AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 329 



large number of graceful plumes known as aigrettas. There is not a 

 woman who does not know that these plumes are obtained only by the 

 most cruel and barbarous methods. How can she kneel and partake of 

 the holy communion while wearing them? 



Can the children of the Sunday schools grow to be good men and 

 women unless they are taught that kindness to all God's creatures is a 

 part of Christian life? 



The Saviour says: "Not a sparrow shall fall to the ground without 

 your Father's knowledge." 



This certainly means that human beings will be held responsible for 

 all acts of cruelty to even the most humble of God's creatures. 



Birds are a check on insect life, and so lessen the labor of the tiller 

 of the soil. Scientific study during the past two decades has demon- 

 strated the fact that birds are the most valuable friends the agricultural- 

 ist has. They destroy insect pests and noxious vermin. They also eat 

 thousands of tons of weed seeds, which if left to propogate, would soon 

 overrun the land. 



Birds require no pay for their labors, they only ask to be left alone 

 to enjoy in peace and safety the life the creator gave them, the same 

 right that every good citizen enjoys. 



A clever, handsome woman kindly disposed enough to be singing for 

 a settlement club, wears around her hat a complete wreath of smashed 

 humming birds. Not only their feathers, whose beauty might for a 

 moment make us forget their background of death, but the wretched 

 little creatures' dislocated wings and dried heads, with staring, glassy 

 eyes, so ugly in their unnaturalness as to call anyone's attention to the 

 animal. 



To kill for ornament, is a thing no creature does hut man — and man 

 has ceased to do that in civilized races. 



As intelligence increases, as education extends, as the higher sympa- 

 thies develop the associative idea of death and pain becomes stronger, 

 than the sensuous effect of color. 



But our women in this respect are not civilized. Their love for 

 beads and spangles shows the true savage in his harmless nearness, and 

 their indifference to cruelty even in its proudest exhibition, shows that 

 savage in darker colors. 



What does it cost, this garniture of death? It costs the life which 

 God alone can give. It costs dull silence where was music's breath. 

 It costs dead joy, that foolish pride may live. 



"Telegram" M. D. W. 



