on the Plumage Question and Aviculture.



63



passu with this increase, Man has encroached on Wild Nature

restricting her boundaries and reducing her numbers.


Such a state of affairs could not long' exist, the toll taken from

Nature would eventually have become so small that Man himself

would have been in danger of starvation. The question was solved,

however, by the domestication of certain wild species. These being

under the entire control of Man were, in the first place, protected

from their natural enemies, and thus a larger surplus was available

for the needs of Man, who has also increased their fertility, and

ensured for himself an unlimited food supply.


In other cases, by the regulation of “ close times,” destruction

of natural enemies, etc., the nominal increase of many wild species

has been greatly augmented and turned to Man’s advantage, without

to any appreciable extent interfering with the balance of Nature,

and even in the case of the plume trade we have the Ostrich, which

has undoubtedly been saved from extermination by domestication.


Surely, therefore, the only logical and fair method of dealing

with the Plumage Question in which, as we have tried to show, both

parties have rights, is by attempting to farm, either in a wild state

(as is done in the case of Plovers, Partridges, Foxes, etc.) or in a

state of domestication (as is done with Ostriches, Peafowl, etc.)

those species whose plumes are the most valuable and to regulate the

destruction and sale of other species with whom the above methods

are not practical.


Why has this method, so universal with other animals and

plants, not been attempted ? There are two main reasons. Firstly

the world is wide, birds are numerous and a large toll can be exacted

for many years before the result of that suicidal destruction becomes

obvious, more especially as it is taking place in the remoter parts of

the worid. Secondly, to “farm ” any species successfully it must be

carefully studied, both in its wild state as well as in confinement, and

hitherto no attempt has been made or money forthcoming to enable

such an enquiry to be undertaken with even a single species. A

French firm has made a beginning by offering a prize of £400 for

the first Osprey (Egret) farm established on French territory, but a sum

much greater than that would be required to carry out the necessary

observations and then stock a farm with any chance of success.



