.e '.sauaukad up'' fron a oenae growth of Cherokee

~ t

hose near £agle Lake on Dee. 27 and 1 was able to watch it for several ninutos

t.

as it worked throush vines and low Itve •aks before It dleappeered* though teat

tj

the bird would not allow ac to approach within cane gun range.

■ 'J'

Kupharoe cvanooephalns .

Abcudant. Recorded at Earle I<ako Doc. 25 . 26 and £ 7 , Uharton Deo. 26 «
El C&mpe Dec. 29 and 80 and Day City and vicinity Jan* 1 and 2 . A speolsen
showing alblnistle tendencies was oolleoted. (apeoinenj.
hesia'iuteealue d. nr-orourua ♦ .

; Ootanon. Recorded at Dagle Ltike Deo. 25 « 26 aiid 27 * iharton Dec. 28 t Bl
Oaopo Dee. 29 . 30 and in ti«.tagorda County between Day City, Cltrna drove and

R

n

7

ilAtagor<la on Jan. 1 and S. (epoolnoxia)*

AatranBllnaa trlatli .

I

Ooldfiaotaee ware aoan nt Bagla Late Doo* 27 and near Bay City on Jaa* 1«
ypooetaa CTa*nlnana «

Fairly eo«aon« Sean at Bagla Late Dao* 27, Si Cuapo Lao. 29 and near

t

Bay City Jan. 1 and 2.

^■itraulaa aandwiotenaie .

Baranna Bparrowa vara seen at Bagla Late Lao. 25 and naar Bay City Jan.

1 and 2. In the latter looality 1 found then atmndant waat of town on Vow

Xaara Bay.

Bonotriehia anemU .

I

One aeon at Bagla Late Bao. 27.

Bonotrichia JL* lanoophrya .

Ooanon at Bagla Late Bao. 25 and 27. All obaarrad oloaaly baloagad to
traa lenoophnra . Thaao birda fad in little floote in danaa bmah, oapaoially
under tha thorny oorar of the Cherotea Hoaa. At duak 1 found than ooaing out
■ora into the open.

Been at Bagla Late Bao. 25 and 27 and near Bay City on Jan. 1.
teloepiaa Rtorgiana .

A few aeon at Bagla Late Bao. 25 and 27.

£h£lAZftU&l* iiiooh *

Fairly oobdqo near Bagla Late Bao. 27. A few near Bay City on Jan. 1

V||

* " ,

►

Pinilo naoulatua .

Btripad-beok Sowbaaa vara fairly eovnon in danaa bmah near Bagla Lake

Bao. 25 and 27.

ah

Oberhol»Brlii ehlorura

One seen seTenl tisMS at elose range in dense brueJi near £agle Lake on

Deo* 27*

Cardinal is oardlnalls eanicandns *

Abnadant in suitable looalltles* Seen at Eagle Lake Oeo* 25 and 27t

Aabby

Passer donestlcus *

I .

* !

ii -*

CoBSBon at-jSagle Lake ]>eo» 25 and 27 and 2ay Clt/ Jan. 1 and £•

I

ftonbjollla eedrorqia .

A flock seen at Sagle Lake Leo. 27.
l»Anlns Indonolanui.

4

- ?*'

CoHDion.., Seen at Eagle Lake Lee. 25 and S7« Vkarton Leo. 28

Bay

] r

I?

City Jan. 1 and 2.

Lendrolea eoronata .' •••* ' f • >:

I ‘ »

Fairly ooanon. Seen at Eagle Lake Lee. 25 and 27; Wharton Leo. 28«

El Oaiq>o Deo. 29 and Bay 'City Jan.* 1.

Qeothlypls trlohas . "

r".' '4'-

Fairly oonson near Eagle Lake Deo. 25 and 27. Many along the Colorado

'O'-'

BlTor near Bay City Jan. 1.
Ahthns rubescens .-

OossKm. Seen in flooks. Keoorded at Eagle Lake Leo. 26 and 27, Wharton

Leo. 28. £1 Caopo Leo. 29. Bay Ci^ and Matagorda Jan. 1 and 2.

. - *

- Anthns spragnei.

V. •

This pipit was fairly oomon on the lerel prairie abore Matagorda on

n> 1

Jan. 1 and 2. The birds eere feeding hero in eonpany with the oonmon pipit

T- ^

bat when startled the two speoies separated. In its habits Spragoe'e Pipit

resembled the longspurs as it erept about oronohing olose to the groand and

* ^ ■■ ■

i .

