80 BIRD FRIENDS 



" Birds of a Maryland Farm." The figures so far 

 given regarding the food habits of birds have been 

 based largely on the averages for many birds col- 

 lected from all parts of the country. But in some 

 cases, in order to determine the value of birds in a 

 particular locality, certain local facts regarding the 

 crops raised and the insects present must be ascer- 

 tained in order to decide definitely the economic 

 status of the birds found there. Dr. Judd, of the 

 Bureau of Biological Survey, made a careful study of 

 a single farm of about two hundred and thirty acres 

 in Maryland, in order to ascertain which birds were 

 valuable and which were injurious on this particular 

 farm. The farm was visited frequently during every 

 month in the year for a period of seven years. A 

 list of the available food-supply was made, consisting 

 of insects, seeds, and fruit; the crops grown were 

 noted, and the insects preying upon them. The birds 

 were studied with reference to the kinds found, the 

 abundance of each kind, their distribution, and es- 

 pecially with reference to their food habits. The 

 birds were first studied in the field to ascertain on 

 what they were feeding, and a few birds were shot 

 and the contents of their stomachs examined. This 

 study is one of the most valuable ever carried on 

 along this line, and the results have been published 

 in a bulletin entitled "Birds of a Maryland Farm." 



The results found here so nearly parallel the gen- 

 eral conclusions drawn from a study of birds through- 



