326 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



in grateful recognition of that bird-rescue. It was 

 a true rescue, for many of the people had regarded 

 the black cricket as a sign of evil, and, had it not 

 been for the Gulls they would have gone further 

 into the desert and, in all probability, have been 

 wiped off the face of the earth. 



*' Yet, Shan, it seems to me that the greater mir- 

 acle is not an occasional visit from birds, but the 

 presence of birds with us always. Consider it, 

 a vast array of feathered workers, an avian army, 

 which is never tired, never disheartened, which 

 asks no pay, never loafs and never goes on strike ! 

 Were our people wise, instead of ignoring the 

 birds, there would be keen competition among us 

 to see who could attract the greatest number of 

 these volunteer workers and soldiers." 



'instead of that," rejoined Shan, "they're be- 

 ing pursued all the time. Look at this slaughter 

 here!" 



''The hunt for feathers has made almost as 

 many species extinct as has the hunt for food," 

 the Feather Man replied. "As far back as we 

 have any knowledge, the human race has sought to 

 adorn itself by feathers. Even before the days 

 of the Roman Empire, the nations of the east, such 

 as Persia, used feathers of Peacocks and Paradise 



