SELBORNIANA. 
75 
met once a month, when they learnt Band of Mercy songs, were addressed on the 
subject of kindness to animals, and were generally told about the habits of some 
animal or insect, which they chose at the previous meeting. While the address 
was being given, the girls did knitting or needlework, and the boys cut out 
pictures and coloured them for scrap-books, w'hich, together with the work, 
were sent to one of the children’s hospitals. Two years ago this Band of 
Mercy was joined to the juvenile branch of the C.E.T.S., and the meetings 
are held fortnightly, the members still continuing their work, which now goes to 
the Church of England Homes for Waifs and Strays. During the w'inter an 
occasional lecture with lantern views is given, generally by some one from the 
R.S.P.C.A., the children being encouraged by prizes to write an account of any 
special lecture or address. Members are admitted by the vicar at a service in 
church once a quarter, w'hen they receive the card of membership. The name 
of the Band is the “ Help,” so called from the dog who collected for the South 
Eastern Railway Orphanage. 
L. A. Leach. 
[We are glad to learn that this Band of Mercy has been so long in existence. 
It seems to us, however, that such Bands should not be so intimately associated 
with any special form of belief as appears to be the case at Brentford. — E d. A’.W.] 
“ Ospreys ” in High Places. — I was shown by my dressmaker, a day or 
two before the late Drawing-room, a court dress and train in which she evidently 
took much pride, but from which I turned away with strong disgust. The trim- 
ming consisted of groups of egrets’ feathers, dyed crimson to match the silk. I 
suppose there were about five of these groups down each side of the petticoat. I 
hardly think it can be urged with any probability that the order for this trimming 
was given in ignorance of the cruel wrong inflicted on a race of beautiful harm- 
less birds. So much has been said and published on the subject, that few, surely, 
amongst the more educated classes can affirm with truth that they follow the 
fashion unawares. I do not hesitate to say that, as a rule, women are, where 
“ dress ” is concerned, absolutely callous and indifferent to everything but fashion. 
I have seen and known a great deal of this, and my verdict is not too severe. Plead 
as you may for the birds, they will give you a stony stare and answer with the 
emptiest arguments. Some say the birds would be killed anyhow, and they may 
as well wear them as any one else ; or they declare that the feathers are not egrets’ 
at all, or if they are, that the numbers sacrificed are enormously exaggerated. 
They will say anything rather than confess that to kill birds to wear on their 
heads is cruel, or promise to discontinue doing so These are my unimaginative 
sisters — no small class, I fear. There are others who will ask “ if they may not 
just wear out their old egret?” or — and this, at least, is honest —refuse point 
blank to give it up. Others, again (like your correspondent at p. 55), want to 
begin at the wrong end by attempting to stop the supply — an idle dream, I fear, 
so long as the demand continues. Few', indeed, act like the upper housemaid I 
knew, who on being told the reason why she was asked to give up the egret in 
her Sunday bonnet, showed her kind heart by taking it out at once. She said, 
very simply, that she had never had an idea that such suffering was caused by 
the obtaining of the feathers of any bird. I believe the bunch of lilac and 
heartsease which replaced that plume gave far more pleasure to the wearer than 
ever the egret had done ; and the little episode ended by the Society for the Pro- 
tection of Birds receiving a new member. I confess, however, that I see little 
hope for our cause in any further appeal to the merciful feelings of the majority 
of women ; they are hopelessly enslaved by fashion — blinded by its dictates. 
E. V. B. 
[Another valued correspondent sends us the following paragraph from The 
Poultry Journal for March 9 : — 
“ Lovers of birds are grieving over the fact, announced in the Court Circular, 
that the trimming of the Princess of Wales’ court train, worn at Tuesday’s Draw- 
ing-room, included ospreys, the beautiful crested plumes which are so barbarously 
torn from the parent birds in the nesting season. The ospreys are often so 
seriously injured that they slowly and lingeringly die in sight of the nests where 
