INTRODUCTION. XXXV 
small ones,—a group of three or four to half a dozen; or the heads and wings of even 
a greater number. Others, still, will content themselves with a few wings fancifully 
dyed and bespangled, or a wreath of grebe ‘fur,’ usually dyed, and not unfrequently set 
off with egret-plumes. In the average, however, there must be an incongruous assem- 
blage made up of parts of various birds, or several entire birds, representing at least a 
number of individuals. But let us say that these 10,000,000 bird-wearers have but a 
single bird each, that these birds may be ‘made over’ so as to do service for more than 
a single season; and still what an annual sacrifice of bird-life is entailed! Can it be 
placed at less than 5,000,000?—ten times more than the number of specimens extant 
in all our scientific collections, private and public together, and probably a thousand times 
greater than the annual destruction of birds (including also eggs) for scientific purposes. 
“Fortunately, perhaps, the supply of bird-skins for decorative purposes is not all 
drawn from a single country, the whole world being laid under tribute. The ornitholo- 
gist recognizes in the heterogeneous groups of birds on women’s hats, met with on every 
hand, a great preponderance of North American species; but with them are many of 
the common birds of Europe, and a far greater variety from South America, and many 
from Africa, Australia, New Guinea, and India. But, on the other hand, it is well 
known that our own birds are exported in immense numbers to Europe; but, whether 
the exportation exceeds the importation, it is impossible to determine, from lack of 
proper statistics. 
“With the foregoing facts before us in regard to the annual destruction of our 
birds, it is no longer surprising that many species, and even genera, of birds, are fast 
disappearing from our midst. Considering that this slaughter has been waged for years, 
but with rapid increase year by year, is it not rather a wonder that so many birds 
are still left? .... 
“But why, some may be supposed to ask, should the slaughter be interfered with? 
Does it not yield profit to many an impecunious idler, who receives so much per head 
from the ‘taxidermist’ for the freshly killed bird? Do not their preparation and manu- 
facture into the gaudy or otherwise untasteful hat-gear give employment to many a 
needy hand, and add materially to the milliner’s gains? Why is not their use for per- 
sonal decoration, 4 la sauvage, as legitimate and defensible as their use for food, with 
: the added advantage of being able to utilize decoratively a great many species other- 
wise of no commercial value? Why should we be anxious to preserve our birds? Are 
they, when alive, of any practical value, or do they contribute in any way to our 
pleasure or well-being ? 
“In regard to the first of these inquiries, the men and boys really get little more 
-in the average for the raw material than enough to pay them for their powder and 
shot: it is the ‘sport’ that affords them their real reward. The middle-men,—the skin- 
ners and manufacturers,—and an occasional professional gunner, make most of the 
profit, which must be more or less considerable to induce them to run the gauntlet of 
public opinion and the occasional risks of prosecution in their illegal enterprises. The 
milliner shares, of course, in the profits of the trade in such supplies; but, if birds were 
not used to such an extent, other and more fitting decorations would be adopted in 
their place, and their business would not suffer. 
