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GOVERNMENT PRINTING: OFFICE.

WASHINGTON:
1899.

CO NEN ES.

Work of the year
Field work

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Geographic distribution
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Identification of specimens

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PERM EDMeisMetLHNe PEMOGIS 4242-9 2 oes 2 Seeks eek ee

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= Proposed introduction of the ‘‘ Kohlmeise” and ‘‘ Blaumeise”_-_-_____-
— Necessity for legislation restricting introduction of noxious animals

OTST CURES i SI ee oN ae Re eS en 2 eee ER sch et hn a Oe Ge
“<—Outline of work for fiscal year ending June 30, 1900
Future work

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REPORT OF THE ACTING CHIEF OF THE DIVISION OF
BIOLOGICAL SURVEY.

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY,
Washington, D. C., September 1, 1899.

Str: I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the work of
the Division of Biological Survey for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1899.

Respectfully,
T. S. PALMER,
Acting Chief.
Hon. JAMES WILSON, Secretary.

WORK OF THE YEAR.

FIELD WORK.

During the fiscal year 1898-99 field work was carried on in four
States, California, Maryland, Nevada, and Texas; in two Territories,
New Mexico and Alaska; and also in Mexico, British Columbia, and
the Northwest Territories. Inthe summer of 1898 the principal work
was done in northern California, and in the spring of 1899 in Texas
and Alaska. At the close of the field season of 1897 a biological recon-
noissance of Washingtonand Oregon had been nearly completed, which,
in addition to previous work in southern and southeastern California,
covered fully two-thirds of the Pacific States, with the exception of an
area in northern California. In1898 attention was accordingly directed
to this part of California, including the region surrounding Mount
Shasta from the Madeline Plains west tothe Pacific, and from the Oregon
boundary south to Lassen Butte. Under the personal direction of Dr.
C. Hart Merriam, camps were occupied on Mount Shastafrom July 15 to
October 3, 1898; the peak was completely encircled, the several life
zones were outlined with great care, and data were secured regarding
the distribution of the characteristic mammals, birds, and plants. Side
trips were made to Lassen Peak, Little Shasta Valley, and westward
to the coast at Humboldt Bay. Several ‘‘zone lines” were also run from
the bottom of the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys to the summit
of the Sierra or beyond; one near Quincy (latitude 40°); one along
the line of the Central Pacific Railroad (latitude 39°); and one to the
Yosemite Valley (latitude 37° 30’). The results of the work on Mount
Shasta will be published as North American Fauna No. 16. In the
spring of 1899 supplementary collections were made in Hoopa Valley,
at one or two points on Humboldt Bay, at Crescent City, in Shasta
Valley, and in Modoc and Lassen counties, with a view to cover-
ing the entire northern part of California, and extending the biological
reconnoissance southward.

59
AGR 99——9

ne

60 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.

The discovery of gold in the Klondike region and at several points
in Alaska has aroused general interest in the resources of that Terri-
tory, and the rush of miners and emigrants to the new gold fields has
brought about rapid development in the means of communication on
the Upper Yukon. Regions heretofore practically inaccessible can
now be explored with comparatively little difficulty, and it was there-
fore deemed advisable to begin systematic field work in Alaska dur-
ing the summer of 1899. An unusually favorable opportunity was
presented through the liberality of Mr. Edward H. Harriman, of New
York, who extended an invitation to the Biological Survey to join an
expedition he had fitted out at his own expense for a trip along the
Alaska coast. Dr. C. Hart Merriam with two assistants accepted this
invitation, and spent two months in active field work at numerous
localities, most of which are out of the regular routes of travel. The
steamer George W. Elder, fitted up with all necessary appliances for
scientific work, was chartered especially for the trip and afforded
unusual facilities for the collection and preparation of material. Leay-
ing Seattle May 31, the party proceeded northward through the inside
passage to Lynn Canal and Glacier Bay, stopping at several points
to collect specimens and information and visiting Victoria, Wrangel,
Juneau, and Skagway. Thence the steamer sailed by way of Sitka to
Yakutat Bay, Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet, Kadiak Island, the
Alaska Peninsula, Shumagin Islands, and Unalaska. After leaving
Unalaska a northward course was followed into Bering Sea and sey-
eral points of interest were visited, including the Pribilof Islands,
Plover Bay, Port Clarence, and the islands of St. Lawrence, Hall,
and St. Matthew. The return trip ended at Seattle on July 30.