0_ cr

- 9 -

adTantagB of ovoiy clod aad irrogolarlty in tho groxmd our face to shield
It «0slaet the force of the wind* It eae quieter than the oommoa pipit and did
not keep the tail ▼ibrating so notioeahly as that spooies* The flight vas
irregnlar and soiaevhat €rratio« The oall note was siMllar to that of anthns
rttbeseena but was given in a loader harsher tone* One bird oollocted uas pre-

served as an alooholio*

Mlwua polyglot tos» v ^

Abundant* Seen at Sagle Lake Deo* S5 and 27« fharton Deo* 28 and bay

City Jan* 1 and 2*

riffa*

Brown Thrashers were very abundant at Bagle Lake on Poo* 25 and 27

They were found feeding in the shelter of the dense growths of Cherokee
rosee* kreiinently ^ dosen responded at once to prolonged ’’squeaking**’ A
few were seen at Bay City Jan* 1*

Thryothonm ludovioiaans*

I- V ^ M

OoiBBan* Seen at Bogle Leka Bee* 25 and 27, Wharton Dee* 28 and Bay
City Jan* 1*

Troglodytes aCdon *

One seen at Bagle Lake Bee* 27 and one at Uatagnrda Jan* 1*

Baeolophus bloolor*^

ConsMi* Soon at Saglo Lake Deo* 25 and 27, TTharton Deo* £8 and Bay
City Jan* 1*

enthestes carol Inensls affAlia*

I j

Oosnon* Soon at Baglo Deo* 25 and 27, Wharton Deo* 28 and Bay

City Jan* 1*
Hegttlne oalendula *

OoBsacm at Bagle Lake Deo* 26 and 27, several seen at Vhartoo Deo* 28

' t- '

. 10 .

and one at Slatagorda Jan. 1.

Polioptila oaeruX»a

Several seen in vooda along the Colorado fiiver naar Wharton Deo. 26

ttrlooiohla wittaita .

Uemlt Thraahes irere seen at £agle Laha ]}eo. 25 and 27 and near hay

City Jan. 1.

algratorina.

A fov robina were aeea near £agle Lake heo. 25 and 27.

Sialia

Bluebirds were "seen at T/harton Deo. 26 and Bay City Jan. 1.

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^ yicAyRtf - Jtttttgart u)d jevitt*

jleo*mber 16>22, 1917 •

i^jtuttgart i> 6 > 0 . 16-10* Uavltt D«o. 19-22)*

birds*

A* Wetoore*

^nas platyraracDQS *

Abundant* Hsllards vors sdsn oonstantlj whlld in ths fiold. At
Stattqart one single bird and a flock of tO wore soon froa the hotel win-

dow in town on jJoc. 16* On the following day in the country about 5000
bird 3 were seen, most of thm in snail flocks flying north* One flock of
about 000 individuala was found feeding in rice stubble. Hear Dewitt on
Deoeabor 19 about 2000 wore seen during the afternoon* part flying higji

^ A • V.

in the air and port feeding in the rice fields. On Tiec* 20 a. few were
flushed along Little lAgroe bayou* Deaemoer 22 in the morning it turned
ooldor and for un hour (between 7 and 8) there «as a steady flight of

kallards pcs&ing south orer the tovn. ilnllards have done considerable

«

dansg^ to rice in the shock here in the p&st stonth* kany birds taat nad
been killed ty huntera were exanincd.

Dai i la acuta

One seen near btattgart Ceeo'aber 17 and another at Jewitt Dec* 19.

In both oases the birds ware aalos and were feeding iu rice fields.lti

eomxsuay with Mallards*

t'

brantft p.jffltidens^A

Felrly eoswion* flocks seen near Stuttgart Dec* 17 and 16*

Qollinus_ tirglnlanns*

Uany killed hy hnntero* One ssiall flook seen near Stuttgart* Deo*
17* Birds killed at both Stuttgart and Dewitt werw examined*

k

/

yyapaimehus anericanns*

A few are said to occur in faworable locnlities near Dewitt* Bone

seen*

it-

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- 2 -

. A" *

Zenaidura m. oarollBensia .

• >

OiM seen near Dewitt Dec. 19. fourteen wesre seen la the ease local*
Ity on Deo. 22 restini; in the eun perched in the tope of tail trees bordering
& com field.

Cathartes gententrionalie.

