74 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



our State, and prevents others from lingering with us to nest while on 

 their northern migration, both of which conditions are calamitous. 



STOP WEARING FEATHERS ON HATS. 



• Eeferring to the use of feathers of tropical birds as hat decoration, 

 Mr. Sargent cited the case of the almost complete destruction of the 

 egret in past years and the parallel case of the greatly diminishing 

 numbers of the bird-of-paradise and stated that in reply to inquiries 

 by Grand Rapids women as to whether the securing of the "goura" 

 feathers meant the destroying of the bird, quoted a communication 

 from T. Gilbert Pearson, secretary of the National Association of 

 Audubon societies, who said: 



''The goura feathers used in the millinery trade are taken from the 

 crowned pigeon, Avhich is a wild bird and Avhich is shot for the purpose 

 of getting the feathers for millinery purposes. For this reason the bird 

 is already threatened with extinction over i)ortions of its range." 



Mr. Sargent spoke ^dth satisfaction of the growing tendency toward 

 the strict observance of the national hnv which forbids the sale and 

 use of the feathers of non-game birds, but expressed the regret of all 

 bird lovers that tlie custom is not entirely tabooed. 



He closed his address with the following summary: 



If every landowner would supply a few bird-houses and shelters, and 

 protect his birds from cats, sparrows and guns; coddling moths, potato 

 bugs, squash bugs, cinch bugs, Hessian flies, weevils and borers of all 

 sorts, cutworms, cabbage worms, gyps3% browntail and Tussock moths, 

 webworms, tent caterpillars, grasshoppers and all other insect pests, 

 all of which are destroyed by the birds, would soon be so reduced in 

 number as to be practically harmless. 



Why not let the State protect your land from hunters by making it 

 a State game preserve? 



Why not destroy all stray cats about your premises? They kill on 

 an average of fifty birds apiece each year! 



Why not put up a few boxes with holes in them for birdhouses and 

 shelters? 



Why not leave or plant a few fruit-bearing shrubs upon which the 

 birds may feed when insects are scarce? 



In short, why not learn the value of your most faithful servants, the 

 birds, and care for them as you would a human servant or a valuable 

 animal? A little attention along these lines will pay better than any 

 other investment of time or money which you can make. 



He expressed the willingness of the museum to furnish any desired 

 information calculated to help further the work of bird conservation. 