In addition to this work on the Alaska coast, a party in charge of
Mr. W. H. Osgood was detailed to work down the Yukon River. This
party left Seattle about May 24, and upon reaching Skagway took the
recently completed railway over White Pass and began work at the
summit of the pass. By July 1 they had reached Tagish on the head-
waters of the Yukon, and as the trip down the river is expected to
occupy nearly three months, they will probably reach St. Michaels,
at the mouth, about the end of September. The Upper Yukon is
practically an unexplored field, and the systematic study of the fauna
along its whole course ought to throw much light on the northern
limits of the ranges of many species. The practically simultaneous
exploration of the coast and the interior also promises to afford
important data for mapping the life zones of southern Alaska, which
will be useful to the experiment stations located in that region.

The work of tracing the life zones in Texas was continued during the
spring and early summer of 1899. A party in charge of Mr. Vernon
Bailey, chief field naturalist, ran several lines near the coast and made
a trip northward from the Southern Pacific Railroad across the Staked
Plains to Amarilla, west to the head of the Pecos Valley, New Mexico,
and thence southward to the Texas border. Prof. William L. Bray,
professor of botany at the University of Texas, accompanied the party
as botanist and made collections which will be of much service in work-
ing up the field notes on the distribution of species in this region.

At the request of the State geological survey of Maryland some
field work was carried on in Allegany and Garrett counties, in the
western part of that State, with the object of outlining the life zones
of Maryland in greater detail than had previously been done, and of
ascertaining especially the area which the northern zones occupy in
the mountains.

DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 61
ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF BIRDS.
During the year 1,381 bird stomachs were received and 1,961 were

examined in the laboratory. ~The stomachs examined may be grouped
as follows:

BivesiGhers: 222 ae Es ees” UGS AR ARKO OUTS. ik OU 2 ee he ee Boe ks = 127
laeksird Ses rss pe eens a Ss 590 | Miscellaneous: 22 Gite Bose 113
SATE OWS) 2s Seep Le 820 |
SE LLG ASP a 5 Oe 50 | AO tallies so ees ee ee 1,961
CICK ACEESe reas el a Te 155 |

The total number of bird stomachs in the collection on June 30,
1899, was about 31,300, representing the accumulation of fourteen
years. Of these, only about 14,000, or less than 50 per cent, have
been examined. Arranged according to groups, the stomachs already
examined are distributed approximately as follows:

la wiksrand owls: =<. 225) 5965 SOOO ONTIRES Hs 292 ee eee 155
DACKOOS eee te et ae ELON 155 | Wrens and mockingbirds _____-_ 400
Mood peckers = 2) 2 ieee ee Gios hb hwashes” a5 aoe oe ee aes See 535
Pauearenercwe. ssip cases st oe S00 jMuscellaneouss 3. sie 200
Crowsiand jays 22s. =o. ee 1,300

Blackbirds and orioles.._-. ...- 3,520 | [Moy ia 5 tie 2 Sie 2 Sele gto AA eee 14, 000
SSO AELON Spee hemes ot Ae Eee 3,700 |

Reports have been published on all of these groups except the fly-
eatchers, blackbirds,! sparrows, and thrushes. Detailed reports on
hawks and owls, the crow, woodpeckers, cuckoos, and shrikes were
published in the form of special bulletins, while those on the blue jay,
meadowlark, Baltimore oriole, crow blackbird, house wren, brown
thrasher, and catbird were condensed and presented in popular form
as articles in the Yearbooks for 1895-98. Most of these investiga-
tions, except those relating to hawks and owls, have also been sum-
marized in Farmers’ Bulletin No. 44.

Special efforts have been made to complete the examination of the
stomachs of sparrows and blackbirds, and to prepare the results for
publieation. The number of stomachs available for the report on
sparrows has now increased to about 4,000, comprising 20 species and
several subspecies. Each of these species is represented by at least
50, and in some eases 300, stomachs—a sufficient number to furnish
reliable data respecting the bird’s food habits, and to determine its
value as a weed destroyer.

