Papers on the Destnictioti of Native Bhds. 1 7 5 



gentlemen, who was practicing shooting at the birds in order to 

 become an accurate marksman. So the gentleman said, and, al- 

 though the boy had only a simple air-gun, several birds fell dead, one 

 of which was startled from her nest, in which were several eggs. 

 There is no excuse for this wanton slaughter. The b'rd is not 

 used for food nor the skin saved. 



The last question to be considered is : Is the killing of birds 

 authorized for the purposes of dress and fashion? 



The killing of fur animals for their fur, to be used as clothing, 

 is doubtless justifiable. But the skins of birds, particularly of our 

 song birds, are too small to be thus utilized. The amount of life 

 sacrificed to make a single dress of bird skins would be slaughter. 

 Such dresses are not needed, would be very expensive, and not nearly 

 so useful or economical as the textile fabrics of every shade and 

 hue from the plain or figured calico to the gorgeous silks and ele- 

 gant fancy stuffs now in use. But we are not called upon here to 

 meet such a use of bird skins. We are to meet the use of bird 

 skins and birds' heads worn, not for warmth or protection, but for 

 ornament. The question is : Is this ornament in the highest and 

 truest sense ? I think not. I am not now referring to ostrich 

 plumes, but to the heads and bodies fastened upon hats or located 

 in the festoons of dresses and the like. 



In the "Forest and Stream" of March 18, 1886, appears the 

 following :. 



"The feather-decked hats reach their highest developement at 

 the great gambling resort of Monte Carlo, where, according to the 

 London World, the ladies' hats are as high as the play. Three 

 girls, presumably sisters, and undoubtedly Americans not in 

 society, attract an immense attention by reason of their showy 

 garments. They wear very high conical hats, ornamented in front 

 with large green and yellow parrots with glaring glass eyes. Each 

 bird is perched on a little bough, and it is impossible to imagine 

 anything more ludicrous or in worse taste. The girls are incessant 

 talkers, and, my correspondent tells me, they are known by the 

 nickname of the ' Prattling Follies.' " 



My brother lecturers this evening have given you many 

 figures on this subject. 



The startling truth is that a great portion of the supply of 

 plumage does not come through the custom-house. Hundreds of 

 thousands of birds slaughtered for trimming are American song- 

 birds. From a single locality on Long Island were sent in during 



