62 Wild Bird Guests 



went farther than this. They put hundreds of 

 sea-birds in a dry cistern and allowed them to 

 slowly starve to death, because in starving they 

 would use up the fatty tissue stored next to the 

 skin, leaving the skin free from grease and there- 

 fore much easier to prepare. These birds were 

 tortured to supply the millinery trade which 

 some people still dare to uphold; and the mil- 

 linery trade required them because thoughtless 

 women insisted on wearing these badges of 

 cruelty in their hats. 



When I see women wearing the plumage of 

 wild birds, I wonder if they have normal brains, 

 or indeed whether they have any brains at all. 

 It seems impossible that they should, in this day, 

 still be ignorant of the misery they are causing, 

 and it seems equally impossible that if they do 

 know it they can be so heartless as to uphold and 

 prolong the cruel fashion. 



Fortunately many good laws have recently 

 been passed in this country to protect the wild 

 birds formerly used for millinery purposes, and 

 when the other civilized governments are ready 

 to cooperate with our own we can have an 

 international law which will practically put a 

 stop to this traffic in wild-bird plumage. But it 

 cannot be flattering to the women who persist in 

 wearing plumage, to realize that it is necessary 



