192 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



during the siiininer. Three of the shooters were arrested and 

 fined, and in one of these cases the judge said he regretted 

 that he could not send the hiwbreaker to jail for six months. 

 One of the shooters had a permit for collecting birds for 

 scientific purposes. 



As many as 6 egrets were seen in one locality (Easthara), 

 and as the birds remained for a considerable time wherever 

 they were not disturbed, going only a short distance from 

 their feeding places to their roosting ])laces, and as indi- 

 viduals were seen at the same hour in different towns and 

 counties, it is probable that there were more than a dozen 

 birds, and perhaps 20, in eastern Massachusetts in 1911. 

 Egrets formerly were fovmd in considerable numbers in the 

 southern States and in the greater part of the United States 

 as far north as l^ew York and Xew England. They have 

 become very rare within the last fifty years, on account of 

 the great demand for their plumes. The occurrence of these 

 birds in Massachusetts must be attributed largely to the 

 success of the National Association of Audubon Societies in 

 protecting from the depredations of the plume hunters a few 

 small heronries in the south Atlantic States. Herons wander 

 about the country at the close of the breeding season before 

 beginning their southward migration, and as they sometimes 

 go long distances to the northward it seems probable that 

 these birds which passed part of the summer in Massachu- 

 setts were wanderers from southern heronries. 



Birds feeding on Gypsy Moths and Broivn-tail Moths. 

 During the winter of 1910-11 there was a small flight of 

 evening grosbeaks, rare and beautiful birds, which appar- 

 ently have only recently begun to come to ]\Iassachusetts. 

 They Avere reported from various towns, particularly in 

 Worcester County, and also from other New England States. 

 They have been observed feeding on rose seeds by Carl H. 

 Manning of Southborough, and Mrs. Ella E. Horr of Worces- 

 ter Avrites that Mr. C. K. R^ed Avatched a small flock feeding 

 on the estate of Mr. Henry Erannon of Worcester. People 

 who observed these birds in Worcester state that they were 



