LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 
U.S. Derarrwent or AGRICULTURE, 
BroLtocicaL SURVEY, 
Washington, D. C., July 27, 1907. 
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith as Bulletin No. 30 
of the Biological Survey, Part I of a report on the Birds of Cali- 
fornia in Relation to the Fruit Industry, by F. E. L. Beal. Fruit 
raising in California is a great and growing industry, and the relation 
birds bear to it is important. The investigations embodied in the 
present report were undertaken with a view to the accurate deter- 
mination of the economic status of every species of California bird 
that inhabits orchards, in order that it may be possible for the fruit 
raiser to discriminate between friends and foes; and for the added 
purpose of suggesting remedial measures for the protection of fruit 
from destructive species. As expected, the strictly insectivorous 
birds prove to be almost wholly beneficial, by far the greater per- 
centage of the insects eaten by them being injurious kinds. They are 
hence allies of the orchardist and their presence in and near orchards 
should be encouraged in every way. Of the species addicted to fruit 
eating, not one was found to make its diet wholly, or even chiefly, 
of fruit; and the fruit eaters, with possibly the exception of the 
house finch, are found to feed upon weed seeds and noxious insects 
to such an extent as to fully offset their destructive propensities. 
Respectfully, 
, : C. Harr Merriam, 
Chief, Biological Survey. 
Hon. James Wixson, 
Secretary of Agriculture. 
