'CALIFORNIA 



Several lectures bearing on the work have been given. Additional 

 opportunity in this direction has been furnished by extension work on 

 the University Agricultural and Horticultural Demonstration Train. 

 During the season 1911-1912 this train covered over 5,000 miles, made 

 nearly 250 stops, and entertained 102,000 people. An exhibition of 

 ''Native Birds and Mammals," consisting of collections of native birds 

 and mammals arranged and labeled so as to show how each affects the 

 farmer, and stomach contents, charts, and photographs illustrating the 

 food habits of the common birds, afforded the farmers of the State some 

 of the results of the investigation. On the other hand, it afforded 

 opportunity to become better acquainted with the complaints of the men 

 most concerned. 



A report of work done in connection with the exhibit of ' ' Native Birds 

 and Mammals" on the Agricultural Demonstration Train of the season 

 1910-1911, and an "Annual Report" have also been made to your 

 honorable board. 



WORK IN PROSPECT, AND DEMANDING ATTENTION. 



The attempt will be made to complete the study of the western 

 meadowlark by the first of the year. The results will be published in 

 the form of a bulletin. 



The field work will continue the determination of the extent of the 

 depredations of the birds under investigation, the experimental deter- 

 mination of the kind and amount of food and the time of digestion, and 

 studies of the relation of birds to insect outbreaks. An investigation of 

 the relation of birds to a grasshopper outbreak is already under way. 

 The main part of the work will consist in completing, as far as pos- 

 sible, the examination of the stomachs now on hand, the tabulation of 

 the acquired data, and the publication of final reports on the birds 

 under investigation. Papers on the following subjects are in process 

 of preparation : 



' ' Native Birds and Mammals. ' ' 



"The Present Status of the California Valley Quail." 

 "Birds in Relation to a Grasshopper Outbreak in California." 

 "The Food-habits of the Meadowlark in California." 

 "A Study of the Determination of the Economic Status of Birds." 

 "The Food-habits of the Roadrunner." 



"The Blackbirds of California in Their Economic Relations." 

 ' ' The Mourning Dove as a Weed Seed Destroyer. ' ' 

 The game in the State of California is no small asset. Its conserva- 

 tion is important. Much work as regards the life histories of the game 

 birds of the State needs to be done. In a good many instances little is 

 known of the abundance, distribution, migration's, and food-habits of our 

 game birds. Such knowledge is necessary for proper protection and 

 legislation. This department plans to extend its investigations to the 

 game birds of the State, so that positive data regarding them will be 

 available. A paper on "The Present and Future Status of the Cali- 

 fornia Valley Quail," printed in this bulletin, is a preliminary report 

 on this. California 's mast valuable game bird. 



