Meetings of Section IV. 59 



Nature no animal was entirely harmful or useful. Birds there- 

 fore should only be destroyed when they did harm, but they 

 should be protected from reasons of humanity and economy. 



Mr. Herman briefly replied. 



The following papers were distributed to the meeting. 



(i.) The Economic Importance of the Book (Corvus 

 frugilegus) in Hungary. By Titus Csörgey. 



(ii.) " Von der Nahrung der Vögel." By Otto Herman 

 and Ernst Csiki. — Reprint from Aquila XI. 



(iii.) " Positive Daten zur Lebensweise des Rebhuhns 

 (Per dix per dix)." Von Josef v. Losy. 



(iv.) " Kritische Bestimmung der Nützlichkeit oder 

 Schädlichkeit der pflanzenfressenden Vögel auf 

 Grund des Kropfinhaltes)." Von Ludwig Thaisy. 



Dr. Quinet then read his paper, " The result of investiga- 

 tions on the Food of Birds," in which he dealt fully with the 

 methods carried out by the Belgian Government for obtaining 

 particulars as to the food of the various birds, giving at the 

 same time a short summary of the conclusions which had 

 been reached. 



Mrs. Lemon asked to be informed by Dr. Quinet as to 

 whom the Belgian Government addressed their questions 

 concerning the contents of birds' stomach. She suggested, 

 as individual Governments appeared unable and reluctant 

 to take the subject in hand seriously, the possibility of the 

 investigations needed to decide the question of the useful- 

 ness or destructiveness of birds, being undertaken by the 

 International Institute of Agriculture, which is promised as 

 the outcome of the Agricultural Congress convened by the 

 King of Italy at Rome, and which met on May 28th, 1905. 



In replying, Dr. Quinet said that the forms prepared for 

 tabulation were sent by the Government to all "Gardes 

 Forestiers." 



M. Visart de Bocarmé read a paper dealing very fully 

 with the Rook (Corvus frugilegus) from the point of view 

 of agriculture and forestry. 



A paper by Mr. Igali Svetozar (Hungary) " On the harm 

 or utility of the Sparrow to Agriculture" was taken as 

 read. 



