334 BIRD WATCHING 



bone or a feather — in one of these, it is to them as 

 though a nation had been saved. More, if only a 

 specimen, or a bone or feather, can be got for a 

 museum in which they are interested, for the sake 

 of it such nation may perish, and of this spirit we 

 have only lately had a salient example. In their 

 writings, these serenities are accustomed to speak 

 calmly of the approaching extinction of this or that 

 more or less lovely or interesting creature — say, for 

 instance, the lyre-bird of Australia — if, " happily," 

 such and such a museum has been supplied, or if 

 Professor somebody has ascertained this or that in 

 regard to it ; or professors and the public generally 

 are exhorted to obtain such supplies or such in- 

 formation " before the end comes." 



" Before the end comes ! " Every effort should be 

 exhausted, every nerve strained, to avert such end, 

 which, in nine cases out of ten, could be averted if 

 the requisite measures were taken. This way of 

 writing, however, is not calculated to further such 

 efforts, or to hasten the taking of such measures. 

 Indifference, at least with regard to the greater evil, 

 is but too clearly indicated, and to this indifference 

 the life of species after species is sacrificed. 



No one, of course, supposes that the opinions or 

 emotions of a scientific body (and in this I mean to 

 include more than the term strictly covers) would 

 exercise any influence on money - seeking men or 

 brainless and heartless women ; but they might on that 

 great army of collectors who, thinking all the while 

 that they are in some way doing good and helping 

 science, keep sweeping countless thousands of birds, 

 beasts, eggs, and insects out of existence. Alas for 



