The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-06-09

sport which forms the incentive to
the killing. No doubt, there is
great pleasure in looking along the
gun-barrel, pulling the trigger, and
watching the feathers fly. There
seems to be something infinitely
charming in the shriil cry of the
wounded bird or the hoarse sob of the
stricken deer. / have seen a sports
mans eye glow like coal of fire as
he witnessed the summersaults of a
half-killed hare and wondered at my
own adherence Of the savage who
yells in exultation as he rips the scalp
from hissvictim's head. The instincts
are the same; the game is nobler,
merely. The killing passion is natu-
raj. In civilization it finds vent in
the Staying of defenceless animals
and in the legalized battles of war
fare. The sharpshooter feels the
same thrill as this man throws up his
arms and falls that the sportsman
does at the jerk and plunge of his
deer. Both are perfectly legitimate;
is either humane?
Women are the professed enemies
of cruelty. 1t has never entered their
minds, perhaps, that one of their most
exacting fashions demands the yearly
slaughter of millions of harmless and
defenceless creatures. Feathers have
always prominent feature of femi-
nine head-gear, and never so generally
as during the last ten years. Ostriches,
pigeons, parrots, paroquets, orioles,
fnches, martins and humming-birds,
yield up their lives and their plumage
together to the Unsuitable demand; to
say nothing of owls, crows, cocks,
pheasants, and such birds as are killed
for food or destroyed as vermin. Some
species are shot for one wing. The
skins Of humming-birds are stuffed
and used whole. Orioles furnish tails
and separate feathers. There was
quite recently on exhibition, at
a Broadway milliner's, bonnet dec
GRATED with a whole parrot. Two
owls heads similarly arranged
are not uncommon. Cloaks or wraps
composed of plumage are worn by
such as can afford them or approve of
them, and feather trimming is, or was
quite recently, an article Of ready
sale.
Millions Of humming-birds are ex-
ported from Brazil annually. The
havoc among these animated tropical
jewels is something immense. In our
own country large numbers of the
less brilliant American species are
sent to market. The game laws do
not protect the birds from onslaught
in this quarter. In some of the
States taxidermist is permitted to
trap and shoot the specimens required
for his profession in all seasons.
Under pretense Of following their
comparatively harmless pursuits,
some, at least, of these persons shoot
thousands of birds for millinery uses.
l am told that several prolific species
are becoming extinct from merciless
feather-hunting.
The ostrich feather, which has al
ways maintained the highest rank as
ali ornament, is procured largely by
most barbarous practice. The natives,
from whom most Of the feathers are
obtained, pursue the bird on horse
back, oftener approaching it by cum
ming devices; in both cases breaking
its legs with club, to impede its rap
id fight. The rifle is rarely used, ex-
cept by the occasional white hunter;
and the savage not seldom leaves the
disabled bird to die of starvation after
having ripped out such feathers as he
knows will sell.
Ostrich farming is yet in its infan-
cy and comparatively few of the feath-
ers sold are from tame birds. The
feathers Of wild birds-that is to say,
birds crippled and stripped Of their
feathers before life is extinct are
more valuable than those Of the do
mesticated fowl. | have not been able
to learn the reason Of this; and pro-
prietor of one Of these farms hints
very strongly that no real reason ex-
lists, since the plumage must, in any
case, be taken from the living bird, to
possess any value. In many instan-
ces, the skins of certain birds of small
ler species are fayed off while the bird
is unwounded otherwise in order to
preserve the toughness and fexibility
of the skin and the durability of the
feathers.
Women are not wholly responsible
for the inhuman treatment of the os-
trich, since Masonic Communicates use
its plumage largely as part of their
uniform. 1t should seem that the
Order which makes so large a profess
sion Of human sympathy might spare
a little for the unhappy creature
which furnishes them with their friv-
olous and unmanly ornament.
Although men are the hunters, wo-
men are responsible for the destruc-
ton of so much harmless life. The
savage hunter and his white comrade
kill only what they sell. If women
refused to wear feathers, there would
be no market for them. Dealers fol-
low the demand, and it is in the pow
er of women to stop the importation
Of the fifty millions yearly OF dead
birds into this country and Europe, II
they so elect.
Is is a useless and cruel vanity.
Other and more humane methods OF
adornment are at hand. Our looms
furnish material equally effective in
every way. The fashion is due, in
most instances, to mere thoughtless-
ness. The piles of birds and feathers
strike the purchaser only as material
for dress; she forgets that they were
ever possessed of a joyful and harm
less existence like her own. Again, if
the thought accurs to her, it is merely
as a rider to the feeling that the deed
is already done and that she may as
we'll benefit by it. Aside from the
fact that she has no right to particl-
pate in an accomplished wrong, she