20 



BIBB NOTES ANB NEWS. 



that the old trade lie of " artificial plumes " is 

 being galvanised into life again. There are no 

 artificial plumes. 



Every man and woman who has any real feeling 

 of humanity will hope that the example of kindli- 

 ness set by the highest lady in the Empire will be 

 followed by all her subjects. — Statesmati (India), 

 April 22nd. 



The Queen has pronounced against osprey 

 plumes, and women who never thought before, and 

 encouraged an inhuman trade, which was likely to 

 exterminate one of the most beautiful birds on the 

 face of the earth, have been set thinking, and in 

 their loyalty to the reigning Empress they will in 

 future cease to bedizen themselves with what has 

 been rightly called " murderous millinery." — Canon 

 Rawnsley, in The Tribune, March 30th. 



Many years ago the late Queen Victoria gave 

 orders that osprey plumes should be no longer 

 worn in the British army. Queen Alexandra has 

 henceforth made it impossible for the fashionable 

 lady to wear them. — Daily Mail, March 21st. 



A valued correspondent points out that at a 

 religious meeting held recently she counted no 

 fewer than thirteen aigrettes and a bird of paradise 

 in the headgear of the audience, and that this is 

 not suggestive of rapid reform. But we are 

 inclined to take it as evidence of misplaced thrift 

 rather than of continued insensibility. The osprey 

 may still disfigure the bonnet of yesterday ; it will 

 not, we think, be found on that of to-morrow, or 

 even of to-day. — The Gitardian, April 18th. 



What we want is that women should put a little 

 more heart and brain into the question of what to 

 wear . . . If woman shows herself unjust, thought- 

 less, and cruel in dealing with the things which 

 come absolutely under her own dominion, how is 

 it to be supposed she would prove herself invariably 

 beneficent when dealing with other people and 

 their affairs? — The Queen, March 31st. 



Her Majesty's strong disapproval of the practice 

 of wearing the so-called " osprey " plumes for 

 feminine adornment should carry authority even 

 with those unthinking ladies upon whom the claims 

 of mere humanity seem powerless to create any 

 impression.— County Gentleman, March 24th. 



One has been glad to notice that in assemblies 

 of Sunday school teachers it is very rare indeed 

 that these feathers are seen. — Sunday School 

 Times, March 30th. 



Now that the Queen has publicly stated that she 

 disapproves of the wearing of ospreys, and never 

 wears them herself, we may hope for some practical 

 results. — Drapers' Record, March 24th. 



We are in sympathy also with the Society's plea 

 on behalf of other beautiful birds — the bird-of- 

 paradise and humming birds, for example — whose 

 very existence is endangered simply for the adorn- 

 ment of our fashionable women. We are quite 

 aware that remonstrances on the subject should be 

 addressed to them rather than to the trade ; but 

 milliners, dressmakers, and others can do some- 

 thing to bring about a better state of things. 

 — Draper, March 24th. 



The few words : " The Queen never wears osprey 



feathers," will probably be more influential than a 

 hundred reports or speeches innumerable. In any 

 event, we fervently hope that such may be the 

 case. — Birmingham Post, March 21st. 



This at once settles a much-discussed question 

 as to the wearing of ospreys on head-dresses at 

 Court ceremonies. I am minded to believe that 

 in time our beautiful and humane Queen may see 

 to it that ladies wearing ospreys are not admitted 

 at Court. — Liverpool Courier ("A Woman's Notes"), 

 March 28th. 



The movement is certain to receive an additional 

 stimulus through the knowledge of Her Majesty's 

 sympathy. — Dublin Express, March 21st. 



The Queen's letter gives its death-blow to one 

 of the most disgraceful fashions that ever proclaimed 

 the heartlessness of its votaries. — Eastern Daily 

 Press, March 22nd. 



PLUME SALES. 



The usual feather sales were held at the London 

 Commercial Sale-rooms on April nth and June 

 1 2th, 1906. A feature of the earlier sale was the 

 great number of tern's wings (10,000), of king- 

 fishers (15,000), and of albatross and bustard 

 quills. There were 260 packages of osprey feathers, 

 7188 birds-of-paradise, and a large supply of 

 crested-pigeons. On June 12th there were offered 

 289 packages of osprey feathers and 11,841 birds- 

 of-paradise, together with 72 Impeyan pheasants, 

 2514 pairs of ptarmigan wings, and a more 

 than ordinary number of crested-pigeons and of 

 " vulture " (rhea) feathers. 



COUNTY COUNCIL ORDERS. 



The following County Council Orders have been 

 issued since the publication of our Spring number. 



Bucks, June 1st, 1906, B.F.S. Identical with 

 the Order of 1903, except that the blackbird, 

 which was then added to the list of scheduled 

 birds, is now removed from it. 



Antrim, May 2nd, 1906. C. Fixes September 1st 

 as the end of the Close Time for woodcock and 

 snipe. By the Order of 1898 (now repealed) it 

 was extended to October 1st. 



Norwich (County Borough), April 23rd, 1906. 

 B.C.E.F.S. Same as the Order of 1901, except 

 that the great bustard and little bittern are added 

 to the schedule in addition to the bearded tit, 

 crossbill, and sand-martin ; and great bustard and 

 both species of bittern are protected all the year. 

 Sunday protection is decreed, and all eggs but 

 those of the house-sparrow are protected. 



NOTTINGHAM (County Borough), May nth, 

 1906. B.F. Identical with that of the county of 

 Nottingham, adding certain birds to the schedule 

 and protecting others throughout the year. 