It is proposed to supplement the brief papers on the food of the crow
blackbird, meadowlark, and oriole, published several years ago, by a
report on other members of the family, including the red-winged and
yellow-headed blackbirds, Brewer’s blackbird, the rusty grackle, cow-
bird, and bobolink. Much complaint is made of the depredations of
the blackbirds which breed in enormous numbers in the swamps of
the Upper Mississippi Valley and destroy considerable grain in the
early autumn. ‘The material now on hand shows definitely the dam-
age done by each species, and also the members of the group which
offset their grain-eating record by destruction of insects.

In addition to the examination of stomachs in the laboratory, con-
siderable work has been done in the field to ascertain whether birds
show marked preference in selecting food or simply eat that which is
most abundant or most readily obtainable. Stomach examination
shows what kind of food a bird has eaten, but it is desirable to know

1A brief paper on the crow blackbird, based on an examination of about 1,000
stomachs, was published in the Yearbook for 1894.

62 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.

whether birds habitually reject other kinds of food, especially insects,
which are equally abundant. In order to throw light on this question,
Prof. F. E. L. Beal spent several weeks last summer in Massachusetts
collecting bird stomachs and studying the available food supply in a
limited area. Visits were also made to several places in New Hamp-
shire and Vermont to learn what birds, if any, were injuring crops,
more especially small fruits. Similar field work has also been carried
on for practically two years at a point near Washington, D.C. A
farm which is especially favorable for observation, both by reason of
diversity of crops and abundance of birds, has been visited at inter-
vals during the year, the crops noted, the birds observed, and a suffi-
cient number of stomachs collected to show the character of the birds’
food. Thus, it has been possible to determine definitely the effect of
birds on the crops at each season.

PUBLICATIONS.

The past year has witnessed greater activity in publication than
any previous period in the history of the Division. The publications
include three bulletins (Nos. 9, 10, and 11); three numbers of North
American Fauna (Nos. 14, 15, and 16'); two articles in the Yearbook
for 1898; the Report of the Division for 1898; reprints of Bulletins
Nos. 10 and 11, North American Fauna Nos. 10, 12, and 13, and two
reprints of Farmers’ Bulletin No. 54 on ‘‘Some common birds in their
relation to agriculture.”

The three bulletins, No. 9 on ‘‘Cuckoos and shrikes,” No. 10 on
‘* Life zones and crop zones,” and No. 11 on ‘‘ Geographical distribu-
tion of cereals,” have already been noticed in the report for last year.
Two of these bulletins, Nos. 10 and 11, were in such demand that the
editions were soon exhausted and reprints were rendered necessary
within ten months after publication. The three numbers of North
American Fauna are as follows: No. 14, ‘‘ Report of the natural his-
tory of the Tres Marias Islands, Mexico,” by E. W. Nelson; No. 15,
a technical ‘‘ Revision of the jumping mice of the genus Zapus,”
by Edward A. Preble; No. 16, ‘‘ Report on a biological survey of
Mount Shasta,” by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, comprising an account of
the field work done in northern California during the season of 1898.
One of the articles in the Yearbook, entitled ‘‘ Birds as weed destroy-
ers,” by Sylvester D. Judd, contained some preliminary results of the
investigation on sparrows, showing the value of these birds in con-
suming weed seed during the winter. Another article, on ‘‘ The
danger of introducing noxious animals and birds,” by T. 8. Palmer, was
prepared for the purpose of drawing attention to the folly of indiserimi-
nate acclimatization of exotic birds and animals, as shown by the
experience, both in the United States and in other countries, with the
English sparrow, the mongoose, and similar pests.

The unusual number of reprints issued shows the demand for certain
publications of the Division. This demand is particularly noticeable
in the case of papers on food habits of birds and general reports on
geographic distribution, such as the bulletin on ‘‘ Life zones and
crop zones.”

2

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.

‘The compilation and tabulation of data for mapping geographic
distribution of birds have continued practically without interruption

1 Still in press.

DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 63

during the year. Similar data have also been tabulated for mammals,
as far as means were available. Progress in this work is necessarily
slow, both on account of the great number of species and the necessity
of keeping the maps already prepared up to date.

ROUTINE WORK.

