Destruction of the Rhea, Black-Necked Swan, Herons^ 

 and Other Wild Life in South America 



By LEO E. MILLER 



NO ONE will question that the federal law prohibiting the importatioQ 

 of the plumage of wild birds, has achieved results of far-reaching 

 importance. Perhaps in no other country has its effect been sa 

 immediately felt as in South America. 



In the early part of November, 19 13, as a member of Colonel Roose- 

 velt's South American Expedition, I had occasion to spend a week in Buenos 

 Aires. Following my usual custom, I visited the various natural history 

 stores, curio shops, and exporting houses, for in this manner I have occasion- 

 ally succeeded in adding a rare specimen of real scientific value to the 

 collections. 



Newly made acquaintances interested themselves in my behalf, had fur- 

 nished letters of introduction to Mr. Hahn, the Guatemalan Minister, who had 

 at some previous time been a controlling figure in the natural-products export 

 business. From Mr. Hahn were secured the letters that opened to us the 

 inmost recesses of the warehouse of M. EUi, probably the largest concern of 

 its kind in South America. Mr. Elli personally conducted us through his 

 establishment. 



At first the bales and heaps of mammal skins held my attention. Promi- 

 nent among them were many thousands of skins of the otter, although this 

 animal is fast disappearing from its old haunts. Our guide explained that the 

 firm furnished the traps, and that a good man, upon discovering a lake or stream 

 inhabited by otters, could catch all the inhabitants of the colony with great 

 case, visiting the traps several times each day to remove the captives. I 

 think the government of Argentine was contemplating the adoption of some 

 protective measure, at the time of our visit, to prevent these animals from 

 being entirely exterminated. 



Probably next in order of abundance were the skins of deer, those of the 

 great, beautiful marsh deer predominating. The smaller mammals such as 

 rabbits, skunks, opossums, coypu rats, and various small rodents, were well 

 represented by thousands of pelts. One great bale that excited my curiosity 

 was found to contain the breasts of Penguins, — many hundreds of them. 



My attention was next directed to the ceiling. We were in a great, long, 

 barn-like room, the 'ceiling' of which was supported by strong rafters that 

 ran, close together, the length of the room. On nails and hooks driven into 

 both sides of these rafters, hung immense bunches of entire skins of the Black- 

 necked Swan. There were many, many thousands of them, and, as we looked 

 in speechless amazement, our host explained that at certain seasons of the 

 year these birds congregated on the rivers of Lower Argentine in great numbers, 

 and that a good gunner could usually kill several at one shot. I ventured ta 



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