2 
writers on the subject of love and consideration for our friends in fur 
and feathers, and other appropriate publications included a little play 
on bird-caging and nesting, “ The Skylark’s Release,” published by 
the Humanitarian League. An entertainment was not difficult to 
organize if local performers helped, and a charge at the door usually 
covered the cost of a hall—in most towns about <£ 3 . But if any 
doubts were experienced by the organizers a two-shilling subscription 
among the rich members and animal friends would serve as a 
guarantee, and the Mayor, if wisely approached, would often give the 
use of the Town Hall, which meant that warming and lighting would 
be the only expenses. The wonderful way in which child performers 
helped the cause was constantly seen in the disappearance of 
aigrettes, etc., from the hats of their mothers, aunts, and even 
nurses; no one had the heart to withstand the little voices, and for 
very shame they abandoned the badge of cruelty. An instance of the 
kind was seen in the case of the tiny reciter who was to appear that 
afternoon. Owing to the failure of the reciter originally engaged, 
this child had at the last moment been brought from a school 
attached to a well-known City church. 
This introduction of the subject of humanity and bird protection 
into that school had aroused the sympathy of at least one of the clergy 
as well as that of the school teachers, who in consequence wished to 
start a Band of Mercy at once. She was sure that nothing won people 
over, both for the birds and the animals, like entertainments, and 
begged all her hearers to try a Bird Entertainment during the season 
of 1900 - 1 . 
In answer to an enquiry about performances by children, Mrs. 
Suckling added that in Romsey they usually gave the entertain¬ 
ments three times—to the parents gratis, an afternoon one to the 
county people, and an evening one for the townspeople. 
Hat Shows. —In advocating the establishment of millinery shows, 
Mrs. Victor H. Veley (Oxford) said that in the country people had not 
the choice of shops which London afforded, but at the same time there 
was a great effort to keep up with the fashion and to appear “ smart.” 
Even if they wished to get plumeless hats, they had a difficulty in 
doing so, and were in nine cases out of ten wheedled and deceived 
into taking what was wrong. It was also very difficult to convince 
women that hats could look just as smart and pretty without the 
forbidden feathers, and a show of such millinery would prove more 
successful than any amount of argument. She suggested the holding 
of a quarterly show at each Branch centre, for which purpose a 
milliner might be asked to lend her windows, or possibly milliners 
might open departments for “ humane ” hats, and leaflets on the 
subject might be allowed to lie on the counter. She was pleased to 
say that two milliners in Oxford were willing to start such a scheme 
by devoting their windows on a certain day to a show of approved 
hats. Mrs. Veley also exhibited some prepared grass, which she 
thought might be a satisfactory substitute tor osprey, while not 
admitting the possibility of being mistaken for it; many substitutes 
were no use, as they only encouraged deceit in the trade and made 
women look cruel even if they were not. If the grasses themselves did 
