98 



Bird -Lore 



geons 6 s. each. A peculiarly deplorable 

 -feature of the sale was the offer of four 

 packages of Lyre-bird tails; this beautiful 

 bird is found only in Australia, and is 

 being driven deeper and deeper into the 

 bush in ever-decreasing numbers, on 

 account of the persecution it meets with 

 in the interests of the plume-trade. 



Birds-of-Paradise continues to be a 

 leading feature of the plume sales in 

 London, and will apparently continue to 

 be so until the last of these exquisite birds 

 has found its sepulchre in a Houndsditch 

 ■warehouse, unless measures are taken 

 for its absolute protection throughout 

 New Guinea. At the sale on October 15th, 

 -over 7,000 were offered, and nearly all 

 ""sold with good competition;" for that 

 of December 17th, 4,667 were catalogued. 

 The packages of "Osprey" feathers num- 

 bered 548 and 200 respectively, a large 

 proportion being advertised as "East 

 Indian." Other features of the two sales 

 were 100 Lyre-bird tails from Australia, 

 •96 Impeyan Pheasants (presumably from 

 India, whence their exportation is illegal), 

 and a large number of Coronata Pigeons 

 .and of Albatross quill feathers. 



Plume-Hunters in the Soudan* 



The French government has, it is an- 

 nounced, decided to supply funds for a 

 thorough test of the question whether the 

 Ostrich can be successfully domesticated 

 in the French Soudan. Anxiety on the 

 •subject has arisen from the fact that the 

 natives of Upper Senegal and Niger are, 

 at the instigation of the plume-hunters, 

 rapidly exterminating both Ostrich and 

 Heron. Dr. Decorse, who has been 

 investigating the matter for the Govern- 

 ment, accordingly recommends an effort 

 to farm the former bird, as is done so 

 •commonly in South Africa, by the estab- 

 lishment of large ranches where the birds 

 may be kept as much as possible in the 

 natural state. With regard to the Herons, 

 only one course is possible if the birds are 



* From "Bird Notes and News," organ of the 

 Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, London, 

 England. Autumn and winter numbers, 1907. 



to be preserved. The hunting of them is 

 to be entirely prohibited for two years, 

 and reservations are to be set apart in 

 which the natives are never to be permitted 

 to hunt the species. 



Attracting Birds 



The writer is preparing for the National 

 Association of Audubon Societies a mono- 

 graph on "Methods of Attracting Birds 

 Around Our Homes." The purpose is to 

 make this a comprehensive summary of 

 what has been done by bird students 

 along this line, and to collect in one pam- 

 phlet the results of these experiences. 

 This is intended especially to be helpful 

 to teachers and children. To accomplish 

 the desired end, the writer will need 

 the cooperation of the readers of Bird- 

 Lore, and, accordingly, he would make 

 the request that those who have taken 

 means to attract birds around their 

 homes 'would kindly send him a brief 

 summary of their experiences. Due credit 

 will be given for all contributions. The 

 following outline suggests some of 

 the topics on which information is 

 desired: 



1. Feeding Winter Birds.* — Kinds of 

 feed tried; kinds preferred by birds. 

 Description of feeding trough; its location. 

 List of birds that feed; birds tamed to 

 feed from hand. Experiences with English 

 Sparrows; devices tried to prevent them 

 from feeding. 



2. Providing Nesting Houses.* — Most 

 successful kinds of houses; best location, 

 and height from ground. Kind of birds 

 using houses. Special adaptations to par- 

 ticular kinds of birds. Open boxes and 

 shelves for Robin, Phcebe, Swallow, etc. 

 Experiences with English Sparrows; 

 devices to keep them from using 

 houses. 



3. Drinking and Bathing Fountains.* — 

 Method of construction; size; location. 

 List of birds using it. How protected from 

 cats. 



— Gilbert H. Trafton, Passaic, N. J. 



* Photographs desired in addition to those 

 which have already appeared in Bird-Lore. 



