246 Recent Literature. [ji^ni 



large destroyers of weed seeds and noxious insects, some of them ' special- 

 izing ' on some of the greatest insect pests, as the cucumber beetles, borers 

 and curculios of various kinds, Colorado potato beetles, cotton boll weevil, 

 cankerworm, army worm, and other destructive caterpillars, etc. The 

 conclusion is reached that these birds are many times more beneficial 

 than destructive, and are hence of great economic value. — J. A. A. 



The Work of the Biological Survey. — The act making appropriation 

 for the Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year ending June .30, 1908, 

 directed the Secretary of Agriculture "to investigate and report to the next 

 session of Congress to what extent, if any, the work now being done by 

 the Bureau of Biological Survey is duplicated by any other Department 

 of the Government, and to what extent the work of this Bureau is of 

 practical value to the agricultural interests of the country." The Secre- 

 tary's Report ^ forms a document of some forty pages, illustrated with 

 appropriate maps, reviewing in detail the work of the Survey. He says: 

 " I have the honor to report that no part of the work now being done by 

 the Bureau of Biological Survey is duplicated by any other Department 

 of the Govenunent. and that the work of the Survey is of great practical 

 value to the agricultural interests of the country." Following this state- 

 ment is a concise summary of "the objects, nature, and results of the 

 investigations carried on by the Biological Survey," occupying about 

 three pages, which is in turn followed by a classified, detailed statement 

 of the practical work of the Survey, occupying the rest of the Report. 



During the last session of Congress a bitter attack was made upon the 

 Survey, obviously inspired by political animus, which led to a popular 

 uprising throughout the country in its defen.se, which ultimately over- 

 whelmed its maligners. The demand upon the Secretary of Agriculture 

 for a report to Congress upon the work of the Survey was one of the 

 fortunate results of a seemingly untoward incident; for while the country 

 at large was keenly alive to its economic importance, many of the law- 

 makers of the nation were in blissful ignorance of its role in behalf of the 

 public welfare. Now, however, there is no longer excuse for any such 

 ignorance. Readers of 'The Auk,' and naturalists the country over, while 

 well aware that the small sum annually expended in the niggardly main- 

 tenance of the Survey was many times repaid through its practical re- 

 sults, have now access to a comprehensive and convenient statement of 

 its varied, far-reaching, and highly beneficial activities. It is impossible, 

 nor is it necessary, to recapitulate here its various lines of work and 

 their economic results, so fully unfolded in this official report, which fit- 

 tingly concludes with a list of the publications of the Survey, from 1885, 



1 Report on Work of Biological Survey. By James Wilson, Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture. Senate Document No. 132, 60th Congress, 1st Session. Read December 21, 

 1907; referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry and ordered to he 

 printed, with illustrations. 8vo. pp. 39, pll. i-vi (maps). 



