COPY* 
Bowie, Arizona* Oct* IX, 1916. 
iilr • Vv • L* McAtdd , 
Washington, D* G. 
Dear Mr* MoAtee: 
I believe that a Porroal report on the depredations of 
birds in the grain-sorghum fields at Bowie, Arizona, is 
hardly necessary, so giving oelov/ the salient facts of 
the investigation with lijy conclusions* 
Upon arrival at Bowie I foiand that the dam; ge iiad al- 
most ceasod and several days elapsed before I could find a 
place v/here appreciable loss was being occasioned by biras* 
The species concerned is Galamospiza melanocorys , but evi- 
dently the main flight haa passed on. The largest flock 
observed contained perhaps bOO individuals* 
AS nearly as I oim ascertain, the flocks begin feeding 
upon the grain in the milk during the latter imrt of July. 
All sorghums suffer during the first of the season but fete- 
rita is alwa^^s rrrach preferred and the black grain is taken 
least of ail. In the aggregate the loss is really consid- 
erable as evidenced by the samples of grain heaas being sent 
in this mail. Loss of B/3 of the feterita is not unusual. 
In some instances total loss of the first crop is reported. 
In fields frequented by the buntings it is soi'ietimes diffi- 
cult to fine an untouched head. Mr. G. G. Bray says that in 
1915 the birds were worse than this season, as tney seemed 
unable to find enough to eat on the desert and stayed in the 