Routine work necessarily continues to occupy much of the time of
the office force. About 2,000 letters were received during the year,
many of them accompanied by reports, schedules, and notes, which
were examined and filed for future reference. Much of the corre-
spondence relating to reports of the Division is easily disposed of,
but inquiries concerning mammals and birds require special replies
which often necessitate the expenditure of considerabletime in prepa-
ration. About 1,700 letters were written, several hundred schedules
distributed to correspondents and migration observers, and several
hundred packages received and sent out. Other regular work con-
sists in the arrangement of reports and information received from
field naturalists and correspondents, preparation and examination of
accounts, care of collections, unpacking and repacking specimens
received for identification, forwarding supplies to field naturalists,
bibliographic work, and preparation of reports and bulletins for pub-
lication. Much of this work, such as preparing manuscript for pub-
lication and proof reading, is now done by the chief of the Biological
Survey and assistants, whose time could be better employed in scien-
tifie work or original investigations. Provision has therefore been
made in the estimates for 1901 for an additional assistant who shall
take charge of editorial and other routine work. This addition to
the office force is greatly needed and will insure greater efficiency
and economy in the work.

IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIMENS.

Many specimens have been received for identification, as in former
years, but the fact that the Division is willing to identify specimens
of mammals and birds, and that such material can be forwarded to
the Department by mail and returned free of expense to the sender,
does not seem to be as generally known as it should. The farmer or
the fruit grower thus has an easy way of learning the name of an
unfamiliar bird which is suspected of damaging his grain or fruit
and the Department is informed of injuriesto crops. Notwithstand-
ing the time consumed in making the necessary examinations, corre-
spondents are always encouraged to send in specimens concerning
which they are in doubt, as ‘such specimens often increase the value
of accompanying notes and reports. Moreover, this work tends to
stimulate observation and study of the habits of animals and birds,
and thus has an educational value. Many persons forward long
deseriptions of birds which they wish to have named, but such
descriptions are often vague and omit important details, so that it is
impossible to tell with certainty to what species they refer. A speci-
men is always more satisfactory than a description. If a skin is not
available, merely the head and wings are sufficient for identification
in the ease of a bird, and these can be inclosed in the envelope with
the letter of inquiry.

ADDRESSES.

Applications are frequently received for the delivery of addresses
by members of the Division before farmers’ institutes, horticultural

64 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.

societies, and game associations. The presentation of papers before
such meetings may properly be considered a part of the duties of the
office, but the time and labor involved in this form of educational
work necessarily restrict it within narrow limits. Requests of this
kind, however, are complied with whenever they do not involve expense
or serious interruption of regular work. During the past year five
addresses were given by assistants of the Division before horticultural
societies and other organizations in three States and in the District of
Columbia. |

NATURE STUDY IN THE SCHOOLS.

The introduction of nature study in the common schools, and the
efforts of the Audubon societies in the cause of bird protection, are
responsible, in large measure, for the extraordinary popular interest
in bird study which has developed in the past few years. Under the
leadership of the College of Agriculture of Cornell University this
novel kind of school work has made wonderful progress in New York,
and has also been successfully taken up in other States. Childrenare
so easily interested in birds that elementary ornithology has deservedly
become one of the most popular branches of nature study, and its
introduction into the lower grades of the public school opens a wide
field for teaching the economic side of the subject as well as for cor-
recting erroneous ideas now prevalent respecting the value of certain
birds. One of the first suggestions for popularizing bird study was
the observance of a Bird Day in the schools. Since this suggestion
was indorsed by the Department in 1894, the observance of Bird Day
in connection with Arbor Day has been provided for by law in at least
three States—W isconsin, Minnesota, and Connecticut—and has been
adopted by many schools in other parts of the country.

