ZOOT.OGICAT, SOCIETY BULLETIN 



1105 



that the workmen of the plume trade would 

 in some violent manner publicly manifest their 

 disapprobation. " The feather trade strenuous- 

 ly objected to the presence of President Poin- 

 care at the presentation, even though he is 

 known to be in sympathy with the work of the 

 two Societies in the preservation of the birds 

 of the world. In order to avoid an unpleasant 

 episode, the officers of the two Societies reluc- 

 tantl}' decided to alter their program some- 

 what; but it is reported that "the American 

 Ambassador acted most gallantl)' in the mat- 

 ter, saying that in any event he would attend 

 the meeting and if any stones were to be 

 thrown he wished to take his share." 



Tlie presentation of the medal was made at 

 the American Embassy, on March 29, by a 

 delegation of officers from the two Societies, 

 composed as follows: 



j\lr. Edmond Perrier, jNIember of tiie Insti- 

 tute of France, President of the Acclima- 

 tation Society of France. 



Mr. Magaud d'Aubusson, President of the 

 League for the Protection of Birds (sub- 

 section of Ornithology of the Acclimata- 

 tion Society). 



Mr. A. Chappelier, Secretary of tlie League. 



Mr. Maurice Loyer, General Secretary of 

 the Acclimatation Society. 



Mr. Pierre Amedee Pichot, Honorary Mem- 

 ber of the Council. 

 ]\Ir. Ch. Debreuil, ^lember of the Council. 



On receiving the medal. Ambassador Her- 

 rick made the following response : 



"In awarding an honorary medal of your 

 Society, one of the most distinguished of 

 France, to a citizen of the United States of 

 America, you are honoring the Nation as well 

 as the person upon whom such distinction is 

 conferred, and it affords me special and par- 

 ticular satisfaction to receive your medal on 

 this occasion in behalf of Dr. William T. Horn- 

 aday, who greatly regrets that his lectures at 

 Yale University prevents him from being pres- 

 ent, so as to receive it personally. 



"The fact that this eminent Society has 

 deigned to bestow such an honor in recognition 

 of services rendered to the cause of bird pro- 

 tection throughout the world, is most signifi- 

 cant. It indicates that the destruction of wild 

 animals, pursued in all parts of the world, has 

 assumed so grave an aspect that it has attracted 

 the attention of scientists, of statesmen and of 

 society in general. 



"In awarding your honorary medal to one 

 of the most ardent champions of your cause in 



the world, unremittingly engaged in the de- 

 fense of wild birds and animals in their pain- 

 ful conditions of existence, the Acclimatation 

 Society of France has boldly challenged the 

 persistent demands of fashion, and expressed, 

 in a manner that cannot be misunderstood, its 

 desire to see the slaughter of wild birds for 

 the sake of trade come to an end. 



"The American people, having witnessed the 

 brutal destruction of the vast herds of buffaloes 

 and deer, as well as of wild birds, desired 

 that law and order with regard to those mat- 

 ters should prevail in their own country, al- 

 though it could not be done without strife, and 

 they will know how to fully appreciate the 

 moral courage whicii has resulted in this act 

 on your part, which will be approved by all 

 those whose judgment is based on a broad- 

 minded and impartial examination into this 

 matter. 



"In behalf of Dr. William T. Hornaday, it 

 becomes my pleasant duty to thank you for 

 your appreciation of his services, and to assure 

 you that he will continue to devote his efforts 

 to this noble cause, and persist in his attempts 

 to save from destruction the animals and birds, 

 — so beautiful and useful, — which are now be- 

 ing slaughtered without pit}' or mere}'." 



It is well to point out clearly the courage 

 of the leading zoologists of France in mak- 

 ing this award, in the face of the feeling 

 in Paris against us on the part of the feather 

 trade. Even when it was privately announced 

 that the medal was to be awarded, there were 

 those who did not believe that it ever would 

 come to pass, because of the probability that 

 the feather trade of Paris would object so 

 strongly that the idea would have to be aban- 

 doned. It seems, however, that the zoologists 

 and ornithologists of Paris have quite as much 

 courage and determination as the leaders of the 

 feather trade. Naturally this episode is keenly 

 interesting to all American defenders of birds, 

 and it affords good grounds for the belief that 

 eventually the zoologists of France will bring 

 the French nation up to the higliest level in 

 this cause. Madison Grant. 



A NEW ANGLE IN THE WAR WITH THE 

 FEATHER TRADE. 



In sharp contrast with the courageous action 

 of the French bird protectionists, there comes 

 to the New York Times the following cable 

 news of the struggle that is being made in the 

 British House of Commons to defeat the excel- 



