Federal Protection of Migratory Bird*. 15 



In the Southeastern States a similar destruction of rice 

 fields has threatened in the invasions of hosts of bobolinks, 

 commonly known there in fall as rice birds and farther 

 north as reed birds. During the spring and summer months 

 the bobolink renders valuable services as a destroyer of 

 injurious insects, but late in the summer and in fall it 

 changes its habits and inflicts serious damage to crops, espe- 

 cially in certain Southeastern States, where rice growing 

 has again begun to flourish. An investigation by the Bio- 

 logical Survey showed that the depredations of the bobolink 

 in the fall of 1918 resulted in losses to rice growers in this 

 section of about $150.000. The birds descended on the rice 

 fields in such numbers and were so heedless of efforts to 

 drive them away that it was apparent that the only effectual 

 remedy would be to shoot them when in the rice belt and 

 when migrating in that direction. 



The Secretary of Agriculture, therefore, issued a permit 

 on January IT, 1919, authorizing the shooting of bobolinks 

 from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset from September 

 1 to October 30 in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, 

 Maryland, and the District of Columbia ; and from August 

 16 to November 15 in Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro- 

 lina, Georgia, and Florida. Birds so killed are not to be 

 sold, offered for sale, shipped for sale, or wantonly destroyed. 

 They may be used as food by persons killing them or they 

 may be transported for the use of hospitals or charitable 

 institutions. It is believed that action taken under this 

 permit will insure rice growers against the depredations of 

 the bobolink without endangering the species. 



ADMINISTRATION OF THE LAW. 



In the Bureau of Biological Survey, which has direct 

 charge of the enforcement of the law, are many unusual 

 advantages for administering its provisions. For years this 

 bureau has been investigating the relation of birds to agri- 

 culture, their breeding habits, and the times and lines of 

 their migratory flights. It now has about a million and a 

 half migration cards covering a period of nearly 35 years, 

 constituting undoubtedly the most valuable record of this 

 kind in existence. It is also well equipped through its corps 

 of experts and hundreds of collaborators in all parts of the 



