Correspondence. 159


given fresh every hour, and the moment drinking water became dirty I

changed it. Moreover, they were left with an electric lamp, giving both

heat and light throughout the night, close to the cages.


Surely if the trappers continue to catch the Leiothrix at this rate,

and the dealers receive them, these birds must gradually be terribly

diminished in their numbers.


Personally I would rather never see a Japanese Robin again than

think that Iain encouraging this thinning of their ranks, and the numerous

deaths amongst the imprisoned birds, as well as the misery caused to them

in the crowded, filthy cages, fighting and struggling literally for their

lives. They have dirty water — soiled food, and more often than not in the

Dealer's shop, a most horrible and foetid atmosphere to breathe. Rank

poison ! I do not sa)' that this was so in the place from which my birds

came, but it certainly is so in some cases.


One cries out a great deal about the slaughter of birds for women's

hats, and with reason, for it is a most abominable thing, and gladly would I

snatch off any woman's hat which flourishes Birds-of- Paradise plumes, heads

of Crowned Pigeons and Egret's feathers, etc., under one's nose, and leave

the wearer to go home bare-headed ! ! But I do believe that we who

encourage ruthless importation of birds, are to be equally blamed. They

are caught in their thousauds, and die at any rate in hundreds. Bought at

probably about id a piece, and sold for 1/-.


The catalogue of bird-plumes for the women is sad enough, but when

the Japanese Robins have to slowly die in their " Black holes of Calcutta,"

the sadness is added to, and we are living in glass-houses who encourage

the importations. The dealer from whom I purchased mine assures me

that the mortality has been very small indeed, and considers that if I give

my birds boiled water to drink, I shall have a similar experience.


The Grey Parrots too. That is another instance. How many

thousands have been imported, and how many have died whilst still almost

babies ? I am glad I do not know.


America has set a good example in forbidding for a time the exporta-

tion of certain birds, notably Blue Robins and Virginian Nightingales

(Cardinal Grosbeaks) : and much as I love these birds, I am genuinely glad

to think that many that would be travelling in their dirty prisons to more

often than not equally dirty shops (in England !) are enjoying their liberty

in their native land.


If we can acclimatize birds and give them all the care they should

have, I do believe they are happy ; but we bird-lovers ought not to shut up

our eyes and our consciences to the fact that in creating a demand for

foreign birds (and English ones too for that matter) we are encouraging a

great deal of cruelty and numerous deaths of birds which do not have the

luck to be purchased by us and survive.


Imagine 6000 English Robins exported in one lot! if there really were



