BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



21 



given a graphic description of the scene of 

 havoc wrought by the hunters, and the same 

 thing was happening not only over Florida 

 and the whole Gulf Coast of the United 

 States, but also in California and great 

 districts of South America. Dealers often 

 stated that " aigrettes " were manufactured, 

 but this was not so ; man had never yet been 

 able to imitate successfully these beautiful 

 plumes. Even the stiff plumes, or " stubs," 

 were not manufactured, but were the plumes 

 of a larger species belonging to the same 

 family. He was glad to see that this Bill 

 had been most cordially and sympathetically 

 received by the Press, but one or two writers 

 had expressed the opinion that it would have 

 little chance if women had votes. On the 

 contrary, he (the noble lord) firmly believed 

 they would welcome it. Her Majesty the 

 Queen, they gratefully recognised, had done 

 much to check the wearing of plumes. It 

 was sometimes said that the only effect of 

 excluding feathers here would be that they 

 would be sold abroad. If this Mere so, we 

 should then at any rate have no responsi- 

 bility ; we should not be parties to this cruel 

 trade. But if their lordships and the other 

 House passed this Bill, English ornithologists 

 and lovers of birds would appeal to brother 

 naturalists abroad, and he believed they 

 would initiate similar legislation on the 

 Continent and thus put an end to this cruel, 

 wanton, and barbarous slaughter. 



The Duke of Bedford, in supporting the 

 second reading, said if there were any objec- 

 tions to this Bill they would probably come 

 from the trade. The value of the plumes 

 to the wearers did not consist in the fact 

 that the feathers belonged to rare birds. 

 but that they were the fashion of the moment. 

 At the present rate of destruction the ex- 

 tinction of many of the most beautiful 

 creations of Nature was inevitable, and the 

 prohibition of the use of the plumage now 

 would be only anticipating what, as far as 

 the trade is concerned, must be the result 

 in a few years. This Bill sought to bring 



about by the preservation of the birds, 

 those conditions which as far as the supply 

 of birds' feathers to the trade is concerned, 

 must ensue on their destruction. 



Earl Bcauchamp was sure the objects of 

 the Bill would commend themselves to every 

 member of the House, but some hesitation 

 was felt by the official mind as to whether 

 the Bill, as drawn, would entirely accomplish 

 its object. He ventured to suggest that 

 it might be more efficacious to prohibit ex- 

 ports from our Colonies rather than to pro- 

 hibit imports into this country. Steps had 

 already been taken in the Bermudas, Bar- 

 bados, Trinidad, Fiji, Natal, St. Vincent. 

 and elsewhere, to prevent the exportation 

 of these birds and their plumage. A large 

 quantity of plumage was brought into this 

 country, made up, and exported to the 

 Continent, and it is not impossible that such 

 legislation would divert that trade to the 

 Continent without the advantage sought for 

 being attained. There was one other con- 

 sideration, and that was that there were some 

 species in danger of extermination which, 

 though very beautiful, wepe often a great 

 inconvenience, and sometimes a considerable 

 nuisance in the countries in which they were 

 found. His Majesty's Government were very 

 anxious to assist in securing the objects in 

 view, and he would suggest that the Bill should 

 be referred to a Select Committee, who would 

 be able to consider the suggestion that 

 representations should be made to foreign 

 countries as to how far they would be willing 

 to assist by preventing export. 



The Marquess of Lansdowne thought that 

 a very strong case had been made, both upon 

 humanitarian and scientific grounds, for some 

 effort to prevent the extinction of a number 

 of interesting birds ; and he agreed with 

 the suggestion that an endeavour should be 

 made to obtain the co-operation of foreign 

 countries. 



The Lord President of the Council (Lord 

 Tweedmouth) said the only fault he found 

 with the Bill was that he feared its provisions 



