37 



VI. 



THE TRADE PROPOSITION. 



The writer of " The Feather Trade " states that the trade is 

 willing to enter into a species of partnership with Bird Protectors 

 who will " leave their slang dictionaries and their platform 

 rhetoric behind them," and enter into an agreement with the 

 leading trade-firms. 



When a man offers himself to another as partner, it is usual 

 for that other if he possess any common- sense to enquire into 

 the antecedents and the probity of the would-be partner. Bird 

 Protectors in like manner naturally look into the antecedents of 

 the feather-trade. Previous pages have brought out a few of the 

 facts connected with that subject. The trade deny the killing 

 of birds in the close season ; it is known that this has been the 

 rule. They deny the extermination of the Egrets of Florida; 

 reference to pp. 12, 22, 54, is all that is needed on this point. 

 They deny responsibility for smuggling ; it is proved that 

 smuggling has been carried on. For years they professed and 

 asseverated that " ospreys " were " artificial " ; this was proved 

 to be an unqualified lie. They have, again and again, mis- 

 stated and perverted facts, suppressed evidence, evaded questions, 

 disseminated false statements. 



A single paragraph may be cited from their apology. It occurs 

 on page 117 : 



" The statement that the plumage Ample evidence that the plumes 



is cut from the birds ' before they are taken in the nesting-time, and 



are half -dead,' and that the young the young birds left to starve, is 



ones are left to starve, is a gross given on pages 12, 22, 46, 50, 51. 

 fabrication, and absurd. 



His Majesty's Minister at Caracas His Majesty's Minister said no- 

 has borne witness to the fact that thing to this effect. What he did 

 a very considerable proportion of say was : " I have no manner of 

 the White Herons are preserved in doubt that the vast majority of 

 heronries (garceros) by rich land- the Egret plumes exported to 

 owners, and the moulted feathers Europe are obtained by the slaughter 

 are picked up at the end of the of the birds during or about the 

 breeding season. breeding season." * 



* " Moulted Plumes," R.S.P.B. Leaflet, No. 60 ; "How Osprey Feathers 



are Procured," R.S.P.B. Leaflet, No. 61. 



