CHECKS UPON INCREASE OF USEFUL BIRDS. 357 
cling to our rings, beads, and feathers, —the ornaments of 
the savage. Within thirty-five years the skins of Bluebirds, 
Scarlet Tanagers, and Baltimore Orioles have been in good 
demand in Massachusetts for hat ornaments. The brutal 
savagery which is characteristic of this phase of bird destruc- 
tion has been well illustrated in the extermination of the 
Egrets of the United States. Twenty-five years ago these 
beautiful birds were abundant in‘some southern States; 
stragglers occasionally came north as far as New England. 
‘They are shy birds during most of the year, feeding chiefly 
in deep swamps and along lonely water courses. In the 
breeding season they gather into heronries, commonly called 
“rookeries,” where they build their nests. Then much of 
their shyness disappears under the stress of providing for 
and protecting their young. Unfortunately for them, their 
nuptial plumes are perfect in the breeding season. Fashion 
demanded the plumes. Nesting time was the plume hunter’s 
opportunity. There was little difficulty, then, in securing the 
birds by shooting them when they were sitting on the nests or 
hovering over their helpless young. So the old birds were 
shot, the plumes stripped from their backs, and the young 
left to starve in the nests or become the prey of Hawks, 
Crows, or Vultures. When I was in Florida, in 1878, great 
flights of these birds were seen along the lakes and rivers of 
the southern counties. One heronry was estimated to con- 
tain three million birds. Ten years later they were rare 
everywhere, and now they are practically extirpated. They 
have been pursued along the coasts of Mexico and into 
Central and South America. The search is extending into 
all countries where they may be found. Half-savage Indians 
and negroes are enlisted in the slaughter, supplied with guns 
and ammunition, and sent wherever they can find the birds. 
The misery and suffering entailed can be imagined. Thus 
are the “stub” plumes, “aigrettes,” and “ospreys” procured. 
They are not manufactured, and, whatever their color when 
sold, they were originally stripped from the back, head, or 
neck of some white Heron or Egret. The absolute extinc- 
tion of these plume-bearing species is assured unless women 
will stop wearing the plumes. A similar slaughter took place 
