The Destruction of Wild Biids in General throughout the World. 857 



beautiful aud useful creatures wliicli have beeu cherished (hu-in.t^- 

 so many ag"cs? 



We have no right, eitlier legal or moral, to destroy the bird- 

 life now on the earth, or to permit it to be destroyed. Birds are 

 an iidieritance, which it is otu" bounden duty to hand down to 

 those who arc to come after us in as good a state of preservation 

 as the natural forces of destruction will permit. 



To do any less, is to fail in a solemn duty. 



Gentlemen, I ask you to fully realize the gravity of the 

 situation, and the necessity for immediate acti(jn of a far-reaching 

 nature. The nature of that action — if it is to be effective — must 

 be an agreement among the nations of the world. But not in the 

 form of an International Law, dealing uniformly with species. ' 

 No hope of agreement lies in that direction. Birds friendly to one 

 country, may be inimical to another country — especially if accli- 

 matized. Herein, then, lies the solution: — Each country must 

 prohibit the export of its own birds — whether it be a live bird, 

 or a dead bird, or the skins and feathers thereof; and each, 

 country must also prohibit the import of the birds of other 

 countries. If a country is wishful to destroy its owai birds, let 

 it do so; but it must not be selfishly wasteful of the natural wealth 

 of other countries. That, in my opinion, is the only basis on 

 vvdiich one may ever hope to build up an International agreem-ent. 

 That, in my opinion, is the only effective way to save the birds 

 to the world. 



Gentlemen, in this life it often happens that an hour is given 

 us when something may be done, some good work accomplished, 

 which cannot possibly be done if that hour is permitted to pass 

 aw^ay unimproved. An hour is given us in which work for the 

 preservation of birds may be done. Hitherto, we have neglected 

 it from ignorance, procrastination, thoughtlessness, or selfishness. 

 Let us then awake to our culpable negligence, and rouse ourselves 

 to action. But if it is to be done at all, it must be done quickly, 

 in the eleventh hour that has been given us. If we do not take 

 advantage of this opportunity, it will never recur. 



Children gather the flowers of the field, and their feeble 

 fancy sated, toss them aside to wither and die. But the seeds, 

 the roots, remain. The violet will bloom another year; the cowslip 

 will stain the meadows yellow as of yore. But these blossoms 

 of the air will never bloom again. Once gone, they are gone 

 for ever. 



Do not therefore, I beseech you, let this opportunity pass. 

 Do not delay until those whom we could have saved are past 

 salvation. 



