816 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[May 27, 1911. 
Egret Plumes Worth Twice their 
Weight in Gold. 
One of the most prominent and popular New 
England newspapers has recently come out edi¬ 
torially with the misleading statement that 
women, whose consciences may have troubled 
them for wearing bird plumage in their hats, 
will be relieved to learn that the aigrette is not 
obtained at the cost of the bird's life. This 
newspaper quotes the “Millinery Trade Review,” 
which quotes a report made by a “naturalist” 
who has lived for twenty years in Venezuela, 
“the home of the egret,” which he says is pro¬ 
tected by the Government, and he repeats the 
old canard to the effect that its plumage is gath¬ 
ered during the months of the moulting season, 
the feathers being picked up from the ground 
or from bushes. He also says that Venezuelans 
would not think of killing the birds, and the 
statement is made also that the greater portion 
of the aigrettes used in this country are a Vene¬ 
zuelan product. 
I know positively that egrets are killed to ob¬ 
tain their plumes. They are killed in the breed¬ 
ing season at a time when they are hatching 
their eggs and rearing their young, for that is 
the only time when they wear the plumes which 
form the aigrette of commerce. I have seen a 
considerable number of these birds killed just 
before the breeding season and the plumes were 
undeveloped. Furthermore, plumes that have 
been moulted, are damaged, for they are worn 
and soiled, and the only plumes valuable in com¬ 
merce are those taken from the bird itself in 
the nesting season. This tale of plumes picked 
from the bushes is evidently a fabrication in¬ 
vented by the feather dealers or some so-called 
“naturalist” who is probably in the business of 
procuring the plumes “for revenue only.” The 
editor might easily have learned the facts in the 
case by consulting any reputable ornithologist. 
Less than a century ago, in the time of Audu¬ 
bon and Wilson, the egrets inhabited a great 
part of the United States. There were large 
heronries in .the State of New Jersey, and many 
birds came into New England, although they 
were never common here. Even within the past 
twenty years they bred in great numbers in the 
West as far north as Oregon, and the Southern 
States swarmed with them during the early part 
of the last century. 
In the winter of 1877-78, when I was first in 
Florida, great flocks of these birds were still 
to be seen everywhere along the lagoons, rivers 
and lakes of the southern counties of that State, 
and great heronries were located there, some of 
which produced annually many thousands of 
birds. Plume hunters were even then destroy¬ 
ing the birds there. The country stores in South¬ 
ern Florida had large bunches of aigrette plumes 
hanging above the counters. The hunters were 
paid twenty-five to fifty cents for each plume by 
the storekeepers, and to every plume was at¬ 
tached a piece of skin from the back of the bird 
that produced it. The bird had been killed and 
“scalped” to get its plumes. 
When I went there ten years later egrets were 
growing rare. Now both species are nearly ex¬ 
tinct in the United States. The parent birds 
were shot down while attending their nests or 
bringing food to their young, and the young 
were left in their nests to starve. If any one 
„doubts this he can be referred to the reports of 
numerous ornithologists who have actually seen 
this work as I have. To-day aigrettes such as 
were bought of the Florida hunter at fifty cents 
each, now bring over eight pounds sterling per 
ounce in London or over twice the value of gold. 
Venezuela is now the home of the egret, be¬ 
cause the egrets of North America have been 
nearly exterminated. Those of South America 
will follow if the feather trade has its way. 
Laws fail to stop this atrocious butchery. There 
is no reason to believe that the Spanish Ameri¬ 
cans of South America will be able to protect 
these birds more effectively than the people of 
this country. The only remedy is to stop the 
sale of the plumes. E. H. Forbush. 
A Southern Sanctuary. 
New Orleans, La., May 2. —Editor Forest and 
Stream: President Miller and members of the 
State Game Commission have returned from 
Cameron parish where they made arrangements 
for large fish and duck preserves. It is pro-' 
posed to utilize the old biological station build¬ 
ing for wardens and those in charge of the pre¬ 
serves. Several lakes and ponds, embracing a 
number of acres, will be utilized in the preserve 
for breeding ducks and fish. The commission 
desires to protect the ducks as much as pos¬ 
sible and encourage them to breed in this State 
and to protect them from the hunters. It is 
also proposed to raise several species of fish. 
The location of these lakes and ponds are ideal 
for the purposes intended. The biologic build¬ 
ing was some time ago turned over to the com¬ 
mission by the State. The hunters in Louisiana 
want more places for the breeding of ducks as 
well as places for them to feed. It is the in¬ 
tention of the commission to plant a great deal 
of duck food in several sections for the ducks. 
