No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xxv 



general public sentiment toward the protection of not only our 

 song and insectivorous birds, but also oiu* game birds and wild 

 fowl, has continued to increase, and Massachusetts is in the 

 very forefront of progress iii, the conservation of its useful and 

 valuable wild life. This fact is largely due to the efforts and 

 accomplishments of the ornithologist. It is the intention of 

 the State Ornithologist to devote his entire time to the duties 

 of that office. This means that if the present incumbent is 

 to be retained, and your secretary would emphasize his value 

 to the State, the salary accompanying the office must be estab- 

 lished in proportion to the amount and quality of the work 

 which is demanded and which is given. The recommendation 

 of the secretary in the last report in regard to this matter was 

 only partially complied with, and your attention is again called 

 to the matter. The special report which has been in process 

 of preparation for several years was published in 1912 under 

 the title, " A History of the Game Birds, Wild-Fowl and Shore 

 Birds of Massachusetts and Adjacent States." This is a cloth 

 bound volume of 630 pages, fully illustrated by the author and 

 others, and is pronounced one of the most valuable works 

 upon the subject which has yet been published. Free copies 

 were provided for the Governor, Council, members of the 

 Legislature of 1910 and various other State officials, for the 

 high schools of the State and for the free public libraries. The 

 balance of the edition is now on sale through this office at SI 

 per copy, the same price at which "Useful Birds and their 

 Protection" is sold. 



Massachusetts Agricultural College. 

 The hearty co-operation in all progressive undertakings 

 which has been a feature of the relations between this Board 

 and the agricultural college in the past has characterized all 

 the various efforts during the year of 1912. The experts of 

 the college and experiment station have readily responded to 

 the various calls made upon their time and energy for lectures 

 before the Board, for institute service and for essays which 

 have been incorporated in bulletins and other publications 

 of the Board. On the other hand, copies of the different pub- 

 lications have been supplied for the circulating library of the 

 extension service, and, to a limited extent, for the regular 



