BUREAU OF BIOLOGICUL. SURVEY. 287 



was one of the best methods, supplemented by occa>:ional aerial bombs 

 that exploded among the birds and frightened them as they rose from 

 the rice. As these ducks are protected under the migratory-bird 

 treaty act, a special order was necessary granting permission to rice 

 growers to kill them before the opening of the hunting season on 

 October 16; after that date rice growers were permitted to shoot at 

 night in fields still containing rice. These measures resulted in a 

 saving of not less than $125,000 Avorth of grain, while the number of 

 ducks destro^^ed was nominal. 



In November investigation was made of conditions in the rico 

 district of Arkansas. Owing to unfavorable fall weather, probably 

 two-thirds of the rice crop was unharvested as late as November 25. 

 Migratory ducks, mainly mallards, were then arriving from the 

 north and threatening serious damage. AVhile the hunting season 

 had opened, it Avas necessary to guard the fields at night, so that a 

 special order had to be made under the migratory-bird treaty-act 

 regulations, allowing rice growers to kill ducks at night. 



MEADOWLARKS AND SPROUTING CORN. 



The relation of the meadowlark to sprouting grain was a subject 

 of field study in South Carolina. Keports received from most of the 

 South Atlantic and Gulf States indicated that the food habits of the 

 bird in the South were quite different from those it possesses in the 

 North and that it was inflicting severe damage on sprouting corn. 

 During March and April it was found that migrating flocks of these 

 birds were spending a large part of their time in cornfields, feeding 

 on the sweet germinating kernels, secured either by pulling up the 

 sprouts or by making conical borings down to the grain. To afford 

 farmers proper relief permission will have to be given them in cer- 

 tain areas to drive the birds from the fields with shotguns if neces- 

 sary. 



Similar complaints against mourning doves were not substantiated. 



DESTRUCTIVENESS OF EAGLES. 



From year to j'car definite and authentic reports are being received 

 on the destruction of young fawns and wild turkeys, and even of 

 young calves in some parts of the West, by golden eagles. Similar 

 reports of the habits of both the golden and the bald eagle in rela- 

 tion to game come from Alaska. It is evident that these powerful 

 birds are seriously destructive at times and their unlimited protec- 

 tion is probably not warranted. 



IMMUNITY OF QUAIL AND GROUSE TO STRYCHNINE POISONING. 



Important evidence has been secured regarding the comparative 

 immunity of quail to strychnine poisoning. Field observations and 

 feeding experiments conducted in California showed that one valley 

 quail can eat grain containing enough strj'chninc to kill 12 ground 

 squirrels without showing the slightest ill effect from the poison. A 

 number of similar experiments on a mountain quail and a bob- white 

 gave like results. The information thus gained will tend to allay 

 fears in certain quarters that poisoning campaigns against ground 

 squirrels result disastroush^ to these valuable game birds. Investiga- 

 tions in Saskatchewan. Canada, have proved that grouse are equally 

 immune to strychnine poisoning. 



