So



FANCY FEATHER AND BIRD SKIN SAFES.


Sir,—P erhaps the enclosed cutting about a sale which took place afew

da3'S:ago, and which takes place abont every fortnight during the } r ear, will

interest some of our lady readers.


; If the fair sex could 011I3' be persuaded of the thousands upon

thousands of extremely rare birds that are slaughtered ever3' 3 r ear for the

decoration of their bonnets, etc. ; of the enormous waste of feathered life ;

and eventually the total extinction of birds which were at one time

plentiful, I am sure they would club together and make a promise never to

wear a feather of any sort.


There is a Society working with this end in view now, but what can

a few do against the thousands who think more of their personal adorn¬

ment than of the breath fleeting from the poor little bodies of the birds

which are either trapped, poisoned, or shot to effect this adornment.


. What these birds’ skins must cost abroad, when we see them offered

at one-thirt3’-second part of a penny per skin in the London markets,

cannot be imagined. A. Berthing.


The following is a copy of the cutting enclosed in J\lr. Bertling's letter

(From Messrs. Lewis and Peat’s Report, Feb. nth).


Feathers. — There was a good attendance of buyers at these—the

opening sales of the year. Competition, throughout, was ver3' keen, and a

considerable rise in values took place for nearly everything offered. Ospre3^

feathers of all sorts obtaining very high prices. White Paddy no change.

Gray Padd3^ were about 15 to 20 per cent, on last sales’ very high prices.

The total supply of all descriptions of Ospre3 r , &c., feathers was 13,163 ozs.

against 20,137 ozs. in the December sales. Bird skins, in good supply, sold

steadity on the average; but Birds of Paradise were in large suppty, -well

competed for, and sold at much dearer rates. Impeyan Pheasants, in small

supply, sold well. Parrots and Kingfishers, considering the qualit3 r , sold at

an advance.


Bird Skins. —There was a large supply at these sales to-daj', and

they passed off well. Birds of Paradise, in large suppl3 r , were well com¬

peted for, and sold at much dearer rates. Impeyan Pheasants, in small

supply, sold well. Parrots and Kingfishers, considering the quality, sold

well at an advance. Other skins, in good supply, sold steadily.


East Indian : Impe3-an Pheasants, 5s. 3d. to 7s. 3d., black argus, 3s. ;

Birds of Paradise, female round, 14s. 6d. to 24s. 6d., rifles, 4s. 5d. to 5s. many

wires, 5s. 9d. to 8s., black, 15s. 6d. to 17s. 6d., long tails, 7s. to 7s. 9d., black

and white, ns. 6d., new description, 40s. to 61s. ; pigeons, crested, 2s. to 5s.,.

bronze, 3s. 3d. to 3s. 6d.; bee eaters, fd. to id. ; owls, small, fd. to 3|d. 7

jays, ifd. to 2§d., parrots, medium, id. to 2fd., ringnecks, ifd. to 3§d.,

blackheads, fd. to 3|d., roseheads, ifd. to 5fd., large ifd. : kingfishers, flat,

2|d. to 3fd. ; quails, fd., starlings, fd.; jungle cocks, flat, 2s. id. various

birds i-32d. to fd. per skin.


West Indian: Humming fd. to 2d., various fd. to ifd,, ruby 2fd. to

5d., emerald, 2fd., ditto large 2d. to 2fd., ditto small, ifd. to 2d., Bonaparte,

6fd., amethyst, ifd. to 2§d., blue throated, 2fd.; tanagers, red, qd. to 5fd.,

yellow ana black, 7fd.;; chatterers, blue, 4s. 8d. to 5s. 3d., trogons, 2S. 9d.,

various birds, i-iSd. to fd.; osprey skins, with cross feathers, is. Sd. to

6s.6d. per skin.



