Division of Ornithology (Record Group EN2.07)

Object Type: Folder
In Folder: Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Record Group EN)

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On May 28, 1890, the Massachusetts House of Representatives resolved that there be investigations and reports on local birds and their destruction of crops. On Feb. 6, 1894, Edward Howe Forbush was elected Ornithologist to the State Board of Agriculture in accordance with its by-laws. St 1908, c 245 established the office of State Ornithologist under the State Board of Agriculture (State Dept. of Agriculture per St 1918, c 268). The duty of that official was to investigate the distribution and food habits of local birds, to determine the relationships between the birds and outbreaks of insects and other animals, and to discover the best method of protecting fruits and crops from birds. Forbush was appointed to the post and served until 1928, from 1919 as director of the Division of Ornithology in the Dept. of Agriculture, per St 1919, c 350, s 37. The division was abolished by St 1933, c 74. St 1934, c 173 reestablished the office of State Ornithologist in the Division of Fisheries and Game of the Dept. of Conservation. For an expanded agency history, see: http://sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcpdf/collection-guides/FA_EN.pdf.

Record Details

Description: On May 28, 1890, the Massachusetts House of Representatives resolved that there be investigations and reports on local birds and their destruction of crops. On Feb. 6, 1894, Edward Howe Forbush was elected Ornithologist to the State Board of Agriculture in accordance with its by-laws. St 1908, c 245 established the office of State Ornithologist under the State Board of Agriculture (State Dept. of Agriculture per St 1918, c 268). The duty of that official was to investigate the distribution and food habits of local birds, to determine the relationships between the birds and outbreaks of insects and other animals, and to discover the best method of protecting fruits and crops from birds. Forbush was appointed to the post and served until 1928, from 1919 as director of the Division of Ornithology in the Dept. of Agriculture, per St 1919, c 350, s 37. The division was abolished by St 1933, c 74. St 1934, c 173 reestablished the office of State Ornithologist in the Division of Fisheries and Game of the Dept. of Conservation. For an expanded agency history, see: http://sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcpdf/collection-guides/FA_EN.pdf.

Digital Origin: Materials accessible in the Digital Repository are only those records in digital format. All other original materials are located at the Massachusetts Archives.

Record Identifiers

Record Group: EN2.07

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Paintings from: Birds of Massachusetts and other New England states, 1921-1929

Edward Howe Forbush was elected Ornithologist to the State Board of Agriculture in 1894, named State Ornithologist by the state board in 1908, and became director of the Division of Ornithology (Dept. of Agriculture) in 1919. Resolves 1921, c 5 authorized the publication of Birds of Massachusetts and Other New England States for the purpose of studying the economic value, geographical distribution, and life history of the birds of New England, with $8,000 allotted for color illustrations. Illustrations for the work were created by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, an American ornithologist and well-known artist, and, upon the death of Fuertes, by Allan Brooks, ornithologist and artist from Canada. Series consists of original watercolor and gouache paintings of local birds in their natural habitats. See also: Massachusetts. State Board of Agriculture. Edward Howe Forbush publications, 1907-1916 ((M-Ar)2597X).

1921-1929