222 
NATURE NOTES 
and friend, is now laid by in poor circumstances and bad health, 
the latter certified by her medical man to be the result of “ too 
hard and too prolonged mental labour.” Miss Cobbe, the 
veteran leader of the Mercy cause, assisted by Miss B. K. Oakes, 
is raising a fund for the purchase of an annuity, as an acknow- 
ledgment of Miss Carrington’s services in the past and for her 
relief in the future. Contributions will be gratefully received 
and acknowledged by Miss Oakes, 6, Colville Houses, Talbot 
Road, Notting Hill, London, W. 
Feather Pompons and Trimmings. — The following letter 
was recently addressed to the Society, and as it opened up a 
subject of interest it was passed on to Mr. Hedger Wallace for 
his opinion on the points raised. We give below both Miss 
B ’s letter in question and Mr. Hedger Wallace’s memor- 
andum : — 
Miss B s Letter. 
“ Having recently read a reprint of an article on ‘ Ospreys,’ published by the 
Selborne Society, from which I learn that even the common ‘ brush ospreys ’ are 
generally taken from the same bird as the more expensive ones, or from birds 
which are killed solely for purposes of decoration, I should be very glad if you 
could tell me whether there are any other kinds of feather trimmings which one 
should avoid buying. I am particularly anxious to know about feather ‘ pompons ’ 
as they are a favourite hat trimming in my family. One would wish only to buy 
such trimmings as are made from the feathers of birds that are used for food, and 
I should be glad to know whether there is any means of distinguishing such.” 
Mr. Hedger Wallace's Memorandum. 
“ I have made inquiries and find that those who are the 
wholesale buyers of bird-skins and feathers would like to see 
feather pompons done away with. The reason is simple, for 
pompons represent the utilisation of waste products, being 
made mainly from the trimmings of ostrich plumes, though 
sometimes they are made of cocks’ feathers and a few other 
feathers. Generally, however, pompons are made up of the 
waste bits and trimmings which are taken off the natural ostrich 
feathers as imported, in the process of bleaching, curling, &c., 
to which they are subjected before they become the ostrich 
plumes of the shops. Of course, those who deal in plumes hope 
that if pompons were discarded the wearers would replace 
them with plumes and so extend the sale of ostrich and other 
feathers. 
“ As regards brush ospreys, these are generally the quill ends 
of the plumes of the large white egret. The plumes are often 
17 in. to 18 in. long, and are cut either into halves or into three, 
and excepting the top length, they go to make brush ospreys. 
The ‘fish tail’ ospreys come from the intermediate egret, and 
the small, beautifully curved plumes from the little egret. 
“ It is difficult to say what feather trimmings ladies should 
avoid. A knowledge of the Natural History of birds, plus a 
little common sense, is really the safest guide. The feathers of 
birds that are used for food, that are reared for their plumage, 
