284 LOST AND VANISHING BIRDS 



or garments ; whilst the windows of shops devoted 

 to millinery are quite ornithological studies. The 

 supply of all this feather ornament entails the 

 sacrifice of much bird life ; but birds are prolific 

 creatures, and their numbers (in a great many 

 cases) do not appear to diminish in any serious 

 degree at present. Almost every kind of bird is 

 pressed into the industry. Birds of resplendent 

 plumage from equatorial forests — gaudy Parrots, 

 Manakins, Tanagers, Trogons, and Fruit Pigeons — 

 are sent in bales to the markets of the civilised 

 world. Spangled Humming Birds from the New 

 World, like gems of the finest water, come in their 

 millions ; Sun Birds from Africa and the East ; 

 Ptarmigan from Arctic snows ; Snipes and Plovers 

 from northern regions ; beautiful Egrets and Herons 

 from southern rivers and marshes — ail find a 

 ready sale; according to the ephemeral fashion that 

 may chance to reign supreme." It is comforting to 

 know that in India — whence so many birds came 

 to the plume marts of the West — measures have 

 been taken for the better preservation of many 

 threatened species, mostly common birds in that 

 country, but rapidly becoming rarer from such 

 ceaseless persecution. South America is yet a 

 happy hunting-ground for the bird-hunter, but 



