2 
nearly 10,000 herons or egrets killed in a single breeding-season, with¬ 
out the stock becoming utterly rooted out. Yet I am told that there 
is one or more of these sales almost weekly. 
“But this sale included also the skins of other birds—mostly, to 
all appearance, from South America or its islands. Of these there 
are enumerated 15,574 humming-birds, 740 of which are specified as 
being of one kind, the ruby humming-bird. I will not occupy your 
space by giving details of the rest—sufficient to say that parrots, 
kingfishers, trogons, tanagers, and various other brightly coloured 
birds are there by the thousand. It may be that the Government of 
India might take steps, by establishing a close time, to save the herons 
and egrets from utter extirpation, and the same might be done in our 
colonies of Trinidad and Demerara, whence I have reason to think 
that many of the other victims are procured. But the most effectual 
remedy would be for every right-minded man or woman to discounten¬ 
ance the wearing of feathers on the person or their use in the 
decoration of furniture. If ladies like to attire themselves like 
salmon-flies, let them do so; but I would respectfully remind them that 
feathers on the outside of any biped but a bird naturally suggest the 
association of tar, and I for one, and I hope many with me, cannot 
help thinking that those who wear them, after warning, deserve the 
unguent which they will morally receive if you do me the honour of 
publishing this letter.” 
From the Times, February 25th, 1899. 
(Reprinted by Special Permission.) 
THE PLUME TRADE. 
To the Editor of the Times. 
Sir,—Some years since I was permitted to draw attention in your 
columns to the enormous destruction of birds in supplying what is 
known as the “ plume trade,” and to the cruelty inevitably produced 
by the wearing of “ aigrettes ” or “ ospreys,” to use their trade name. 
I believe that for a time some little good was effected by the notice 
taken of my letter; but everyone knows that the fashion of wearing 
“ plumes ” has returned with increased force. I have been furnished 
with the following figures showing the quantities of “ plumes ” sold 
by auction in London during the past year, and taken from a source 
no more sensational or sentimental than the Public Ledger. The 
sales appear to be held about every two months:— 
1898. 
Birds of Paradise. 
“ Osprey ” 
packages. 
Birds— 
various packages 
or cases. 
February... 
1,800 
360 
380 
April 
6,115 
297 
452 
June 
7,371 
203 
434 
August 
5,336 + 5 packages 
420 
354 
October ... 
6,174+14 
467 
323 
December 
8,164 + 26 
462 
197 
34,960 + 45 packages. 
2,209 
2,140 
