mllic and Harfts of the firm of Harfta Brothers made similar statements. 
In Bay Ulty additional information vas secured from U. d. Marshall, 
assistant to the itianager at the offioe of the Southern Kioe Growers* AB 80 <dx> 
tlon. He stated that tlie worst damage came from tlie Hed-winged Blacicbirds 
which are known locally as "lilce-birds” or ’’Heed-blrde”. These birds at- 
tacked the rioe as soon as the grain begim to fill and oontinxied to feed in 
t)ie rioe fields until the crop was finally threshed. This past season oom- 
plaints of damage had been nuiueroas but the actiyitiee of the birds seemed 
somewhat local, borne fields were badly hurt, whide others were praotioally 
untouched. ' Where certain fields had ripened earlier than others nearby 
damage In them had been severe. In other oases severe loss to rioe in the 
shook oaioe when threshing in certain fields had been postponed until late. 
Mr. Ufiirshall showed me a number of rioe samples ooutaining so-oalled "pocky" 
grain where kernels seemin^y had bean injured by birds. Tho grains had 
been coaqpressed or injured v/hlle still soft* this resulting in malformation 
or shriveling in the spot affeoted. It yma believed that this was done by 
the blackbirds as they fed on the soft rioe In late summer. Grains that were 
St^ueezed or peoked but not destroyed develo^^ed Into thece deformed kernels. 
Where these are abundant in the threshed rioe they reduce tho valjp of the 
grain. 
Mr. J. f. foster stated that Great-tailed Qraokles did oonsiderable 
damage by pulling sprouting rice In spring but that they did little harm 
later in the season. Bed-winged Blaoabirds were more serious pests. Dam- 
age oommonoes as soon as the rioe kernels begin to foRoi usually this ooours 
about the first of August. Injury by these birds oontinues cLn through the 
fall until the grain Is finally threshed. The inroads of blackbirds are 
