1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT— No. 4. 267 



REPORT OF TOE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE TO THE BOUSE OF REPRE- 

 SENTATIVES UNDER THE RESOLUTION OF MAY 28, 1890. 



The Massachusetts House of Representatives adopted the 

 following resolution May 28, 1890 : — 



Resolved, That the Board of Agriculture of Massachusetts be 

 and they are hereby requested to make inquiry and investigation 

 as to the birds that inhabit the State, and report thereon as to 

 their character, habit and value as insect destroying and grain and 

 fruit destroying birds, and advise on such legislation as may be 

 necessary for the protection of private and public interests. 



In accordance with this resolution, the Board of Agricult- 

 ure employed Dr. B. H. Warren, State ornithologist of 

 Pennsylvania, to prepare and deliver a lecture, on the birds 

 of Massachusetts, at their public winter meeting in Worces- 

 ter, December 3. This lecture and the lengthy discussion 

 which followed will be found printed in the report of the 

 Board of Agriculture of Massachusetts for 1890. 



The Board, by its secretary, have made careful observa- 

 tions and inquiries of intelligent gentlemen in our own State, 

 and have corresponded with ornithologists abroad, and beg 

 to report that, as a whole, the native birds of Massachusetts 

 are benefactors. The small losses occasioned by the raids of 

 some species upon our fruit trees, gardens, grain fields and 

 poultry yards are repaid manyfold by the benefits resulting 

 from the destruction of injurious insects, field mice and 

 other vermin that are a detriment to asm culture. It is, 

 however, the opinion of ornithologists that crows cause a 

 greater loss in the corn fields, and by destroying the eggs 

 and young of useful birds, than they are capable of repay- 

 ing by the exercise of their good qualities and habits. 



Most of our birds of prey, as hawks and owls, do more 

 or less damage in the poultry yard, and by destroying use- 



