WIDE-SPREAD DESTRUCTION OF BIRDS 247 



by hundreds to slowly starve to death. In this way the fatty tissue 

 lying next to the skin was used up, and the skin was left quite free from 

 grease, so that it required little or no cleaning during preparation. 



Many other revolting sights, such as the remains of young birds that 

 had been left to starve, and birds with broken legs and deformed beaks 

 were to be seen. Killing clubs, nets and other implements used by these 

 marauders were lying all about. Hundreds of boxes to be used in shipping 



THE LAST OP THE LOOT. 



About twenty-five thousand of the wings collected by the bird-butchers of Laysan, now decaying 



in this old shed. 



the bird skins w r ere packed in an old building. It was very evident they 

 intended to carry on their slaughter as long as the birds lasted. 



Not only did they kill and skin the larger species but they caught and 

 caged the finch, honey-eater, and miller bird. Cages and material for 

 making them were found. (Report of an Expedition to Laysan Island 

 in 1911. By Homer R. Dill, page 12.) 



The report of Professor Bryan contains the following 

 pertinent paragraphs: 



This wholesale killing has had an appalling effect on the colony. . . . 

 It is conservative to say that fully one-half the number of birds of both 