It is thought the ducks will be encouraged to 
come to Louisiana earlier than usual and re¬ 
main longer if they have good feeding grounds. 
The Louisiana Game Commission will have 
the largest duck, brant and goose preserve in 
the United States when the offer of E. A. Mc- 
Illhenny and C. W. Ward is accepted deeding 
to the State through the State 13,000 acres of 
swamp land absolutely and 37,000 acres for the 
period of ten years. The land is located on the 
west side of Vermilion Bay in Vermilion Parish 
near the Gulf of Mexico. In other words, the 
Game Commission will have charge of 50,000 
acres of the finest kind of swamp land for ducks 
of every variety, geese and brant. 
The location of the property is ideal, and 
thousands of ducks yearly make this place a 
breeding and feeding ground, and it has be¬ 
come noted for its fine game. It is not ac¬ 
cessible to hunters except by boat. Commis¬ 
sioner Miller says the offer is the most liberal 
ever made to his board, and there is practically 
no doubt it will be accepted. The conditions 
are that no ducks, geese or other game are to 
be hunted or killed on this preserve, which is to 
be used by the birds for increasing their 
numbers. 
When Dr. A. K. Fisher was here some time 
ago, representing the conservation of game de¬ 
partment of the United States Government, he 
strongly urged the commission to take immedi¬ 
ate steps to protect the ducks and geese, as if 
this was not done these birds will in time be 
exterminated. The Commissioner agreed with 
Dr. Fisher, but said the commission could do 
nothing, as it did not have a preserve of suf¬ 
ficient size, and it was not in a position to pur¬ 
chase any property. The liberal offer, there¬ 
fore, of Mr. Mclllhenny and Mr. Ward was re¬ 
ceived both with surprise and gratitude. Mr. 
Ward spends his summers in Michigan and his 
winters in Louisiana, is an ardent hunter and 
fisherman and is doing all he can to encourage 
the sport. He is a financier of prominence. 
Mr. Mclllhenny is a manufacturer and resides 
in Vermilion Parish. Both are interested in 
birds. Mr. Mclllhenny owns large interests on 
Avery Island, near the new duck preserve. 
The opinion expressed by sportsmen here is 
that the big preserve will greatly increase the 
number of ducks and geese in Louisiana. 
F. G. G. 
New York Legislature. 
Albany, N. Y., May 22. —Editor Forest and 
Stream: The Senate has passed the bill of 
Senator Fiero, in relation to hooking suckers 
through the ice in Ulster county. 
Assemblyman Bush, of Chemung, has intro¬ 
duced a bill excepting honorably discharged 
veterans of the Civil War from the payment 
of the license fee required by the section for 
a hunter’s license. 
The Senate has passed Assemblyman C. W. 
Phillips’ bill in relation to the taking of pheas¬ 
ants. 
Senator Roosevelt has introduced a bill re¬ 
ducing from $25 to $10 the amount which must 
be paid by an applicant for a hunting license 
to the clerk countersigning and delivering the 
license in cases where the applicant is a non¬ 
resident of the State, an unnaturalized person 
or an alien. 
The Assembly has passed the bill of Assem¬ 
blyman Patrie, of Greene, prohibiting the use of 
ferrets in hare and rabbit hunting. 
The Senate fish and game committee has re¬ 
ported favorably Assemblyman Brereton’s bill 
relative to fishing through the ice in Lake 
George. 
Governor Dix has vetoed Assemblyman Sulli¬ 
van’s bill in regard to open season for lake trout 
and whitefish. This bill is objected to for the 
reason “that it permits the taking of whitefish 
of whatever size, which in my judgment is most 
unwise.” 
Spring Shooting. 
There is a great deal of agitation in Illinois 
now on spring shooting. It is being strongly 
opposed by real sportsmen. The contention is 
made that the game is unfit to eat in the spring 
because it is poorly flavored and tough, and 
very frequently waterfowl are infested with 
worms in the spring. 
If the people of Illinois and other States are 
opposing the spring shooting of ducks and geese 
it looks like the hunters of North Dakota should 
be more directly interested, as this is the famous 
feeding and breeding ground. 
The New York Legislature declined to legalize 
spring shooting on Long Island. Sentiment al¬ 
most everywhere is against spring shooting—ex¬ 
cept in North Dakota—where a backward step 
was taken. It is not a record that can be 
pointed to with a great deal of pride.—Fargo 
(N. D.) Forum. 
