224 
The Birds of India. 
Thus the Goveruiiieiit of India has done all in its power for the birds 
and the agriculturists. Unfortunately, the export still continues, althougli, 
I believe, it has been consideral)ly lessened. The law is evaded by the 
exporter making a false declaration as to the nature of his exports. I am 
glad to observe that a Bill prohibiting the importation of such plumage into 
Great Britain is now before Parliament. This Bill, if it becomes law, will 
render the Indian Act far more effective. 
Surgeon-General Bidie, in a pamphlet published eight years ago, gives 
a list of Ihii ty-two birds which are, or were, captured in vSouth India ou 
account of their feathers. Some of these birds are to be numbered among 
the best friends of the Indian husliandman. But, inasmuch as the .\ct of 
1903 has come into force since Surgeon-General liidie's paper was writien, I 
do not propose to make it tlie basis of the remarks I am about to offer. A 
safer foundation is that afforded by the sales which have actually taken 
place in London of recent years. Large numbeis of the following Indian 
birds have been sold in London since the passing of the Act:— Egrets, the 
" ospreys " of the feather trade, Inipe3-au or Monal Pheasants, Paroquets, 
Kingfisheis, Trogons, Orioles, Rollers, Pittas, Owls, Jungle and Peafowl. 
With the solitary exception of the Paroquets, these are all good friends of 
the Indian ryot. .So that, notwithstanding recent legislation, the pluilie- 
hunters are every year draining India of thousands of what Sir Charles 
Lawson well calls "a watchful and efficient bird police against multiui- 
<1inous insect thieves." Thus, from a purely economic point of view, apart 
from the cruelty it involve.s, the trade in ]ilumage birds is harmful to India. 
Extinction of Bikd.s. 
There is also the question of the extinction of beautiful birds. 
Whether there is any danger of this I am not in a position to say, foi m\- 
stay in India has not been sufficiently long for me to be able to form an 
opinion of the effect of this bird slaughter on the numbers of the various 
species. But .Sir Charles Lawson, writing in 1900, states that the continuous 
depredations, of a long series of years, have woefully reduced the means of 
supply (of biids' skins), as any one may notice for himself when he passes 
paddy fields, or strolls through silent, because birdless, plantations or 
forests." It is certainly sigiiificaut that the beautiful Indian Roller, or 
Blue Jay (Ccnrc'/rti iudica)\'n a rare bird about both Madras and Bomljay, 
while he becomes more plentiful as one goes inland. There seems to be no 
reason why this species should not thrive right up to the sea-shore, so that 
I am forced to attriljute his scarcity on the coast near Bombay and Madras 
to the depredations of the plume-hunter. 
Thk Indictment against thk Pr.iiMK Huntkk. 
There are three counts in the indictment against this individual. 
First, that he is causing to become extinct some of the most beautiful of 
God's creatures. Second, that he is robbing the liusijandman of numbeis 
of his most useful allies. Third, that he is guilty of much ciuelty. As 
