82 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF A(;RICULTURE. 



Birds also prey upon (he boll weevil while it is hibernating, while 

 on (he co((on plants, and during its autumnal migration flights — the 

 period when the Aveevil chiefly extends its range. 



The Biological Survey, by making a careful analysis of the stomach 

 contents of different species of birds, can show their relation to agri- 

 culture and horticulture, whether beneficial or injurious, and approxi- 

 mate the good or harm they do. The importance of this work is very 

 great. 



A Farmers' Bulletin entitled " Some Common Birds in Relation to 

 Agriculture," which was issued many years ago, has always been in 

 great demand, and over 500,000 copies have been distributed. In 

 order to furnish additional literature along the same lines, two other 

 Farmers' Bulletins on familiar species of birds have been prepared, 

 one dealing with some common game, aquatic, and rapacious birds in 

 relation to man, and the other treating of the common birds of forest, 

 field, and garden. 



IMPORTATIONS. 



In addition to studies of native birds with the view of aiding the 

 farmer, supervision of the importation of birds and animals in order 

 to prevent the introduction of species wdiich might prove injurious 

 is by law maintained by the bureau, and 583 permits were issued and 

 140 consignments inspected b^^ the regular inspectors of the Biological 

 Survey stationed at New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, 

 as compared with 519 permits and 123 inspections in 1911. Under 

 these permits there have been imported 428,209 birds and 4,582 mam- 

 mals. Of these birds there were 338,275 canaries, 15,409 pheasants, 

 23,181 partridges, 11,353 miscellaneous game birds, and 40,051 mis- 

 cellaneous nongame birds. Besides these, 28,808 birds and 875 mam- 

 mals requiring no permits were admitted to entry, making a total of 

 457,077 birds (including 3G2,G04 canaries, 15,412 pheasants, 23,181 

 partridges, 11,493 miscellaneous game birds, 44,387 nongame birds) 

 and 5,457 mammals. Fifty-five permits were issued at Honolulu cov- 

 ering the entry of 123 birds, 17 mammals, and 10 reptiles. 



Among the birds w^ere 23,181 Euroi:)ean partridges, as compared 

 with 36,507 in 1911. This bird has not proved as popular as it did 

 several years ago, and has been purchased in smaller numbers by 

 State commissions and private individuals. The importation of 

 quail from Mexico reached 7,570, as compared with 3,110 in 1911 and 

 1,246 in 1910. This number might have been much larger but for the 

 suspension in the issue of i:)ermits early in February'', owing to an 

 outbreak of the highly infectious quail disease in the Southwest and 

 the practical cessation of all interstate shipments of quail after that 

 date. Among the rarer waterfowl were some 250 Formosan teal. 

 These birds were first imported into the United States in 1909, but 



