Correspondence.



285



PROTECTION OF BIRDS FROM THE PLUME TRADERS.


Mr. WILLIAM T. HORNADAY, SC. D., writes in June, from New York,

the following: —


DEAR Mr. ASTLEY, —Our measure in the new Tariff Bill, to absolutely prohibit

the importation of all wild birds’ plumage for millinery purposes, went swim¬

mingly through the House of Representatives, and passed before the milliners

had a chance to train their guns upon it. You never saw a lot of feather dealers

so completely surprised and chagrined as they were. That they were caught

napping, was not our fault; but they feel very sore, just the same. Now they

have hired distinguished lawyers, and set them to work in the Senate to defeat

our clause. Naturally, we are fighting for our own, and whenever we see a

head, we hit it! The good and the sensible women of the country have become

thoroughly aroused regarding this matter, and are flooding members of the

Senate with letters demanding the passage of our clause exactly as it stands.

But this is not a quarter of what they will do provided it developes that there

is any danger that our clause is likely to be stricken out.


I am so busy with this campaign that I scarcely know which way to turn,

and my desk is piled high with neglected correspondence. Some day I may be

able to write something for the Avicultural Magazine : but at present I have no

thoughts for anything other than the war with the feather trade.



THE LAST GREAT AUK.


THE Duchess OF BEDFORD writes—“ I celebrated the centenary of

“the death of the last British Great Auk by visiting the grave of William

“ Fculis, the man who shot it. I was shown it by an old man who knew Foulis,

“and had heard the story of its death from him.”


* * #


BIRDS ON FAIR ISLAND.


THE DUCHESS of Bedford also writes—“ I had fully intended to write

“ an account of my spring visit to Fair Isle, but alas ! though I went there, the

“ S.E. wind would not blow, and we had no birds.”



PARRAKEETS AT WOBURN ABBEY.


LORD TAVISTOCK writes—“ The news from Woburn is both good

“ nd bad—chiefly bad. The Barnard Parrakeet brought off his first family all

“ ight, and the Stanleys have three or four young nearly ready to fly (first week

“ f June), and the Bourke’s are sitting ; on the other hand I have lost my only

“ 31ue-winged Grass Parrakeet. and only hen Yellow-belly, from accidents ; the

“ len Red-capped Parrakeet refuses to lay anything but soft-shelled eggs, and the

4 cock Blue Budgerigar died suddenly, the moment his wife started sitting, and

the hen Stanley (No. 2) was found dead on her eggs.”