The chief obstacle to the success of bird study in the schools is the
lack of requisite knowledge on the part of teachers. Ornithology,
unlike botany, chemistry, or entomology, is not usually included in
high school or college courses, and teachers are obliged to rely mainly
on their own efforts in acquiring a knowledge of the subject. That
this obstacle is gradually being overcome, is shown by the enthusiasm
with which the study is taken up by those who are required to teach
it. It is said that 70,000 text books on birds have been sold by New
York and Boston publishers during the last six years. During the
same time probably more than 200,000 copies of circulars, separate
papers, and reports on birds have been distributed by the Department
of Agriculture, and demands for such literature are increasing so
rapidly that it is impossible to meet all requests. Nearly every paper
on economic ornithology ever issued by the Biological Survey is in
demand by teachers for use in their work. Reports, fresh from the
press, find their way into the schools and are almost immediately util-
ized in instruction. More than 20,000 copies of the circular on Bird
Day have been distributed, and this leaflet has been reprinted by
several of the Audubon societies, thus giving it still wider circulation.
The Farmers’ Bulletin on ‘‘Common birds in relation to agriculture,”
first issued in 1896, has been reprinted six times and is still in demand
in spite of the 140,000 copies already published. Other reports no
doubt would be equally popular if printed in large editions, but most
of the publications are issued in too small editions to admit of such
wide distribution. These figures speak for themselves. Through this
channel the results of investigations of the Department reach a very

DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 65

large number of people, and, what is still more important, the public
is becoming interested in birds and is being educated to appreciate
their value to agriculture.

BOUNTIES.

Measures designed for the suppression of injurious animals and
birds have been considered during the past year by the legislatures
of fully one-fourth of the States of the Union. In Connecticut an
effort was made to restore the bounty on foxes; in Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, and Wisconsin sparrow bounties attracted attention, and
in Illinois a bounty on crows was considered; wolves were the subject
of bounty measures in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Utah, and
Wyoming; the Texas legislature struggled with the problem of exter-
minating prairie dogs; while on the Pacific coast Washington con-
sidered the advisability of renewing ground-squirrel bounties.

An extended discussion of wolf bounties marked the annual con-
vention of the National Live Stock Association, held at Denver early
in January, 1899, and special consideration was given to the questions
of the desirability of uniform bounty laws in all the Western States
and Territories, of permanency in bounty legislation, and of rewards
sufficiently large to be effective. In Colorado, Minnesota, Montana,
and Wyoming attempts were made to secure new wolf-bounty laws or
amend old laws; and in Utah to substitute a State bounty for existing
county bounties.

In Illinois and Michigan movements were set on foot to secure the
repeal of the acts under which rewards are now paid for the English
sparrow. Indiana and Wisconsin on the other hand considered the
advisability of offering bounties for this bird. Apparently all the
sparrow bills failed to pass, so that bounties remain in force in Illinois
and Michigan, but are still unprovided for in Indiana and Wisconsin.
This willsave the State of Wisconsin, according to the estimate of one
of the Milwaukee papers, an annual expense of $30,000, although the
proposed bounty was only 1 cent apiece for sparrows’ heads and
eges.

In Texas certain stock raisers in the Panhandle proposed to exter-
minate prairie dogs by means of a billrequiring landowners to destroy
all the dogs on their property on or before August 1, 1900, under a
penalty not exceeding $100 for each section of land on which the
animals were allowed to remain. Fortunately for nonresident land-
owners the bill failed to pass. The principle of this bill was prac-
tically the same as that of the ground-squirrel legislation of Cal-
ifornia of 1872-76, which not only failed to accomplish its purpose
but proved extremely expensive to some of the counties.

In Washington a bill was introduced authorizing counties to levy
a special tax for the payment of bounties on ground squirrels, and
an effort was made, during its consideration, to render the payment
of the rewards mandatory.

In several of these cases the Department was called upon for informa-
tion and statistics regarding bounty laws and their results—an indi-
cation of the desire, as well as necessity, for a more general knowledge
on this subject. A brief examination of the history of bounty legis-
lation will show how useful such information would be in saving
expensive experiments whose futility has already been demonstrated.
Again and again measures are enacted which have already been tried
in other States without any result except to entail needless expense.

66 . DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.

