VI 
FEATHERS AND HATS 
The White Heron 
““PmrRHAPS the boys may not be interested in hearing 
about feathers and hats,” said Gray Lady, “but the two 
birds whose pictures you see here are very interesting in 
themselves; and it is well that both boys and girls should 
realize all the different reasons why some kinds of birds 
have been growing fewer and fewer, until it is necessary 
to take active measures for their protection. 
“Boys have robbed nests and thoughtless men have 
shot and caged song-birds, and have often killed many 
more food-birds than they could eat, merely for what they 
call the ‘sport’ of killing. 
“Girls who seldom rob nests, unless they are following 
the examples of their brothers, and women who would 
shrink from touching firearms or killing a bird, will still, 
as far as the law allows and sometimes further, wear 
birds’ feathers on their hats. 
“Not many years ago we often saw whole birds, such as 
Humming-birds, Swallows, — like those on Eliza’s hat, — 
Bluebirds, and many of the pretty little warblers used 
as hat trimming. To-day, this is against the law in all 
of the really civilized of the United States, and any 
one offering the feathers of these birds for sale may 
be arrested and fined.” 
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