THE COMMERCIAL VALUE OF BIRDS. 25 



Soudanese cities. Many bales of Ostrich feathers are 

 carried on camels across the Desert, the journey often 

 occupying several months, and eventually find their way 

 to European markets, and then to European ladies' 

 boudoirs and wardrobes. The Emus of Australia and the 

 representative Rheas of the New World also supply us 

 with much feather material ; and the eggs of all these 

 birds are known in commerce. Every one is familiar 

 with the beautifully mounted eggs of the Ostrich and 

 the Emu, gay with gold and silver trappings, which are 

 fashioned into vases, cups, inkstands, and other 

 ornaments. 



The trade carried on in plumes and bird skins for 

 hats, muffs, dress trimmings, etc., is enormous. At the 

 present time almost every lady we meet has feathers of 

 some kind on her head-dress or garments ; whilst the 

 windows of shops devoted to millinery are quite orni- 

 thological studies. The supply of all this feather 

 ornament entails the sacrifice of much bird life ; but 

 birds are prolific creatures, and their numbers do not 

 appear to diminish in any serious degree. Almost 

 every kind of bird is- pressed into the industry. Birds 

 of resplendent plumage from equatorial forests gaudy 

 Parrots, Manakins, Tanagers, Trogons and Fruit Pigeons 

 are sent in bales to the markets of the civilised world. 

 Spangled Humming Birds from the New World, like gems 

 of the finest water, come in their millions : Sun Birds 



