BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



95 



the Importation of Plumage Prohibition Bill, 

 as passed by the House of Lords and intro- 

 duced into the House of Commons in 1908. 

 The enactment of this measure would put an 

 end to Great Britain's complicity in the cruel 

 slaughter and disgraceful extermination of 

 Egrets and other beautiful birds by plume- 

 hunters all the world over. 



It is gratifying to know that " The Story 

 of the Egret," which began its work in 

 Australia and continues it in England, is not 

 told to English people only. A set of the 

 large photographs and five hundred copies of 

 the Supplement have been bought for exhibi- 

 tion and distribution in Paris ; a large 

 number have gone to the Sophia- Vereeniging 

 Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 

 Animals in Amsterdam, and orders for them 

 have also been received from some of the 

 Audubon Societies in the United States of 

 America. 



APPEAL TO THE MAYORESSES OF 

 ENGLAND AND WALES. 



Shortly after the Municipal Elections of 

 November 1st, a letter from the Society was 

 addressed to the Mayoresses of the principal 

 towns in England and Wales, asking that 

 during the time they represent their borough 

 as its First Citizeness they would give the 

 weight of their influence on the side of 

 humanity by refraining from wearing 

 " osprey" plumes. Allusion was made in 

 the letter to the wish expressed by the Lady 

 Mayoress of London (Lady Truscott) in 

 opening the Fair of Fashions last summer, 

 that ladies would follow the example of Her 

 Majesty Queen Alexandra by ceasing to 

 decorate themselves with feathers obtained 

 by the cruel destruction of beautiful birds. 



About one hundred and fifty ladies at 

 once responded by giving the promise 

 appealed for, and many of them add their 

 good wishes for the success of the Society's 

 cause, and their assurance that they do not, 



and will not, wear " ospreys " at any time. 

 Among those responding are the Duchess 

 of Devonshire (Mayoress of Eastbourne) 

 whose secretary writes : " T am desired by 

 the Duchess of Devonshire to assure you 

 that she entirely concurs witli your wishers 

 regarding the protection of the Egret" ; the 

 Countess Fitzwilliam (Lady Mayoress of 

 Sheffield) ; Lady George Hamilton (Mayoress 

 of Deal), who adds that she has not worn 

 these feathers for many years ; Lady 

 Forester (Mayoress of Wenlock) who has 

 for some years been an active member 

 of the Society ; and Lady Phillimore 

 (Mayoress of Kensington), who writes : " I 

 am in cordial agreement with your letter, 

 and have long refused to buy osprey 

 plumes and certainly will continue to do 

 so." The Lady Mayoress of Manchester (Mrs. 

 C. Behrens) says : " She has much pleasure 

 in complying with the request as she so 

 fully sympathizes with the objects of the 

 Society. For many years past she has never 

 worn ' ospreys ' and has done her best to dis- 

 courage others from doing so." The Lady 

 Mayoress of Newcastle (Lady Stephenson) 

 " never wears ' ospreys ' and would dis- 

 courage the use of them by others as it is a 

 most cruel fashion." The Mayoress of 

 Westminster (Mrs. Hillersdon) writes : " I 

 will certainly do as you ask and refrain from 

 wearing osprey and other plumes obtained 

 in such a cruel manner. I think your 

 Society is an excellent one, and I sincerely 

 hope the other Mayoresses wall also support 

 you." The Mayoress of Battersea (Mrs. 

 Haythornthwaite) : " The Society has my 

 entire sympathy and support. I never miss 

 a chance of bringing before my friends my 

 abhorrence of the cruel practice of slaughter- 

 ing lovely birds for the sake of their 

 plumage." The Mayoress of Brighouse (Mrs. 

 John Atkinson) expresses " her entire 

 sympathy with the objects of the Society. 

 For some years she has refrained from 

 wearing ' ospreys' or wings of birds, and she 

 will continue to discountenance the use of 



