Egrets and A igrettes . 13 
life, are rapidly decreasing; and if the persecution 
continues, they must become extinct at no distant 
date. It could not be otherwise, since, as we know 
very well, the increase which takes place each year in 
any species at the breeding season is just sufficient to 
balance the annual losses from natural causes. For 
this new artificial destruction, caused by a barbarous 
fashion and by powder and shot, Nature has made no 
provision. 
I frequently hear it said that, with few exceptions, 
women care nothing for these things ; that they are 
perfectly callous to the sufferings inflicted on the 
lower animals, and to their destruction, so long as 
sufferings and destruction are made in any way to 
conduce to their own pleasure ; that they look on at 
the efforts now being made by the Bird-Protection, 
the Selborne and kindred Societies, and by indivi¬ 
duals, with an amused curiosity and nothing more ; 
that if they have any pity for the persecuted creatures, 
any regret for the great harm being done, it may all 
be expressed in the words lately used by a lady con¬ 
tributor to one of our great fashionable weeklies :— 
“ Poor dear little dicky birds ! it is such a pity to kill 
them ; but it is the fashion to wear them on our hats, 
and we cannot do without them.” 
I do not believe all this. 
Cynical cruelty, real or affected, is hateful enough 
in a man ; in a woman it is unnatural, and I do not 
for a moment believe that this lady speaks for any- 
