Egrets and Aigrettes . 1 1 
There is nothing in the whole earth so pitiable as 
this—so pitiable and so shameful—that for such a 
purpose human cunning should take advantage of 
that feeling and instinct, which we regard as so noble 
in our own species, and as something sacred—the 
tender passion of the parent for its offspring, which 
causes it to neglect its own safety, and to perish 
miserably, a sacrifice to its love! It is an outrage on 
Nature, a crime more detestable and abhorrent to our 
sense of justice, and to every kindly feeling in us, 
than crimes innumerable which men are driven every 
day to commit by evil associations, by want, by 
drink, by insanity, and for which they are hunted 
down and condemned to long terms of imprisonment. 
And those who, not ignorant of the facts, encourage 
such things for fashion’s sake, and for the gratification 
of a miserable vanity, have a part in it, and are perhaps 
more guilty than the wretches who are paid to do the 
rough work. 
It is not only the beautiful white egret : there are 
scores and hundreds of the loveliest known species of 
birds that are in the same case. A nuptial dress is 
well nigh universal in this class of creatures. We 
see here that there is a close and curious analogy 
between birds and plants that have a blossoming and 
seed time. The season in plants, when they put on 
the glory of flowers, corresponds to the love season in 
bird life—there is perfume in one and melody in the 
other ; and in cases where the bird acquires a new and 
