The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-07-26
SACRIFICED FOR BEAUTY.


A Pretty Bird Exterminated In Order TO
Provide Fashions Adornments.
One of the most beautiful birds
known to the ornithologist is the
white heron. 1t is stately, majestic
and has a dignity of appearance Ell
ther in repose or in flight that COM
mands the admiration of the behold
er. Ten years ago this superb rep
resentative Of the feathered tribe
was to be found in the swampy re-
gions of southern Indiana and lower
California.
In both localities a flight of white
herons was a bit of natures poetry
that turned the dull sky of a stormy
day into a psalm of praise. Their
serene and measured progress digni-
fed the somber heavens like the 81
lent march of conquering army.
They trod the lagoons as the victor
sweeps over the wellworn field of
battle, for where they chose to make
their home they were the masters of
the things that swan, of those that
crawled and Of those that flew. They
reigned until fashion claimed them,
and then they fled, and as they fled
fashion still pursued.
The result will be that before a
decade has passed the white heron
will rank with the dodo and the great
aux as an extinct bird.
What renders certain the extermi-
nation of the white heron is the fact
that it has dorsal plume now much
in request for the completion of
court costumes and for the attire of
grand DANES the world over who
wish to shine at social functions.
The dorsal plume is used both as an
aigret and as bonnet adornment.
Nothing else can equal its daintiness
and elegance. The attempt to sup
ply the demand has been kept up
with all the fierceness shown by COM
merce in seeking profit The white
heron was hunted out of Indiana
and California. 1t fled to Mexico
and lower California Still the seek
ers for dorsal plumes pursued, and
still the great bird sought refuge to
the southwark. Now it is unknown
in North America. It's present habi-
tat is along the Amazon river. Even
there it gets no rest, for commerce
and fashion still follow on its flight.
In the markets of London and
Paris the dorsal plumes are now
worth $45 an ounce in gold, and to
secure them one New York firm
alone has 300 hunters employed along
the wide reaches of Brazil's great
river. There is a complete equip
ment, with headquarters at Para.
This equipment includes a steam
yacht, numerous boats and all the
paraphernalia of an expedition into
unknown wilds. Seven white men
lead the small army. The people
under them are natives, who get
nomipally large pay. However, they
accept goods of various sorts for the
bulk of their wages and in settle
5 ment of account allow $25 for watche.
that cost their employers S. in New
o York. The same ratio prevails il
the sale of guns, gaudy silks for thu
women and other articles of traffic
So the dealers, although their outlay
is large, manage to reap an enormou:
/ profit on the coveted dorsal plumes.
The haunt of the heron is also thai
of the alligator and shark, for these
dangerous amphibians travel leagues
up the broad Amazon. Therefore il
often happens that the hunter, in
trying to secure his slain prey, falls
a victim to the eager man eaters. But
the demand for aigrets continues,
and probably the peril has something
to do with the largeness Of the price.
eve shall quit the business within
five years." said a dealer to The Press
representative, ''solely for the reason
that there will be no more white
F.! herons to hunt. New York Press,