The results of the mandatory clause in the Washington ground-
squirrel bill and in the Texas prairie-dog bill could be easily foretold
by reference to similar legislation in California, while the result of
the high bounty on wolves now demanded in several Western States
can be readily foreseen from past legislation in Montana and Colorado.
Bounty legislation in the United States dates back to 1630. Dur- ,
ing these two centuries and a half more than 400 separate laws have
been passed containing every conceivable provision for securing
proper enforcement, avoiding fraud, and raising funds with which to
pay rewards. A brief compilation or summary of these various laws
(including those that have been repealed as well as those still in
force), with statistics showing the expenditures involved, would enable
States to profit by past experience and perhaps avoid similar failures
in future. Such a work has been undertaken by this office, with the
object of presenting a comprehensive survey of bounty legislation,
both in the United States and in foreign countries, so that those who
are called upon to enact measures of this kind may ascertain before-
hand the extent to which proposed laws are likely to be effective.

MOVEMENT AGAINST THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN BOSTON.

The English sparrow has attracted unusual attention during the year
on account of the efforts made in Boston by the American Society of
Bird Restorers to clear the sparrows from the Common and the Public
Garden. A petition was presented to the mayor requesting that steps
be taken, under authority of a law passed in 1890, to reduce the num-
ber of sparrows, by destroying the nests and eggs during the breeding
season, on the plea that the bird had become a public nuisanee. On
March 15, five men in charge of a foreman began to tear down the
nests in the trees and buildings on the Common, and to ciose up the
holes which had been used as nesting sites, in order to prevent the
nests from being replaced. The work proceeded without interruption
until April 5, when it was suddenly brought to a close by order of the
mayor. During the three weeks the work was carried on about 1,000
Sparrow eggs and 4,000 nests were destroyed and 5,000 holes were
closed. No birds were killed, but it was the intention of the society
to trap the birds next winter and to destroy them by various other
means, which should not involve putting out poison. A careful
examination of the Common on May 14 revealed the presence of about
100 nests; on May 22, 152 nests were counted, and it was estimated
that less than 450 birds were breeding there.

The nest destruction aroused a storm of opposition; numerous pro-
tests appeared in the daily papers, and many persons who perhaps had
never before given thc matter a thought suddenly became interested
in sparrow extermination, and as a consequence hundreds of letters
on the subject were received by the Department. Before the work
had been under way a week the bulletin on the ‘‘English sparrow”
(published by this Division in 1889 in a large edition, so that a consid-
erable number of copies were still avaitable for distribution) became
entirely exhausted, and many requests for copies remained unfilled.

Unfortunately the experiment was not continued long enough to
secure definite results or to test this method of preventing the undue
increase of the bird. But the movement accomplished some good,
not only in Boston but in other places in Massachusetts, as well as in
other States, by attracting public attention tothe difficulty of dealing
with the sparrow question, and showing the extent to which an
imported pest may increase under favorable circumstances.

DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 67

- PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF THE ‘‘KOHLMEISE” AND ‘‘BLAUMEISE.”’

In the autumn of 1898 much interest was manifested in the North-
west in the so-called ‘‘ Kohlmeise” or great titmouse of Europe. Hor-
ticulturists in Idaho advocated the introduction of this bird on the
ground that it was valuable in Germany as a destroyer of the codling
moth, and hence would be a desirable addition to the bird fauna of
the United States. The suggestion seemed plausible, and soon
attracted wide attention through the medium of the horticultural
papers on the Pacific coast. Inquiries in regard to the bird and the
advisability of its introduction were received by the Department from
fruit growers in Idaho, Washington, and California. Investigation
has failed thus far to substantiate the claims as to the bird’s useful-
ness, and pending further information the introduction of this species
has been discouraged

Later on it was suggested that the ‘‘ Kohlmeise” was less valuable
than the so-called ‘‘ Blaumeise,” and that in reality the latter bird was
the one needed by orchardists. It is difficult to see what advantage
would be gained by the acquisition of either species, as the Pacific
coast already has several native titmice of the same genus. The
‘‘Kohlmeise,” or great titmouse (Parus major), is a handsome bird,
about the size of the common Eastern chickadee, but readily distin-
guished from any American titmouse by its markings. Like other tit-
mice it is mainly insectivorous, but although German authors regard
it as very useful, there seems to be no satisfactory evidence that it is
partial to the codling moth, or in fact that it ever feeds on this insect
to any great extent. On the other hand, in Great Britain, where it
is a resident and generally distributed, it does not seem to hold the
codling moth in check, but is accused of doing more or less damage to
fruit, particularly pears and figs, and is even said to attack small and
weakly birds.