Conraon. Ce&n i.t Ctnttgurt Deo. 17. and at Dewitt Doc. 19. 20 and 22.
Birds were very taoe and often sut on xonoe por.ts at the eldo of the road

D

wilile the oar passed.

Cireos Tmdeoniue .

Seen at Stuttgart Deo. 16 Mid 17 and near Dewitt Deo. 19. On Dee. 16
one was quartering » field located vlthln the town of Stutt>5Jirt»

BnteO h orealls.

Connon. Seen at Stuttgart Dec. 17 and near Dotrltt on Deo. 19 and 22.
MteC llneatM^

e

Fairly oowaon. Soon at Stuttgart Dec. 16 and 17 and near Dowltt on
Dec. 19. At Stuttgart one whs obsenred in & grore laE.Wdiat&ly adjacent to

■■

houses at one edge of town.

Buteft p^Iatjpterae . 4:

One near Dewitt on Dec. 19.

^ftXeo sparverlns .

Coamon. Seen near Stuttgart on Dee. 17 and near Dewitt on Deo. 19,

20 and 22.

At io f laBBeus ■

One near Dewitt Deo. 19.

S-trix varia .

Seen at Stuttgart Deo. 16 and 16 and in the hoary botton tinber along

Idttlo Lugruo Buyon nbo^ liewitt Deo* SiSi» In tte latter locality these birds

9sre readily attraoted by "sHdeakins*** One eas seen in a grore on the ont>
skirts of Stuttgart on Deo* 16 vithin 8 bloeke of the hotel*

X^rrobfttes villosus .

boon near Stuttgart Deo* 17 and in the rioinity of i>evitt Dee* 19,

20 and 2E.

til'

Seen at Stuttgart on Deo* 16 and 18* Ealrly eoseioa near Dewitt Deo*.
19, 20 sad 22*

Sphyraoicus y* varlue *

J^irly cottsAon In the' hesTy bottoa woods along Little Lagrae iisyou
abOYe I'ewltt an Deo* 20 and 22*

Phloeotoau s jj. .?Ileatus *

Fairly ootWKin in >)eaYy tlaber near Dewitt, where the birds bore the

local nano of "Groat, Good Qod," a naaie token per'uaps froe the natural ex-
clanatloa of the uountrytstiu ou suoiug those nagnifioent woodpeokers for the
firat tine* In tiie heary bottOM tinber found along the ne;mdaring course of
Little Lagrue Dayuu the Pileated Voodpeoirer w&s seen on Deoenber 20 rmti again

on Deeentber 22. 2be first one notud wue seen at a distance os it flow aboYs
tbe trees, ^tar others wore observed feuding at close range aud the peculiar
call note was heard eeYeral tioss* In feeding they worked about the tranks
larger limbs of the taller trees fre.(Uently at a eonsidoi'able distanee frost

the ground* Vhelr tapping in eeareh for food was slow and uteaaui'ed and eould

" * • *

be readily distinguished frost that of other woodpeokers when it had been onoe

identified* The birds were wary ana tooa care to keep ISO or 200 yards ahead

of ate as I passedthrou^ the woods but were readily followed ae they nearly

- 4 -

always called loudly uihlle flying. 1 found that these voodpeolcers bad oon«
slderahle curiosity and that they responded readily to ''8<iUiealrlng'* provided
that I remained motionless and that the birds had not seen sie approach. 1
called one bird up to a perch not nore than seventy yards away and shot it»
to the great consternation of a Barred Ovl that had dropped In on a limb
thirty feet away to learn what the coanotlon was about. This woodpeeher
catse down with a broken leg and a broken wing, soreamlng loudly. As 1 ap-
proached It attempted to scramble up a tree trunk, but unable to do this
hung to the rott(^ bark calling in tones that alanaed the bird population of
the entire grove. Aa it oallod it Jerked Ite head in charaoterlstlo wood-
pecker fashion and at Intervala struck the tree trunk before It a heavy blow
with Its ehlsel like bill, heoause of this last action 1 hesitated an In-
stant before seising It aa the strong bill driven by the powerful nook and
back maseles siade a formidable weapon, but when captured the bird made no

attempt at defense. This speolaen was preserved entire in foxmaldehyde.

occimsn)

Pen turns oarollnua . *

Common. Seen at Stuttgart Oeoember 16. 17 and 16 and near J)ewltt
on Tee. 19. 20 and 22.

Colaptes aumtus .

