14 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



their migrations into or through those countries. Several in- 

 vestigations have been made regarding the habits and economic 

 value of native birds. These investigations are not yet com- 

 pleted. 



An attempt was made to secure a census of the heath hen, 

 which was unsuccessful, owing to the inclement weather, but 

 indicated that the species was increasing in the reservation and 

 adjoining region. 



On Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts this nearly extinct 

 species of game bird is now making its last stand. It was for- 

 merly abundant along the Atlantic seaboard in New England 

 and the Middle States in all suitable places. There are no 

 living birds of the species left now except on Marthas Vine- 

 yard. It is very important that this species be saved to pos- 

 terity, and reintroduced in the region it formerly occupied on 

 the mainland. 



The Division has continued the work of collecting data on 

 the distribution and migration of birds in Massachusetts, and 

 has prepared monthly bulletins and notes for Division ob- 

 servers. A reconnaissance of western Massachusetts was made 

 during the summer to determine as far as possible the breed- 

 ing ranges of birds of the Canadian fauna in this Common- 

 wealth. 



Division of Markets. 



The year's experience of the Division of Markets brings out 

 the fact that there is a great need for investigation if progress 

 is to be made and intelligent direction given to administering 

 the activities assigned to us under the law which establishes 

 the Division. 



The problems are exceedingly complicated. Historical data 

 and results obtained from long experience, which are available 

 to indicate the course of procedure in the production of crops, 

 are very limited in marketing problems, making the task doubly 

 difficult. It has been only within the last six years that the 

 individual States began to establish bureaus or divisions of 

 markets. Twenty-one States have them, and a larger pro- 

 portion of these were organized within the past three or four 

 years. 



