SELBORN/ANA 
187 
Birds of Paradise : — 
“ Some informaiion has reached me which affords clear evidence of the length 
to which the trade in skins and feathers of brightly-coloured birds is now carried 
on for the purpose of personal adornment. A traveller who has recently arrived 
here from the Australasian and other islands in Oceania tells me that from the 
six or seven districts of North and West Dutch New Guinea, at a low estimate, 
close upon 20,000 skins of Paradise birds are annually exported. At Humboldt’s 
Bay, in New Guinea, he came across two Chinese traders, who were despatching 
to Europe about 1,200 skins of this most beautiful of all birds every three months. 
One grand long-plumaged species has been very nearly exterminated, and last 
year only seventy skins of this particular species were exported from Jobi, though 
all the natives in the place were engaged hunting for specimens. It is evident, 
indeed, that the Bird of Paradsie is doomed to extinction before long if the present 
rale of slaughter is maintained.” — Birmingham Daily Post. 
“Journalistic Hypocrisy.” — A correspondent comments 
under this heading on the fact that while the editor of The 
Country-Side protests against the extermination of our wild 
plants, the advertisement columns of his newspaper contain 
various offers of British Orchids at “ 6d. each,” “ 250 choice 
wild species of Cotteswold plants, cheap,” &c. We would point 
out to our correspondent that editors cannot always control the 
advertisement pages. He says that he uses the word “exter- 
minate ” because “ not a single British will live in an ordinary 
garden,” for which reason the “ Kew Rockery ” is known as the 
“ orchid cemetery.” Otir correspondent adds, “ It would be 
well to find means of enlisting the sympathy of land owners who 
should be asked to instruct their game-keepers to bundle off all 
prowlers who can show no permit ; and in the case of the 
advertising prowler it would be an easy matter to send him a 
warning direct from the County Council in whose district he 
announces his ravages.” 
Crosby Hall. — We were unfortunately — like many others 
— premature in our rejoicing over the preservation of this historic 
building. In spite of the King’s strongly-expressed wish, in 
spite of the protest of the Society of Antiquaries, of our own 
Society, and of everybody who knows anything about it, the 
powers of vandalism are, apparentl}', to have their way. It is 
doubtful now whether anything worth saving can be saved. It 
is time we had a public Department that should be able in cases 
such as this to say “ Hands off! ” 
A Salutary Warning. — A prompt commentary on our 
remarks in last month’s number came on September 14, when 
John Raine was fined ;^3 at Keswick Police-court for cutting 
his name on one of the stones in the Druids’ Circle, one of our 
few protected Ancient Monuments. There is, it seems, a board 
bearing a cautionary notice, and the miscreant had written his 
name and address on it. 
Swiss Scenery. — In an admirable leading article the Times 
of September 4 calls attention to the forthcoming meeting of 
