Morning journal and courier., 1884-08-15
SLAUGHTER OF SMALL BIRDS.
Great Numbers Daily Killed to Furnish
 NIiIIiners with Trimmings.

NIiIIiners with Trimmings.
 From the Forest and Streaml
 Much has been said and written of the de- struction of our large game in the Adiron- dacks and on the western plains and noun tains, but how little is known of the enor- nous numbers of small birds that are daily being killed for purposes of decoration! This destruction goes on mainly about the great centers, but it is by no means confined to any one section. We know, for example, of dealer residing on Long Island who, during three months trip to the coast of South Caro- lima last spring, prepared no less than Il, ,O18 bird skins A considerable number of the birds killed were of course too much mutila- ted for preparation, so that the total humber of the slain would be much greater than the number given. The person referred to states that he handles on an average 5000 skins per annum of which the greater part are cut up for millinery purposes. This is in the past. At present the trade is growing, and at rate which is startling. We are told by the people who have the best facilities for knowing, that there are, and have been since early spring, hundreds of people on Long Island shooting birds for middlemen, who supply the taxider1nists and dealers.
 During the past spring and summer, and up to the present time, large boxes of birds fin the flesh" are coming into New York They are delivered to taxidermists, who sell the prepared skins at 10 and Il cents each From single locality on Long Island one man. who buys from the local gunners, sent in during the week ending July 26 over $500 worth of birds As the prepared skins sell, as stated, for about 10 cents apiece, the number of birds must have been considerably over 5000, and the total destruction was probably at least one-half greater. The same man has sent, during this season, from the early spring until the present time, an average of 300 birds day to a William street taxi dermist, 200 day to Blocker street man, and from 100 to 15O per day to dealer in in New Jersey; or an average of between 6OO and TOO birds daily for period of four months making a total of not far from 70, 900 birds in all This, be it remembered, is from one single village on Long Island. | It should be added that, besides these birds sent to the dealers, this same individual sends l in vast quantity of snipe to the New York | markets.
 Of all the cases which have come under | our notice since we first set on foot inquiries | in regard to this subject this is the most ap- palling; but there are others that are only less so A father and two sons shot for three | weeks near Rockaway and made over 2,OOe l skins: there is 8 man at Sag Harbor and ! another at Shelter Island who are preparing | skins: man near Bath does the same. In fact, there seems to be great opportunity | for Game Protector G. W. Whitaker, whose
 jurisdiction extends over the counties od
 Kings, Queens and Suffolk, to do a lot od missionary work in enforcing the statue fol | the protection of insectlvorous birds.
 that gentleman will call at our office he car
 obtain names and figures which may aid hin
 in his work. The evil to which we are call
 ing attention is not, however, confined t
 any one section of the country. The wate
 binds, perhaps because they are larger thar
 our insectivorous birds, seem to be quite a
 eagerly sought after as the land birds, ant
 are shot literally by myriads. The dealer
 complain that there are ttno-sea swallow
 now" Strange, is it not, that there shoult be nones The following extract from th.