in the laboratory verified this* 
Dt» %• W* Dnaon and U« W* Carver of the Soathem Bioe Crou'ere* Aeao- 
oiation in £1 CaapDRaade little oooplaint against blaokbirds in their fields 
this past year* Dr* Dason stated that this season Ked-t;inged Blackbirds had 
fed in an area of four or five acres of rice about a low willow bordered 
slough while the rioe was in the milk stage* but that he had had no other 
experience with similar damaige from these birds* 
?* F. Wilson at £1 Camp^ a prominent rice-grower* estimated his loss 
from blaokbirds during the past season at about ^*000* Injury in his fields 
had been much more severe this year than usual* ?he damage was done by Bed- 
wings that had gathered in his fields in great flocks* at the time that the 
grain was in the milk* He considered the Oreat-tailed Crackle as less inju- 
rious* Some grain was also destroyed this year when the rice was still in 
the shook* 
h* H* Hancock* manager of the rioe mill at K1 Campoporroborated these 
statements and said that this season he had lost about five aoras of irlce in 
one field near town belonging to him* Ve visited this field and 1 found the 
rioe in the area in ^luestion still unout though cattle had been turned in 
here and bad tramj^d it down* This rioe grew in a low spot in the field and 
X oonsiderod that part of it had been killed out by stagnant standing water 
or for soma other reason* About half however had produced rioe end the 
frayed out heads and scattered rioe hulls remaining were evidence that it 
had been damaged by birds* This productive area extended as a band arotmd 
the barren central portion* The latter was overgrown with tall weeds that 
furnished convenient perohee to ttie birds after feeding* 
Hr* Viok also oOfiQ>lained of datsage by blaokbirds to rioe in the 
