REPORT OF THE ORNITHOLOGIST AND MAMMALOGIST. 249 



Extracts from a letter from Capt. William Miles Hazzard, of Annandale, S. C.,one 

 of the largest rice-growers in the State. 



Ilie Bobolinks make their appearance here during the latter part of April. At 

 that season their plumage is white and black; and they sing merrily when at rest. 

 TlAcir flight is always at night. In the evening there are none. In the morning 

 their appearance is hei-alded by the popping of whips and firing of musketry by tlie 

 bu-d-minders in their efforts to keep the birds from pulling up the young rice. Tliis 

 warfare is kept up incessantly until about the 25th of I\Iay, when they suddenly di.s- 

 a] ipear at night. Their next appearance is in a dark-yellow jDlumage, as the Rice- 

 bii-d. There is no so*ig at this time, but instead a chirp, which means rum to any 

 rice found m milk. My plantation record will show that for the past ten years, ex- 

 cept when prevented by stormy south or southwest ^^^nds, the Rice-birds have come 

 punctually on the night of the 21st of August, apparently coming from seaward. 

 AH night their chirp can be heard passing over our summer homes on South Island, 

 which island is situated six miles to the east of our rice plantations, in full view 

 of tlie ocean. Curious to say, we have never seen tliis flight during the day. 

 During the nights of August 21, 22, 23, and 24 millions of these birds make their 

 appearance and settle in the rice fields. From the 21st of August to the 25th of .Sep- 

 tember our every etfort is to sa^-e the crop. Men, boys, and women are posted with 

 guns and ammunition to every four or five acres, and shoot daily an average of about 

 one quart of powder to the gun. This firing commences at fii-st dawn of day and 

 is kept up until sunset. After all this exj^ense and trouble our loss of rice per acre 

 seldom falls under five bushels, and if from any cause there is a check to the crop 

 during its growth, which prevents the grain from being hard, but in milky condi- 

 tion, the destruction of such fields is complete, it not paymg to cut and bring the 

 rice out of the field. We have tried every plan to keep these pests off our crops at 

 less expense and manual labor than we now incui% but have been unsuccessful. Our 

 present mode is expensive, imperfect, and thoroughly unsatisfactory, yet it is the 

 best we can do. I consider these bh-ds as destructive to rice as the caterpillar is to 

 cotton, with this difference, that these Rice-birds never fail to come. If the Govern- 

 ment could devise some.means to aid us in keepmg off these birds it would render 

 us gi'eat assistance. The loss by birds and the expense of mindmg them off in order 

 to make anytliing renders the cultivation of rice a dangerous speculation. During 

 the bird season we employ about one hundred bird-mmders, who shoot from tliree to 

 five kegs of powder daily, of twenty-five pounds each; add to tliis shot and caps, 

 and you will have some idea what these birds cost one planter. 



From TJieo. S. Wilkinson, Myrtle-grove plantation, loioer coast, Louisiana. 



The rice crop in Louisiana, from the time the rice is m the milk till harvest time 

 and during harvesting, is much damaged by birds, principally the Red-shouldered 

 Blackbird. Shooting is the only remedy thus far resorted to wliich is at all effect- 

 ive, and it is only partially so. I have known rice crops to be destroyed to the ex- 

 tent of over 50 per cent. , which is a loss of say $13 per acre. While this is an extreme 

 case, a damage and expense of from $5 to $iO per acre is very common. 



The average yield per acre is about 30 bushels, worth now (March 12, 1888) about 

 80 cents per bushel. 



Early in tlie progress of the work a special circular to rice-growers 

 was prepared (Circular 5, see p. 234), and copies were sent to all plant- 

 ers whose addresses the division was able to secure. The replies 

 received were so startling in the magnitude of the losses they revealed, 

 that it was thought advisable to make a thorough study of the whole 

 subject of rice culture, and to investigate on the spot the manner in 

 which the ravages were committed, in the hope of devising some 

 means, compatible with reasonable economy, for lessening their ex- 

 tent. With this object in view the assistant ornithologist. Dr. A. K. 

 Fisher, was sent on an extended tour through the rice-growing dis- 

 tricts of the Southern States, from Charleston to New Orleans. His 

 investigations were carried on in the si3ring, at and shortly after the 

 time of planting. At harvest-time in the fall I visited the rice fields 

 of portions of South Carolina and Georgia, and witnessed in person 

 the destructive ravages of the birds at the height of the season. 

 Furthermore, to render the investigation still more complete, the 



