CHECKS UPON INCREASE OF USEFUL BIRDS. 357 



cling to our rings, beads, and feathers, the ornaments of 

 the savage. Within thirty-five years the skins of Bluebirds, 

 Scarlet Tanagers, and Baltimore Orioles have been in good 

 demand in Massachusetts for hat ornaments. The brutal 

 savagery which is characteristic of this phase of bird destruc- 

 tion has been well illustrated in the extermination of the 

 Egrets of the United States. Twenty-five years ago these 

 beautiful birds were abundant in some southern States ; 

 stragglers occasionally came north as far as Xew England. 

 They are shy birds during most of the year, feeding chiefly 

 in deep swamps and along lonely water courses. In the 

 breeding season they gather into heronries, commonly called 

 "rookeries," where they build their nests. Then much of 

 their shyness disappears under the stress of providing for 

 and protecting their young. Unfortunately for them, their 

 nuptial plumes are perfect in the breeding season. Fashion 

 demanded the plumes. Nesting time was the plume hunter's 

 opportunity. There was little difficulty, then, in securing the 

 birds by shooting them when they were sitting on the nests or 

 hovering over their helpless young. So the old birds were 

 shot, the plumes stripped from their backs, and the young 

 left to starve in the nests or become the prey of Hawks, 

 Crows, or Vultures. When I was in Florida, in 1878, great 

 flights of these birds were seen along the lakes and rivers of 

 the southern counties. One heronry was estimated to con- 

 tain three million birds. Ten years later they were rare 

 everywhere, and now they are practically extirpated. They 

 have been pursued along the coasts of Mexico and into 

 Central and South America. The search is extending into 

 all countries where they may be found. Half-savage Indians 

 and negroes are enlisted in the slaughter, supplied with guns 

 and ammunition, and sent wherever they can find the birds. 

 The misery and suffering entailed can be imagined. Thus 

 are the "stub" plumes, "aigrettes," and "ospreys" procured. 

 They are not manufactured, and, whatever their color when 

 sold, they were originally stripped from the back, head, or 

 neck of some white Heron or Egret. The absolute extinc- 

 tion of these plume-bearing species is assured unless women 

 will stop wearing the plumes. A similar slaughter took place 



