164 Cincinnati Society of Natinal History. 



From the decks of the river steamers was fired a constant fusilade 

 of rifle balls and shot, directed at every bird and alligator that 

 showed itself. Of those killed or wounded none could be secured 

 by the vandals who so cruelly murdered them — they were left to 

 rot where they had fallen. Three years later when I again visited 

 these localities the birds had greatly diminished, in fact it was diffi- 

 cult to secure specimens of some of the species which were before 

 so abundant. During the winter just past several gentlemen of 

 the Cuvier Club went over the same ground and report the work 

 of destruction completed, the rookeries silent and deserted, the 

 occupation of the professional bird slayers gone. 



Dr. Henshall says during his last trip to the west and south 

 coast of Florida he met the agent of a Boston milliner, who had 

 brought with him fifty breech-loading guns and a large supply of 

 ammunition. These he distributed among the residents, with 

 orders to shoot as many " plume birds" as possible, for which he 

 would pay them liberally, as he had orders to secure fifty thou- 

 sand. 



I visited a pelican rookery near Ft. Capron, on the Indian 

 River, and was horrified at the sight I saw there. Scores of dead 

 parent birds were floating in the water and scores of helpless young 

 ones starving in their nests; and this infernal outrage inflicted in 

 the name of sport by a party of so-called gentlemen sportsmen 

 from the East. 



Mr. Henry Hanna says, when he first visited St. Augustine, 

 fifteen years ago, the cerlew, godwits and other shore birds were 

 so abundant that the sportsman could, in a few hours at low tide, 

 shoot as many as he could carry away. On the same ground dur- 

 ing the past winter he did not see a shore bird! Similar reports 

 come from all localities that were once famous for their bird life. 

 Deserted rookeries and depopulated beaches are hideous monu- 

 ments of the wanton destructiveness of the American tourist and 

 the plume-gathering wretches who cater to the depravity of fashion. 



I visited a dealer in l)ird skins, in New Jersey, with whom I 

 was well acquainted, and saw in his stock thousands of birds and 

 parts of birds. He had our beautiful native blue birds put up for 

 hat and bonnet ornaments by the bushel. I was astonished that 

 there were so many blue birds in the State as he exhibited, and he 

 assured me there were some left yet, which he and his agents had 

 not yet secured, owing to the interference, as he expressed it, of 



