The Destruction of Wild Birds in General throughout 



the World. 



By James Buckland, London. 



The war of annihilation which is now being- waged against 

 all wild birds is far more universal and far more fatal in its effects 

 than people are aware. So general is the slaughter, that to one, 

 like myself, who spent the early years of his life in regions un- 

 trodden by man, or, if man were present, where he lived in har- 

 mony with nature — and who has not forgotten how plentiful 

 bird-life was thirty years ago where now only pitiful remnants 

 of species remain, there comes a questioning doubt as to whether 

 a large percentage of the human race should not be given a place 

 in the list of predatory animals who have no other thought than 

 the brutal instmct to kill. Wherever there are birds whose 

 feathers are suitable for trimming hats, there will the plume- 

 hunter be found, dealing death and destruction. Wherever there 

 are birds which are becoming rare, there will be the collector 

 also, keenly anxious to obtain representatives of lingering species 

 before his rival gets a chance to do so. Wherever there are birds 

 whose eggs command a high price, there hurries the egg-collector, 

 to destroy not only the embryonic life, but often the mature life 

 as well by killing the bird which laid the egg for the purpose of 

 identification. Wherever there are birds which are considered 

 "sport", there hastens the man with the gun, to expend upon 

 these beautiful and useful creatures his barbarous, inherent desire 

 to kill in response to instinctive promptings. 



Of all these destructive agencies, by far the most fatal in its 

 effects is the traffic in plumes, for the annual gathering of feathers 

 for the millinery market is a harvest which must be reaped in 

 the breeding season. There are two good reasons why this must 

 needs be so. In the first place, feathers are of value to the trade 

 only when rich in the brilliancy and abundance begotten of 

 sexual selection - — in other words, during the breeding season. 

 At all other times feathers lack lustre, smoothness, and elasticity, 

 and are, therefore, worthless for decorative purposes. In the 

 second place, it is when birds are breeding that the one favourable 

 opportunity of killing them arises. Many species of birds are 

 wide rangers, and during a great portion of the year are dispersed 

 distantly and broadly. To pursue them for their feathers during 

 this period would be not only a very arduous occupation, but 

 would not result, I am afraid, in a very handsome pecuniary 



