180 THE EXTINCTION OF WILD ANIMALS 



decree protection to beautiful and harmless birds. 

 Grievous is the description by eyewitnesses of the 

 collection of these plumes : rough fellows make a raid 

 on the heronry, shooting down the old birds, tearing 

 out the plumes, and flinging aside their victims, often 

 still alive, to perish miserably in sight of their starving 

 broods. The heartlessness of fashion arises from its 

 ignorance; few ladies trouble themselves to inquire 

 about the source where these favourite ornaments are 

 obtained, being content to be told that it is in the 

 very last mode ; but still fewer, I firmly believe, would 

 countenance it, did they once understand what the 

 traffic involved. 



As to birds-of-Paradise, the best skins used to be 

 had easily for twelve or fourteen shillings ; but the price 

 has risen now to twenty-five or thirty shillings, owing to 

 the growing scarcity of the birds. The most coveted 

 species (Paradisea apoda) dwells in New Guinea and 

 the Papuan Islands ; but it is impossible to obtain such 

 fine specimens as were common a few years ago, because 

 the males are all killed for the market before they reach 

 the age of three or four years, when their plumage 

 attains perfection. The German Government have set 

 us a good example by decreeing the strict preservation 

 of the bird-of- Paradise in their territory in New Guinea ; 

 perhaps it is too much to hope that the British and 

 Dutch Governments will follow suit. 



In making appeals for mercy to be shown towards 

 dwindling races of creatures, it is insincere to base them 

 on the grounds of the sacredness of animal life. Let 