V.-,

f'alrly eommon. Seen at Stnttgart Deoember 16 and 18 and near Dewitt

on Deo. 19, 20 and 22.

«

Sranoeltta orletata .

OoBsaon. Recorded at Stuttgart Deoember 18 and near Dewitt on Deoember
19. 20 and 22. In Dewitt Jays were fairly oosiaon In shade trees about town.
kolothrus a ter .

Ten Cowblrds were observed with a flook of hedwings near Dewitt om
Deoember 19. Two femaloe and one mule were shot and their stomaohs preserved

- 6 -

tmt tbe birds vers not slciniisd* Vo others sssn«

r

Aaeloltts £,• predAtorlns »

t

This spsoiss was oosMOB nanr i>svitt on Usoember 19, 20 and 22 but vas
not seen near Stuttgart* four females that were taken from a flock on Qeeeo-
ber 19 all belonged to this fom. kany were obserred flying during the early
■oming apparently coming from some roost located east of Dewitt* (d specimens)

Stamella maana *

Abundant in the praire re^on and fairly oraaon in fields elsewhere*
lear Stuttgart on December 16 and 17 the ground was ooTered with snow and
Mny meadowlarks were feeding in the roads* api>arently on waste rice and other
grain that had fallen from wagons transporting it to the mills* Hecorded at
Dewitt Deo* 19 and 20*

Eunhaitas earollnus *

y%rf abundant* It seemed probable that at this season the Busty Black-
birds present here outnumbered all of the other ^teridae oombined* At Stutt-
gart the speoies was noted on Deoember 16* 17 and 18 and small f looks were

obserred feeding in the streets and vacant lots In the outskirts of the town*

*>

On Deoember 17 In driving throng the eountry it was estimated that between
80*000 40,000 of these birds were seen* Two flocks supposed to contain

between 6,000 and 10,000 birds were observed and aeatterod bands of smaller
else rouged everyvdiere throu(^ the oiwn eountry* The birds were feeding in
the rise stubble also gathered in the bsdre roads to feed on scattered
rise grain that had dropiwd from passing wagons* At Dewitt the Busty
Blackbird waa less abundant but was observed eomaonly on Deoember 19, 20 and
22* Several were shot In order that their stosmehs might be seoured but no

speeiaene were preeerved*

. 6 -

inlgealae aeneat «

Comaon. Obserred at t^tuttgurt X»oc. 16, 17 and 18 and netr Dowitt on
Daeasber 19, 20 and 22, At Stuttgart tbaaa graeiclaa vora roodlng on uconis
of a pin oak. These acorns the birds out neatly in two at the center by hold*
ing then In the bill and pi^esing then against the angular cocqjrecsed i^l

A

projeotitkg from the palate (peculiar to this »nu8). From eAaninint; the nuts

d tvZ/ U/ntlK lA lAjekj

it appeared that the aoom cut through clear around iriben the shell was

A

discarded and the neat swallotred.
astragalinoa tristia .

Fairly ooauuon. been at Stuttgart Dec. 18 and near Lewitt on Loc. 19,

f

20 and 22.

t

Qalcariue lapponieua .

A dozen seon below Stuttgart in one place and twenty or sore in another.

Deo. 17.

Passeroulus savanna .

Fairly ooomon at Stuttgart Deo* 17. been near Dewitt, Deo. 19
2onotrichl;ii slbieollis .

S'ii4»

on. 3eon at Stuttgart Deo. 16 and 18. Cossaon at Dewitt Dee. 20
and 22. in the Little Lagrue Dottoaa near Dewitt aaall flocke frequented
growths of cane ( Arundinaria tecta) •

Spisella pusilla.

A fow seen near Dewitt oa Deo. 16 and 20.

Junoo hyemalie .

CooKAon. been at Stuttgart Deo. 16, 17 and 18 and near Dewitt on Dec

19, 20 and 22.

HeloapigA aelodlfc .

n

^Oxte aeon »t Stutteert on Jec. 16.aa(l

no^r ;)iiwltt^ vk tOcc li^^ iCW- . WA^/tCwA^

Paaaerfcl

AUftfift

Fairly oooaoa. Soon near Stuttgart ou Doo» 16, 17 and 18, and at Dewitt
Deo* li^, ZO and 22. Singing*

Pipilo 9 ry throuhthalane *

Fairly coMsoa* been at Stuttgart Deo* 16, 17 and 18. A few at Dewitt

Deo* 20.

