Papers on the Destruction of Native Birds. 2 1 1 



is the fauna. On the great alkali plains of the West, there are 

 practically no birds. 



In the Adirondacks, a region 60 miles square, occupying a 

 large part of the northern half of the State of New York, bird life 

 is scarce. In reference to this region. Prof. C. Hart Merriani, in 

 his j)reliminary list of birds ascertained to occur in the Adirondacks 

 region, north-eastern New York, says: "One i)oint in the present 

 list requires exi)lanation. The terms, 'common,' ' abundant,' etc., 

 do not have the same signification as in a treatise on the birds of 

 Southern New England for example. Birds of all kinds are rare in 

 the dense evergreen forests of the Canadian Fauna. One may 

 travel hours, and sometimes a whole day, among these lonely 

 mountains and scarcely see a single bird." (See Nuttall Ornitho- 

 logical Club, Oct. "81," Vol. 6, No. 4). This statement is con- 

 firmed by my own observation in these forests. In view of these 

 facts, I hold that the bird population is no greater than 2,000,000,- 

 000. 



Furthermore, it must be remembered that but comparatively 

 few birds of South America visit the United States and but com- 

 paratively few of the birds of the United States visit South 

 America. So when our insectivorous and song and water birds are 

 decimated and destroyed, what are we going to do about it? Why 

 the feather milliners will send to South America for bird skins and 

 feathers. Will that give us our birds back ? And if by dint of 

 laws and rigid protection some species of our song and insect- 

 ivorous birds again multiplied and replenished this land, this much 

 desired event would not be likely to occur in our day. 



The Doctor says : "Prominent amongst the statements made 

 in Mr. J. A. Allen's paper and t[uoted by your committee in the 

 use of birds for millinery purposes, is the assertion that 10,000,000 

 American women are of a ' bird-wearing age and proclivities.' 

 Some might consider this an exaggeration, which it probably is, 

 but for the sake of a basis we will admit it to be true. Mr. Allen 

 further estimates, allowing for the making over necessities of the 

 economically disposed ladies, that 5,000,000 birds per year will be 

 required to satisfy this demand." 



Now I hold that 10,000,000 women of bird and feather wear- 

 ing proclivities will use nearer 15,000,000 birds annually than 

 5,000,000. I hold that the estimate that 5,000,000 of birds repre- 

 sents approximately the number destroyed is far too low an esti- 

 mate ; and Prof. Allen himself thinks so too, as I shall presently 



