14 



the exportation from British India of skins and feathers of all 

 birds, except feathers of ostriches and skins and feathers exported 

 bona-fide as specimens of natural history. 



This Ordinance is further referred to in Chapter IV. (p. 61.) 

 together with the words and actions of the plume-trade with 

 respect to it. Some members of the trade approached the 

 Government of India in 1904 with a petition for the rescinding 

 of the regulation ; but the reply was given that the Government 

 saw no reason for its withdrawal or modification. 



The Queen's Letter. 



In 1906, at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Protection 

 of Birds (which had been incorporated under Royal Charter in 

 1904), a letter was read from Queen Alexandra, stating that Her 

 Majesty " never wears Egret plumes herself, and will certainly 

 do all in her power to discourage the cruelty practised on these 

 beautiful birds " ; and further, giving the President of the Society 

 (the Duchess of Portland) full permission to use her name " in 

 any way you think best to conduce to the protection of birds." 



The Importation of Plumage Bill. 



In 1908 Lord Avebury introduced into the House of Lords 

 a Bill to Prohibit the Importation of Plumage. This Bill was 

 the result of a meeting summoned by Lord Avebury, on the 

 initiative of Mr. James Buckland, at which there w r ere present, 

 in addition to Lord Avebury and Mr. Buckland, representatives 

 of the Royal Society, the Linnean Society, the Zoological Society 

 of London, the Selborne Society, the Royal Society for the Pro- 

 tection of Birds, and the British Museum Natural History 

 Department (Dr. Bowdler Sharpe). The Bill was framed, by 

 request, by Mr. Montagu Sharpe, Chairman of Council R.S.P.B., 

 and was, on its second reading, referred to a Select Committee 

 of the House, who heard evidence from the promoters of the 

 measure, from official representatives of India, Australia, the 

 United States, the Board of Trade, and the Customs, and also 

 from the principal feather-importers, traders, and brokers. 



