8 
NATURE NOTES 
approach, except when they are nesting or rearing their young, 
and it is at this time that the collector obtains his feathers. 
The persistence with which the same localities are chosen by 
the birds for this purpose year after year, is an instance of that 
extraordinary predilection on the part of many birds to repair to 
the spot where they themselves have been reared for the purpose 
of nesting. These spots are called garceros, and as they are 
generally upon private lands, the owners make quite an income 
by hiring out the privilege to kill egrets. As much as 2,000 
pesos, equal to 1,600 dollars of United States money, have been 
paid for this privilege on a single garcero during one season. In 
spite of the slaughter of thousands of these birds, the garceros 
continue to be used by the egrets, but in ever diminishing 
numbers. The beauty of a few feathers on their backs will be 
the cause of their extinction. The love of adornment common 
to most animals is the source of their troubles. The graceful 
plumes, which they doubtless admire in each other, have appealed 
to the vanity of the most destructive of all animals. They are 
doomed, because the women of civilised countries continue to 
have the same fondness for feathers and ornaments characteristic 
of savage tribes.” 
From the description above given, we have a very fair 
example of the manner in which a sort of vicious circle is 
formed in this class of trade when a demand is once created, 
and how very difficult it is to put a stop to it, or to know at 
what part of the circle to begin. We have here concerned, at 
least, the wearers of the plumes, the shopkeepers, the shippers, 
the landowners, and those actually employed in killing the birds, 
and, no doubt, other intermediaries, any of whom, taken apart 
from the rest, would probably consider that they were occupied 
in a perfectly harmless and innocent business. 
C. W. Ware. 
LETTER TO THE EDITOR. 
Hares and Coursing. 
EAR SIR, — Being anxious to see for myself what sort of 
sport these annual gatherings afford, I have lately been 
to one of the great coursing meetings. The hares were 
driven by a number of beaters with white flags out of 
a large field of turnips, skirted by a narrow belt of young trees 
and rough grass, enclosed on the outer side by wire-netting with 
a single outlet, through which the hares were permitted to 
escape one by one. Close to this opening was a huge straw 
stack, against the side of which the slipper held the dogs in 
leash, ready to be loosed as the hares ran past. The course was 
up a gentle slope from lialf to three quarters of a mile long, and 
in full view of the lookers-on. From what had been told me I 