&• cardinal ia *

COBUion* i.eoorded near Stuttgart Doo* 16, 17 and 18, and at Dewitt Dec.
19, 20 sad 22* On Deo* 17 about 30 were seen in one snail area of brusb*
Passer donestieus *

Coinon* Seen at Stuttgart Dee* 16, 17 and 18 and at Dewitt Deo* 19, 20,
£1 and 22* Distributed throng the country side*
bonbreilla oedrorun .

fldohs were aeen feeding on pereisaone in the town of Dewitt Deo*

19 and 20*

ISBins ^* nlCTSHf *

Fairly eoanon* Dee* 16 in Ltuttgert 1 found a House noose that probably
had been suspended by this shrids hong In a chins "berry tree (Melia asedaraah l.
Seweral were te«n below ^ituttgart Deo* 17 and o there were obcerred near Dewitt
Deo. 19 and 20*

Dendroiea corona ta.

Oonaoa in heavy bottoei woode near Dewitt Deo* 19, 20 and 22,

Antlitag rutwaoena .

coaffBoo* Liz vora soon l& u flsla. ot zioa atuLtola uaj^r u tul
on l>«o» 17. About SO were obsortad in a alallar aituation aaar Jawitt on l>ao.

19 and four ware noted near the aaae plaoe on iJeo. 20.

gisafi. £• polyglot toa .

' •

fdirly ooBBaon. Sean at Stuttgart Deo. 17 and ne^r Dewitt on Jeo. 19 and

20 .

fexoatoma rufttn .

One seen near J>ewitt Deo. 20 .

1 * Xudovlcianns .

Oomion. Seen at Stuttgnrt ijeo. 16. 17 and 18 and near Dewitt on Deo. 19,

a

20 and 22 .

• I

ThrvQUM^aw _b. bewlokl .

One near Dewitt Dec. 20.

’ A

.... ^ %

Certma f. aaorioana . 5 .

seen in bottom woods near Dewitt Deo. 20.
vJltta earolinensia .

Fairly eonaon in bottom woods near Dewitt. Soon Deo. 19, 2u and 22.
baeolonhas bleolor .

Coemon. Seen at Stuttgart Dee. 16 and 18 and near Dewitt Deo. 19, 20 and

22 .

Fentheetes c,. carollneneie .

a

CoiwiKm, Seen at Stuttgart Doc, 16, 17 and 18 and near Dewitt on Deo. 19,

.

20 and 22 . .

«

BegQlns 1 .. satraPb .

Two Been at Stuttgart Deo, 16, Fairly oommon along Little .<agrao bayou

aboTe Dewitt Deo. 20

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One near atnttgart i)eo» 18 ,

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Several in bottom tiabor near fieeitt See* 20 and 22,

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laneetieus mlgxutorliu ,

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A few la heavy bottoa tinber near DowLtt on Deo. 20 .ad 22.

rr'

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

WASHINGTON, D. C.

ADDRESS REPLY TO

CHIEF, BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY,,
AND REFER TO

January 10, 191 8,

Hr. Alex V/etmoi*e,

Bureau of Biological Survey,

Dear Sir :

In the exajniuation of your reimbursement account for the period
December 12, 1917, to January 6, 1918, it has been necessary to suspend
the following ;

December 15, \7aiter fee, supper. — 10 cts.

December 13, Pullman porter fee. — • 25 cts.

December 14, Pullman ]?orter fee. — 25 cts.

December 14, v/aitor fee, sujjper. — 10 cts

These expenses were incurred in Teimessee, or enroute to that
point and, therefore, can not be allowed. {See paragraph 86-c of the
fiscal regulations.)

Amount claimed
ibnount susoended

•A.

sA12.29

Approved for

Very truly your

In Cliarge of Accounts,

rtPHU^i

tA

1

Original copied by
Smithsonian Archives

■lirTt"--

Lower

Serth

No.

Upper

Berth

No.

Compart'

merit

Complaints, criticisms of service, or suggestions will receive prompt attention if addressed

t© Assistant General Superirrtendent, The Pullman Company, Chicago, III.

THE PULLiMAS^ COMPANY

PASSENQER’S CASH FARE CHECK.

Changofi

Amount

C<ji(l0cted

FHOM

Conductor

No.

Fasoengeri

Accommodations not transferable. Property taken into car will be at owner's risk

Complaints, criticisms of service, ©r suggestions v^rill receive prompt attention if addressed

to Assistant Genera! Superintendent, The P

man Company,, Chicago, i

Lower

Berth

No.