The ‘‘Blaumeise” or blue titmouse (Parus ceruleus), is closely
related to the ‘‘Kohlmeise” and is also a native of Europe. It feeds
mainly on insects, and more, perhaps, can be said in its favor than
in the case of the ‘*‘ Kohlmeise,” but according to an eminent English
ornithologist, even the blue titmouse ‘‘may perhaps damage fruit to
-a small extent” in autumn. Another English writer goes so far as
to assert that during the fruit season the blue tit lives on searcely
anything else beside fruit, and is more destructive to it than all the
other tits together.’ The great danger in introducing exotic birds lies
in the fact that species which are beneficial in their native haunts
are likely to change their habits and become injurious in foreign
lands. This fact was brought out in the paper on **The danger of
introducing noxious animals and birds” in the Yearbook for 1898.

NECESSITY FOR LEGISLATION RESTRICTING INTRODUCTION OF NOXIOUS
ANIMALS AND BIRDS.

Thirteen years ago attention was called to the necessity of restrict-
ing the indiscriminate importation of mammals and birds, and the
recommendation was made that the introduction of exotic species
should be placed under the control of the Department of Agriculture.’
The necessity for somesuch action has become more apparent on account

1 London Field, Vol. XCIV, p.566, 1899.
2? Ann, Rept. Dept. Agriculture for 1886, p. 258.

68 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.

of the danger of introducing the mongoose into this country in con- -
sequence of the recent acquisition of Hawaii and Porto Rico and the
resulting increase in the means of communication with these islands.
The expedition dispatched last winter by the United States Fish
Commission to Porto Rico discovered that the mongoose was not
only present, but that it had spread all over the island, much as it
spread over Jamaica. It was imported at San Juan about twenty
years ago for the purpose of destroying rats in the cane fields, and is
now regarded as a general nuisance by all except the sugar planters.

In Hawaii it has long since ceased to be considered beneficial, and
measures were adopted seven years ago to prevent its further increase.

Although it is valuable as a destroyer of rats, its record in Jamaica
shows that it is one of the worst pests that can be introduced into any
country, as it does not confine its killing to small animals, but also
destroys poultry, game, birds and reptiles, and even consumes some
kinds of fruit. No greater calamity could befall the Southern States
than the introduction of the mongoose, and no effort should be spared
to prevent this animal from being brought into the United States.

Another foreign species which may perhaps prove troublesome is
the European starling. This bird, liberated in Central Park, New
York City, about 1877 ‘and again in 1890, seems to have become firmly
established, and is now gradually spreading up the Hudson Valley. It
has also become established at Portland, Oreg., and a few individuals
have been imported for the city park at Allegheny, Pa. It still re-
mains to be seen whether the starling will become as great a pest here
as it has in New Zealand, but the benefit of the acquisition of such a
species is at best very doubtful.

The danger of introducing certain Old World mammals and birds is
neither imaginary nor of slight importance. Experience with the
English sparrow shows this clearly, but if further evidence is required
it is only necessary to turn to Australia and New Zealand, which in a
certain sense may be considered the experiment stations of the world
in matters of acclimatization. Experiments have been made in these
colonies for more than thirty years with a large number of species,
and as a result it is possible to tell with great precision how certain
birds and mammals are likely to behave in new surroundings. Two,
at least, of the British colonies, profiting by these experiments, have
taken steps to protect themselves from the evils of ill-advised aceli-
matization. Cape Colony in 1890 forbade the introduction of the Old
World rabbit, and Western Australia, in 1893, passed her so-called
“* Destructive birds and animals act.” Under this law the introduc-
tion of rabbits, flying foxes, English sparrows, starlings, blackbirds,
and thrushes is prohibited, and additions to the list of proscribed
Species can be made at any time upon recommendation of the colonial
bureau of agriculture. It would be folly for the United States to
introduce other birds like the English sparrow, which are known to
be injurious; and species that have proved injurious elsewhere should
be prohibited from being brought into this country under penalties
severe enough to discourage evasions of ‘the law.

