No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 41 



This office has now acquired a great deal of first-hand 

 information relative to this important problem, and it is hoped 

 that before long much of this information may be placed in 

 more available form. 



Mr. Lombard attended the meeting of the International 

 Association of Dairy and Milk Inspectors in Washington, 

 District of Columbia, on October 27, 28 and 29. 



State Ornithologist. 



During the year the State Ornithologist has investigated cases 

 of injury or possible injury to trees and crops by insects. He 

 has experimented with bird houses and nesting boxes, examined 

 many reservations and parks where birds have been protected, 

 and has given advice to the authorities in charge. He has 

 furnished much information and material to those who wish to 

 observe bird day in the schools and bird nights in the grange. 

 He has continued investigations as to the distribution of the 

 birds of the State, with a view finally of publishing a paper on 

 the subject, and has consulted with a committee of school 

 superintendents appointed by the State Board of Education 

 for the purpose of preparing a bird-study course for the rural 

 schools. He has assisted in the conservation of migratory birds 

 in other States by furnishing information to those seeking to 

 protect them, and has studied the feeding of young birds by 

 their parents and photographed their insect food. 



During the year he has revised for publication six nature 

 leaflets, and has prepared a bulletin of about 130 pages on the 

 "Domestic Cat," a second edition of the bulletin on "Rats and 

 Rat Riddance," and also a second edition revised and enlarged 

 of the report of "Game Birds, Wild Fowl and Shore Birds." 

 Four circulars have been prepared, one each on "Game Pro- 

 tection," "Bird Houses and Nesting Boxes," "The Starling," 

 and the "English Sparrow." The sale of the two special 

 reports by INIr. Forbush for the fiscal year ending November 30, 

 1915, has been as follows: "Useful Birds and their Protection," 

 515 copies; "History of Game Birds, Wild Fowl and Shore 

 Birds of Massachusetts and Adjacent States," 351 copies. 



