Said trustees shall appoint a member of the faculty of said university as a State Ornithologist, who shall hold office during the pleasure of the board and shall serve without compensation. He shall investigate the food supply of the birds of this state and determine, so far as possible, the effect of birds upon insects or other sources of damage to fruits and vegetation, experiment with a view to discovering the best methods for the protection of fruits and crops from birds, insects or other sources of destruction thereof, act in an advisory capacity as to legislation concerning such matters and issue such reports and bulletins as he thinks expedient.