Papers on the Destmctioii of Native Birds. 209 



being well flavored, as they do not subsist so much on fish as 

 many other birds of this family." 



Of the Great Heron, Nuttall says, "On land our Heron has 

 also his fare, as he is no less a successful angler than a mouser, 

 and renders an important service to the larmer in the de- 

 struction he makes among most of the reptiles and meadow 

 shrews." 



These habits are generally those of all the members of this 

 great family. 



The Doctor says as to the water birds they are doomed to extir" 

 pation whenever civilization drains and cultivates their nesting and 

 feeding places. I would like to ask when that time will be? When 

 will all the wet and humid ground in our country be all drained 

 and cultivated ? We may expect a good deal of humid ground and 

 the presence of water courses and marshy shores, and lakes so long 

 as rain falls. 



But this is not near the full extent of our argument. The 

 fashion of wearing birds' heads, wings, and tails has become 

 more and more fixed. The heads of the shore birds and 

 the gullsj and terns are undesirable for hats. The length of 

 the bill is an objection and many of the birds and their heads are 

 too large. 



Let us pause a moment to consider the condition of society 

 and the feather business at the time these 110,000 American birds 

 have been killed. With these birds there have been worn others 

 from foreign countries, humming birds, parrots, macaws, doves, 

 and plenty of other species. 



We have in existence certain enginery for the destruction of 

 birds. We have a habit created of wearing dead birds. People 

 with money to buy what fashion demands, and without a thought 

 as to the unfitness of the article for dress, and careless as to the de" 

 struction of bird life caused by this fashion. 



We have immense feather millinery establishments, located for 

 the most part at New York City, establishments striving to sustain 

 their trade; and we have the boys and men employed to shoot the 

 birds. Out of the $[,000,000.00 made last year on the sale of 

 American bird skins and feathers, about 40 per cent, went to the 

 gunners and trappers, that is, $400,000.00 were paid to boys and 

 men to collect American birds and feathers. 



If the supply of water birds decreases, is it not the most 

 natural thing in the world for this army of shooters to turn upon 