The losses. which have resulted from the introduction of the rabbit,
weasel, English sparrow, starling, and blackbird in New Zealand and
the colonies of eastern Australia have amounted to millions of dollars.
A similar fate no doubt awaits Hawaii and Porto Rico if indiscrim-
inate acclimatization is permitted in these islands. Hawaii possesses
several birds of peculiar interest which are now fast becoming extinct

DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 69

through the work of the mongoose; and few of its native birds can
exist with hardy species like the sparrow, mina, and starling.

In view of the immediate danger of the introduction of the mon-
goose and the desire now manifested to import several birds of doubt-
ful value, I desire to renew the recommendation that the introduction
of exotic mammals and birds be placed under the control of this
Department. I respectfully recommend that Congress be asked to
take prompt action to this end, and also to protect our island depen-
denecies from further introduction of noxious species.

OUTLINE OF WORK FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1900.

Since the field work each season is necessarily planned and begun
in the spring, the first few months of each new fiscal year are merely a
continuation of the campaign approved during the preceding year.
As already stated, explorations in Alaska and California are the most
important features of the field work of 1899. The biological recon-
noissance of the Pacific coast will be continued southward along the
northern Coast Range region of California, and, if possible, to the
southern part of that State. The topographic conditions in California
are so complicated that this work must be carried on with great detail
and unusual care exercised in working up the results. Consequently
several years are necessary to cover an area, which, ina region uniform
in character like the Great Plains or the Mississippi Valley, might be
completed in a single season. Additional data will be collected for
mapping the life zones in western Maryland in cooperation with the
State geological survey of that State. As in past years, more or less
field work will be required in small areas in different parts of the
country, as the necessity for special data or further material is brought
to light.

Sufficient material has now been collected to warrant undertaking
an investigation of the food of flycatchers, swallows, and thrushes. In
the case of the flyeatchers, the proposed investigation promises inter-
esting results. A preliminary report on the kingbird, issued in 1893,
vindicated this species from the charge of doing appreciable harm in
killing bees, and it is probable that the material now available will show
more fully the value of the kingbird in destroying ‘‘robber flies.”
Little, if any, work has been done on the food of swallows. Stomach
examinations will show the extent to which these birds are useful as
insect destroyers. That they feed on insects is already known, but
the kind of insects eaten and the benefit resulting from this destruce-
tion is now little more than conjecture.

Provision will be made, in accordance with your suggestion, to
accommodate at least one student assistant in the laboratory, in case a
properly qualified person is found. While the compensation of this
assistant will be small, the opportunity for study and learning modern
methods of work ought to attract graduates of agricultural colleges
and others who desire to fit themselves for undertaking investigations
in economic ornithology. Competent assistants for this branch of the
office are difficult to obtain. ‘The experiment of employing a few
intelligent young men in subordinate positions and training them with
a view of utilizing their services for a higher grade of work, in case
they become proficient, may relieve the present difficulty, and seems
well worthy of trial. With larger appropriations, two or three such
assistants could be employed to advantage.

70 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.
FUTURE WORK.

Reference has been made several times to lines of work which
demand attention, such as cooperation with experiment stations and
other agencies in conducting State biological surveys, defining more
accurately the limits of life zones and their subdivisions, publication
of larger and more detailed maps of life zones, and of maps showing
the distribution of important mammals and birds. To enlarge on
these matters would be mere repetition of what has already been said
in previous reports.

For the present it is only possible to continue the investigations now
under way. Further expansion or taking up new lines of work is
practically out of the question until provided for by adequate appro-
priations. Cooperative work on State surveys is almost impossible,
and demands for maps and certain publications can not be met with
present resources. The point has been reached where the work can
not be conducted with strict economy, for the reason that it has to be
divided and carried over several fiscal years in order to come within
the appropriations. Only last spring an important investigation was
planned but finally deferred indefinitely for lack of sufficient funds.
Such conditions neither permit economical management nor produce
satisfactory results, and sometimes defer the publication of investiga-
tions so long as greatly to impair their value.

In the estimates for 1901, herewith submitted, an additional assist-
ant at a salary of $1,500 has been asked for, to take charge of editorial
and other routine work, and the recommendation for an inerease of
$5,000 in the lump fund for biological investigations has been renewed.
These, with two or three minor changes, make a total increase of
$6,940. I respectfully recommend that Congress be urged to provide
this increased appropriation, which is almost indispensable for the
successful continuance of the work.