P.D. 123 13 



eoneerning the locally grown products — the products themselves and the 

 part local producers play in meeting the demands of the buyers. Through- 

 out, special attention was paid to all factors directly or indirectly affecting 

 or concerning the consumption of the local products. If there seemed to 

 have been a decided increase in consumption of western dressed poultry as 

 against the locally dressed birds, reasons were sought. Was decreased 

 consumption of locally dressed poultry due to less local production, change 

 of economic conditions of consumers, lessening quality of the local product, 

 buying inconveniences to the market man himself, or what? If a wholesale 

 house claimed to handle only a few native potatoes now as compared with 

 hundreds of sacks ten years ago, although potato production in the locality 

 showed a steady increase, the investigator attempted to learn the causes; 

 was the decrease in the handling of the native stock due to a decrease in the 

 total potato handlings of the company, or to poor quality or slack grading 

 of the natives as compared with the shipped-in potatoes, or to what was it 

 due? 



In cities having a farmers' market, the market was studied from various 

 angles, the location of the market place in relation to the food distributing 

 business houses of the city, the advantages and disadvantages to both 

 buyers and sellers using the farmers' markets often brought forth criticisms 

 and some constructive suggestions which were summed up in the reports 

 of the brief studies of each city. 



Although it is impossible without extensive and detailed research to deter- 

 mine the amount of foodstuffs coming into the cities studied, a fairly concise 

 outline of the principles of food sources and distribution was obtained in 

 each city with considerable pertinent information, particularly such as 

 related to locally grown products. During the course of each study, the 

 prevailing retail food prices were observed and compared with the quota- 

 tions on the Boston Retail Price Report in order to make an estimate of the 

 relative food costs to the consumer. 



REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF ORNITHOLOGY 



The work of the Division of Ornithology now covers a much wider field 

 than was anticipated when first organized, and it has increased correspond- 

 ingly in importance. The work is not only confined to such matters as the 

 distribution and feeding habits of birds, but to such related subjects as the 

 location and management of bird sanctuaries, the rearing of game birds 

 and animals, the control of injurious insects, rodents and predators, methods 

 of protecting and increasing beneficial forms of wild life, the identification 

 of birds, mammals, insects, and even snakes, and of wild plants, including 

 their fruits and their value in attracting birds. The effect of birds in con- 

 trolling insect pests is, of course, of major interest to a great many agricul- 

 turists, and is the subject of many inquiries. 



Bird Habits Reported from Wide Area 

 Several hundred reports are received each month from bird observers 

 on the status of the feathered population coming under their observation. 

 While most of these reporters write from Massachusetts or adjoining states, 

 there are regular correspondents from points as remote as Canadian Lab- 

 rador, South Carolina, California and Alberta. The mass of interesting data 

 thus made available is digested and condensed into a monthly bulletin called 

 "Items of Interest," which is mailed to regular correspondents and others. 

 This bulletin is also sent to many newspapers in the States and in Canada, 

 many of which quote from it regularly. Each issue contains a brief resume 

 of the weather of the preceding month, notes on the abundance and distri- 

 bution of the different species of birds and on their habits, reports of the 

 activities of bird-banders, and notes on the conservation and protection 

 of birds. 



Birds in Relation to the Cranberry Industry 



During the past year considerable time has been spent in a study of the 

 relation of birds to the cranberry industry, one of the most important 



