BUEEAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY. 535 



properly Imown as sapsuckers, for the reason that they excavate holes 

 in the bark of trees for the purpose of obtaining their favorite food, 

 which is the inner bark and the sap that exudes from the wounds. 

 The injury thus inflicted on old trees is usually not so great as to 

 affect their vitality seriously, but sapsuckers often cause the death 

 of young trees. Moreover, after many years the timber from trees 

 attacked by them reveals stains and defects which often materially 

 lessen the value of the finished product. It is estimated that the 

 damage to timber caused by these birds in the United States amounts 

 to more than a million dollars annually. During the year bulletins 

 were issued on both groups of woodpeckers, based on stomach ex- 

 aminations of many individuals and on extended field observations. 

 The main purpose of these publications is to acquaint farmers and 

 others with the part the several kinds of woodpeckers play, so as to 

 enable them to distinguish friends from foes. Methods of protect- 

 ing trees attacked by sapsuckers are given. 



BIRDS OF ARKANSAS. 



During the year an assistant of the bureau studied the birds of 

 Arkansas and made careful observations of their habits. With the 

 data thus obtained as a basis, a list of the birds of the State has been 

 issued, no adequate list having previously been printed. In this list 

 are recorded all the data resulting from the field work of the survey 

 and all the information that could be gathered from other sources, 

 with notes on the habits of the birds, especially in regard to their 

 economic relations. "We thus have for the first time an excellent idea 

 of the avifauna of this important agricultural State. 



FOOD OF WILD WATERFOWL. 



The marked decrease in the number of our wild fowl in the last 

 decade has attracted attention in every part of the country and 

 caused much concern not only to sportsmen but to State authorities 

 interested in the conservation of our natural resources. It is evident 

 that increasingly stringent laws shortening the open season, prohib- 

 iting spring shooting, and decreasing the bag limit will materially 

 aid in the preservation of the fast diminishing numbers of our water- 

 fowl. The above measures may well be accompanied by action of the 

 several States in setting apart suitable lakes and ponds for bird 

 refuges where migrating waterfowl may safely resort and when so 

 inclined may breed. Another important measure is the planting in 

 suitable waters of native plants adapted to the varying taste of the 

 more important kinds of ducks and geese. During the year investi- 

 gations of the food of ducks and geese were continued, and field work 

 in connection with these important investigations was done in 

 Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, and Fh)rida. Many of the 

 important winter feeding grounds of ducks and geese in these States 

 vv'ere visited, and the feeding habits of the various species were care- 

 fully studied. A preliminary circular on the food of waterfowl was 

 issued with a view of awakening interest in the subject and of 

 supplying practical information in response to the many letters of 

 inquiry from various parts of the United States. 



