QL 684 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



IOWA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



To Governor William L. Harding and Members of the 

 Geological Board: 



Gentlemen : I submit herewith a report on the Hawks and Owls 

 of Iowa with the recommendation that it be published as Bulletin 

 6 of the lowa.Geological Survey. The author of the report is Dr. 

 Bert Heald Bailey, who was for many years Professor of Zoology 

 in Coe College, Cedar Rapids. Doctor Bailey died on June 22, 1917, 

 before his manuscript had been completed, but, fortunately, his ma- 

 terial was in such form that his student and co-worker, Miss Clem- 

 entina Spencer, was able to edit it and make it available for the 

 people of the state. Miss Spencer cannot be commended too highly 

 for the splendid service she has rendered not alone to the friends 

 of Doctor Bailey, but to all persons who are interested in the subject 

 with which the report deals. 



The view which is prevalent among citizens of the state is that 

 hawks and owls and related birds of prey are detrimental to the 

 agricultural and other interests of the state and that, therefore, all 

 of them, without discrimination, should be destroyed. It is by no 

 means generally understood that these birds of prey are the chief 

 destroyers of rodents and insects, many of which are harmful to 

 crop production. The agriculturist should know that with few ex- 

 ceptions hawks and owls are not his foes but his friends, and he 

 should see to it that every effort is made to preserve rather than 

 vc destroy them. 



In the publication of this Bulletin on 'Hawks and Owls the Sur- 

 vey feels confident that it is rendering to the people of the state, par- 

 ticularly to the farmers, a service equal to that which has been 

 rendered by Bulletins formerly published by our Survey, among 

 \vhich may be mentioned the Grasses of Iowa, the Weeds of Iowa, 

 and the Rodents of Iowa. 



I have the honor to be, 



Sincerely yours, 



George F. Kay, 

 L- State Geologist. 



963 



