THE BOBOLINK. 15 



It is estimated that the bobolinks, with a little help from the red- 

 wings, cause an annual loss of 12,000,000 to the rice growers of the 

 South/ Much of this loss is indirect, arising from the necessity of 

 maintaining a corps of men and boys as ' bird-minders,' who patrol 

 the fields from morning till night, firing guns or cracking whips to 

 frighten the birds from the ripening crop. Even then it is impossible 

 to save all the rice, and it often happens that some acres on the bor- 

 ders of the uncultivated marsh where the birds resort are so badly 

 eaten that they are not worth harvesting. 



As a rule, the shooting is only to frighten the birds, as the use 

 of shot would cause as much harm to the rice as is done by the birds. 

 The amount of powder consumed in this way is enormous. It is not 

 uncommon to use 100 pounds per annum, and one planter who culti- 

 vates a large plantation uses 2,500 pounds in the course of a year. 



Col. John Screven, of Savannah, Ga., in writing of the ravages of 

 the ricebird (bobolink), says: 



Its invasions are ruinous to fields on which its flocks may settle, especially if the 

 grain is in palatable condition and in fields adjacent to marshes convenient for 

 ambush or retreat. Bird-minders, armed with muskets and shotguns, endeavor by 

 discharges of blank cartridges to keep the birds alarmed and to drive them from the 

 field. Small shot are also fired among them, and incredible numbers are killed; but 

 all such efforts will not prevent great waste of grain, amounting to a loss of large 

 portions of a field — sometimes, indeed, to its entire loss. The voracity of the birds 

 seems so intense that fear is secondary to it, and they fly, when alarmed, from one 

 portion of the field to another, very little out of gunshot, and immediately settle down 

 to their banquet. * * * The preventives in use against the ravages of the rice- 

 birds have been already suggested, but they are palliative only, applied at great 

 expense, and without commensurate results. * * * In short, no effort yet tried 

 consistent with reasonable economy will drive the ricebird from the field or afford 

 any well-founded promise of their reduction to harmless numbers. 



A more specific case of damage is that of a field mentioned by Mr. 

 J. A. Hayes, jr., of Savannah, Ga., which consisted of 125 acres of rice 

 that matured when lairds were most plentiful, and which, in spite of 

 18 bird-minders and 11 half kegs of gunpowder, yielded only 18 bushels 

 per acre of inferior rice, although it had been estimated to yield 45 

 bushels. 



Capt. William Miles Hazzard, of Annandale, S. C, says: 



During the nights of August, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, millions of these birds 

 make their appearance and settle in the rice fields. From August 21st to September 

 25th our every effort is to save the crop. Men, boys and women are posted with 

 guns and ammunition to every four or five acres, and shoot daily an average of about 

 one quart of gunpowder to the gun. This firing commences at first dawn of day, 

 and is kept up until sunset. After all this expense and trouble our loss of rice per 

 acre seldom falls under five bushels, and if from any cause there is a check to the 

 crop during its growth which prevents the grain from being hard but in a milky 

 condition, the destruction of the rice is complete — not paying to cut and bring out of 



^ Report of Department of Agriculture for 1886, p. 247. 