He

it 'Spor ,»

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Character of Work Performed.

ranch, cared for skins

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

WASHINGTON, D. C.

ADDRESS REPLY TO

CHIEP, BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY,
AND REFER TO

December 12th, 1917.

Ilr. Alexander V/etraore,

Bureau of Biological Survey.

Dear I.Ir. V/etmore:

In accordance vdth letter of authority ITo. 212-Bi. you are
instructed to proceed on or about December 12th, 1917, to points
in Arlsansas and Texas to learn the extent of damage inflicted by birds
on the rice crop.

J

In Arkansas, you will get in touch with I^r. S. V. Visart, a
representative of this Bureau located at Little Rock, and from him
learn the localities where dainage is being done in his vicinity. Ducks
are rex^orted to be tearing down the ^ocks in this region and in some
cases ai'e ruining entire fields. It is inijortant that we verify these
reports in order that we may la^ow wiiether the waterfowl are actually
to blame or whether there may be in some cases ulterior motives prompt-
ing the circulation of such rei)orts. In Texas you will meet LIr. 0. J.
Winterman of the Lakeside Irrigation Comx-'any at Saglo Lake. Llr. V/inter-
mari has reported damage to rice by red v/inged black birds and jaolcdaws.

The principle object in conducting this investigation is to
farailarizo ourselves with the conditions in these localities in order
that at' such time v/hen the passage of the Enabling Act will allow us to
take aggressive measures against these birds, v/e will be in a position
to do it intelligently. VQiile in the field you will, of coxirse,use

rit - y . y M -i,

r . ^ ^

S-j“' •>. ' ■ . ■ -- - ■ •, x.‘ -' ■'.- '..Tc %,■ *- 'V '’ f- • .• •■ ■

2.

every opportunity for ooll acting specimens of insects and seeds to
fill up our reference collections which are lacking in material from
these sections*

Should axiditional instructions be required, you can secure
these from LIr« McAtee M\^en occasion arises*

Very truly yours.

n*-V

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Bl-120

AI»R.*I7.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION

2I£.Bt

Washington, D. C., SoomabT IX* 1B17(

Mfig-

Biologlojd A»>l»taat

Under authority contained in the Secretary’s letter, No. 8 Sec., dated
July 1, 1917, you are hereby authorized to incur such expenses as may be
necessary, in strict accordance with law, the Fiscal Regulations of the
Department, and the decisions of the Comptroller of the Treasury, for
the purpose stated and during the period named below, not to exceed

3CX).Q0

, to be paid from the appropriation "General Expenses,

Bureau of Biological Survey, 1918." Kahlts of Birta and UaEUblo. )

Brooaed tvcm Waihlagton, D. C.* oa or ahout Dooeobor 12, 1917,
to Little icnaoicae, porfor.a aooostiaty travel wlttiia tho &tatee

of
damage

■- t-

Aiwi ^ejcua fur tiiO yurpoue of invcstlsixtiug th.e extent of

You are fui’thoriUuthoirizod to hire tnu^rary a«ai£tunts« edbjeot
to the rales regulfttlose of the Civil Berrloe ComslulOB, hire epeoL
oonveyaooe and parohaM aeeeesery field eiqipllee* Upon oompletloa of
thl9 wortc you sliould rotuni to WaihlugtoUf D# 0#f your offlol&X itation#

No expense for freight charges to be incurred hereunder*
Your permanent headquarters will be D# C#

^ ^ ^ ^0

Gfakf

Vf. V.

^^j^Chief, Biological Survey.

[‘a'Io

'Vn.ia

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

WASHINQTON, D. C.

ADDRESS REPLY TO

CHIEF. BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY,
AND REFER TO

July 11, 1918

Mr. Alexander Wetcore,

Williams, Arizona.

Dear Mr. Wetmore:

I am sending you herewith the edited copy of your paper entitled
"Lead Poisoning in Waterfowl," together with a corrected carbon copy as
prepared for the printer. If, by conparison, where necessarj', with the

original, you find any change should be made in the new copy, will you
please retxum it marked as desired? In case it is in satisfactory shape

for the printer you may so advise me, and need not retTim either copy

unless you wish it cared for here. I have had an extra carbon made as
well as the original for the printer, so that if the Department is unable

to use it you will have copies for submission elsewhere.

I trust you are having a pleasant summer’s work. It is unusually

cool here

Very truly yours.

In Charge, Editorial Work

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