Corresponde 7 ice, Notes , etc. 361



lieu. You might try another, but he would very likely treat her just the

same.


It is not necessary to put two hens in with a Golden cock Pheasant.

Versicolor Pheasants are not tame, neither are they easily reared, at least

pure bred ones, and they are very shy layers.


Reeves are far tamer ; they are fair layers, but not very easy to rear.

Neither Gold, Amherst, Silver, nor any cock Pheasant which does not

assume full breeding-plumage in its first season will breed in its first year,

although the hens lay freely their first year. There are a few rare

exceptions to this rule.


I should not be inclined to put more than a cock and two hen

Pheasants in a pen such as described. E. G. B. Meade-Wakdo.



THE .SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS.


Sir, —From a ‘Market Report’ which reaches me monthly from

London I extract the following:


“ Bird Skins, &c. —The Sales were held on 12th ult. There was a good

demand. Osprey Skins : Long, medium, and inferior qualities were 2/-

to 3/- per oz. higher, but the best were steady on the average, but

occasionally hardly up to the extreme prices of last Sales. Short

steady. Short Selected steady to rather lower, part Selected 5/- to 15/-

per oz. lower. South American Birds : 38 packages offered and sold at

steady prices. 2 packages Vulture Feathers sold much higher. Osprey

Feathers—Venezuelan : Long 35/- to 35/6, Long and Medium 25/- to 35/-,

Short Selected £7 10/- per oz. to quality. West Indian and Brazil Bird

Skins: Long Tail Trojans 12/6 to 15/-, Trojans 2/6 to 3/9, Cocks of the

Rock 2/10, Indian Crows 1/9, Yellow and Black Tanagers 5fd, Dark Red

Tanagers 3d, Blue Chatterers 5/1, Cardinals ifd to ifd, Parrots ifd to 2fd,

Ruby Humming ifd to 2fd, Various Humming fd to fd, Red Tanagers

3fd to 4fd, Manakins id, Orange Oriels 2§d, Green with Brown Heads

2d, Manakins Black with Yellow Heads ifd each. Vulture Feathers,

Long, Medium and Short 7/9 to 10/6 per lb. Next Sales 3rd August,

last Receiving day 28th July.”


Surely here is eloquence ! There they go, ladies! Eight various

Humming-bird skins for one penny ! Eight more probably rejected, or

spoiled in the skinning, another eight either wounded or killed outright

and not rescued! There they go, ladies! Twenty-four feathered jewels, fit

for your very best bonnet, twenty-four for one penny ; The narrative you

hear read in church, the ‘two food-sparrows sold for one farthing,’ makes

you shudder, you ‘ wouldn’t hurt a fly.’ There they go, just to add beauty (?)

to your bonnet, two hundred and eighty-eight Humming-birds (assorted)

for one shilling : Your milliner will make, I beg pardon, ‘ create, a dream

of beauty,’ in the shape of a bonnet. Wear it to church, it will doubtless

aid in the worship of the birds’ Creator and yours.



