MURDEROUS MILLINERY. 
More than thirty years have passed since 
ornithologists of the highest standing publicly 
protested against the ruthless destruction of 
birds for the bedizenment of women. Pro¬ 
fessor Alfred Newton, when addressing the 
British Association at Norwich in 1868, 
spoke strongly of the agony of pain inflicted 
annually on thousands of our fellow-creatures 
in dozens of places around our own coasts. 
He added: “ Fair and innocent as the snowy 
plumes may appear in a lady’s hat, I must 
tell the wearer the truth—she bears the 
murderer’s brand on her forehead.” 1 
These words were wrung from a man 
habitually on his guard against exaggeration, 
but keenly alive to the need of stopping the 
wanton and atrocious destruction of a species, 
aggravated by circumstances of peculiar 
cruelty. 
The facts and arguments adduced by Pro¬ 
fessor Newton were mainly instrumental in 
inducing the British Association to appoint 
a committee to consider the practicability of 
establishing a close time for the protection of 
indigenous animals. In the following year 
(1869) the “ Sea Birds Protection ” Bill was 
passed by Parliament, the first of a series 
of enactments for the preservation of free 
British bird-life, which as yet have been but 
partially enforced. 
At the present time almost every known 
species of ornamental-plumaged bird is 
1 " Zoological Aspect of Game Laws.” Published 
by the Society for the Protection of Birds. No. 13, p. 7- 
