REPORT OF DIRECTOR AND STATE GEOLOGIST 1900 rl91 



for the most part been added during recent years and are in 

 perfect condition. Accordingly, during the months of April, May 

 and June Dr Farr was assisted in his work by William Richard 

 as taxidermist. About three half days a week were spent in field 

 work, collecting specimens and making observations on the migra- 

 tion of birds. The times of arrival and departure of our common 

 migrants, as well as the time of arrival of out" common summer 

 residents, were noted. Altogether about 125 species were 

 observed in the immediate vicinity of Albany. 100 mounted 

 specimens were added to the collection during these months, and 

 form a pleasing addition to our exhibits, as the birds are all in 

 nuptial plumage and the taxidermic work is of the highest grade. 



A large series of stomachs was also collected for studies on the 

 insect food of birds. The study of these will furnish us miuch 

 Interesting and valuaible data in regard to the economic value 

 ■of birds to mian, a subject which the farmer and horticulturist 

 too little appreciate, as nearly all birds, aside from the value of 

 the game birds as food, are friends to the agriculturist. With 

 the possible exception of three formis all birds should be rigidly 

 protected, and, when the food habits of these three species of 

 rapacious birds that sometimes feed on poultry are more per- 

 fectly known it will probably be found that they are in the main 

 beneficial to the interests of the tiller of the soil and only locally 

 prejudicial, owing to the scarcity of their natural food. 



In addition to the general work of Dr Farr as curator of the 



collections of vertebrate zoology, the following special work was 



done. 



Birds 



At the suggestion of the director, he began during the summer 

 of 1899, to make an exhaustive study of the bird fauna of New 

 York for the preparation of a detailed report on- the birds of our 

 state. De Kay's Birds of New York of 1844 is the last publication 

 treating of the birds of the entire state, and the many new records 

 that have been established since that time make very apparent 

 the need of such a work in view of the recent progress and 

 increased interest in bird study all over the country. 



