3o6 Bird - Lore 



mers were found breeding; East Timbalier, the breeding-place of about 4,500 

 Black Skimmers, 5,500 Laughing Gulls and 1,750 Louisiana Herons, as well 

 as about six pairs of Snowy Herons; the 'Mud Lumps' islands off North Pass, 

 Pass a L'Outre, Northeast Pass and Southwest Pass, Mississippi river. These 

 ' mud lumps, ' together with the Shell Keys, have since been set aside as national 

 reservations. Important feeding stations were found also at Calcasieu Pass, 

 at Trinity Bay, Last island, at Wine island, on the Shell islands in Barataria 

 Bay, at Barataria Light (Ft. Livingston), and at Shell island, Bastian Bay. 

 The principal species observed were Laughing Gulls, Royal Terns, Black 

 Skimmers and Brown Pelicans. Caspian Terns and the greatest number of 

 Forster's Terns were seen on the mud lumps off Northeast Pass. Least Terns 

 were seen at several points, but none were found breeding; similarly with White 

 Pehcans. The number of brown Pelicans breeding and reared on the mud 

 lumps off Southwest Pass was estimated at 7,500. 



Your agent made talks to farmers at twenty-five points in Mississippi, in 

 the counties of Lincoln, Copiah, Amite, Pike, Newton, Scott, Leake, Neshoba, 

 Kemper, Yalobusha, Grenada and Tallahatchie. The number of farmers reached 

 in this way was probably about five hundred. In addition, a talk was made 

 before about two hundred farmers at the 'Round-Up' Institute at Agricultural 

 College(Starkville), September 4-6. The subject of this, as well as of the other 

 talks, was 'The Necessity of Feathered Help in Agriculture.' Actual speci- 

 mens were shown in all cases, and much interest was manifested at the ' Round- 

 Up' and at a number of other institutes. 



About one thousand copies of the poster, ' Save the Birds, ' have been sent 

 out to Mississippi post-offices; and this work will be continued until all the post- 

 offices in the state are supplied, and the circulation will probably be extended 

 to railway stations, hotels, etc. Two hundred copies of a circular letter calling on 

 the people to help in the organization of a Mississippi Audubon Society have 

 been sent to Mississippi newspapers, while some of the circulars have been posted. 



Your agent wishes to express his appreciation of courtesies extended him 

 by state officials in Mississippi, and especially by Prof. E. R. Lloyd, Director 

 of Farmers' Institutes, and Hon. H. E. Blakeslee, Commissioner of Agriculture. 

 The latter has kindly invited your agent to make his headquarters in the Com- 

 missioner's office, and, in consequence, our literature is on file at this office, 

 while your agent spends a considerable part of his time there. Our literature 

 is also to be had from the Secretary of State, and the Superintendent of Educa- 

 tion. — H. H. KOPMAN. 



REPORT OF WILLIAM L. FINLEY 



During the past few years, there has been considerable change in economic 

 conditions in Oregon and Washington. Great stretches of land have been cleared 

 and settled, and fruit-raising has grown to be the leading industry. Native 

 trees and bushes have given place to grain-fields and orchards. The birds that 



