Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-03
BIOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Its Great Work In Behalf of Our Agri-
 cultural Interests.

The biological survey is quietly working for the good of our agricul- tural interests and is an excellent ex- ample of a government bureau which conducts original scientific research the findings of which are of much practical utility. For more than twen- ty years it has studied the food habits of birds and mammals that are inju- rious or beneficial to agriculture, hor ticulture and forestry, has distributed illustrated bulletins on the subject and has labored to secure legislative pro- tection for the beneficial species. The cotton boil weevil, which has recently overspread the cotton belt of Texas and is steadily extending its range, is said to cause an annual loss of about S3,000,000. The biological survey has ascertained and given wide publicity to the fact that at least forty-three kinds of birds prey upon this destruc- tive insect It has discovered that if ty-seven species of birds feed upon scale insects, dreaded enemies of the fruit grower. It has shown that wood peckers as class by destroying the larvae of wood boring insects are so essential to tree life that it is doubtful If our forests could exist without them. It has shown that cuckoos and orioles are the natural enemies of the leaf eating caterpillars that destroy our shade and fruit trees: that our quails and sparrows consume annually hun dreds of tons of seeds of noxious weeds: that hawks and owls as class (excepting the few that kill poultry and game birds) are markedly benef- clal. spending their lives in catching grassboppers. mice and other pests that prey upon the products of hus- bandry. It has conducted field experi- ments for the purpose of devising and perfecting simple methods for holding in check the hordes of destructive TO- dents-rats, mice. rabbits, gophers, prairie dogs and ground squirrels which annually destroy crops worth many millions of dollars. and it has published practical directions for the destruction of wolves and coyotes on the stock ranges of the west, resulting during the past year in an estimated saving of cattle and sheep valued at upward of q million dollars.
 It has inaugurated a system of fin. spection at the principal ports of en. try on both Atlantic and Pacific coasts by means of which the introduction of noxious mammals and birds is pre- vented. thus keeping out the monsoose and certain birds which are as much to be dreaded as the previously intro duced English sparrow and the house rats and mice.
 In the interest of game protection fl has eo-Operated with local officials ir every state in the Union. has striver to promote uniform legislation in the several states. has rendered important service in enforcing the federal law regulating interstate traffic In game and has shown how game protection may be made to yield a large revenus to the state. q revenue amounting ir the case of Illinois to s12S0OO in a single year.
 The biological survey has explored the faunas and horas of America vitf reference to the distribution of ani mzls and plants. It has defined snt mapped the natural fife areas-area, in which. by reason Of prevailing eli matic conditions, certain kinds of ani mals and plants oocur-snd has point cd out the sdaptablIity of these area to the cultivation of particular crops ! The results of these investigates an not o1ly of high educztiousI vslue. bu 1 gre worth each year to the pruzessiv, faruers of the country many tines th. cost of maintaining the survey. which it nay be added Is exceedagiy small I rsco11e7d to co1Esss that this b7 rsau- ubose usefulness fs seriozsIl ks1tSczrped by lsck of finds. U rsnted sn spprsprisrio1 i1 soze de E zree es1ueas1rsts Efth tke Ezpof