BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 553 



has an important bearing on the problem, and for years the Survey 

 has sought to obtain all the duck stomachs possible for the purpose 

 of accurately determining the exact nature of the food, especially 

 of the more highly valued species. During the past year W. L. 

 McAtee visited Wisconsin, New England, Long Island, the South 

 Atlantic, and the Gulf States, chiefly for the purpose of studying the 

 habits of the waterfowl on their feeding grounds, of collecting and 

 identifying the plants they feed on, and of obtaining stomachs for 

 examination. As a result a large amount of information was gath- 

 ered and more than 700 stomachs w^ere obtained on the trip or were 

 subsequently sent in by sportsmen. This number increases the total 

 on hand to approximately 3,500, the examination of which will mate- 

 rially add to our knowledge of the food of ducks. About 1,200 have 

 already been examined, and a report on the subject is now being pre- 

 pared for publication. 



FLYCATCHERS. 



The flycatchers occupy an important economic place because their 

 food consists almost exclusively of insects, many of which are pests 

 to the farmer. "While the members of this group are among the most 

 beneficial of birds, it has been claimed that certain species destroy 

 honeybees and hence should be classed as obnoxious. A large num- 

 ber of stomachs of flycatchers, including numerous species, have been 

 obtained and are now being examined to determine the exact status 

 of the group. A report on the subject will be issued. 



BIRDS IN RELATION TO THE GYPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. 



As is well known, the gj'psy and brown-tail moths have secured a 

 firm foothold in the New England States and have done great 

 damage to vegetation. Some preliminary work was undertaken in 

 Massachusetts by an assistant of the Survey for the purpose of 

 ascertaining the extent to which birds prey on these moths. In July 

 and August robins appeared to be devouring more gypsy moths than 

 any other birds. Thirty-eight species of birds are now known to 

 feed upon the gypsy moth in some of its stages, and eight species 

 on the brown tail. To some extent birds thus act in checking the 

 spread of these insect pests. 



BIRDS IN RELATION TO THE FRUIT INDUSTRY. 



During tlie year the second and final part of a report on the 

 relation of birds to the fruit industry in California Avas published, 

 and similar investigations were begun in Oregon and W^ashington, 

 where the raising of fruit has become an important business. 



BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



Good progress has been made in both the field and office work of 

 this division. Field investigations of the year included parts of 

 Arizona, Arkansas, California. Illinois. Kentucky, Missouri, Mon- 

 tana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. 



