The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-06
DIFFERENTIATED By FASHION.
A Beautiful Bird Wiped From tho
Earth to Please Woman's Vanity.
From the New York Press.

ia VI " ACcA9C w OAAAe&A . V dhiLys
From the New York Press.
One of the most beautiful birds known
to the ornithologist is the white heron.
1t is stately, majestic, and has a dignity
Of appearance either in repose or IN
fight that commands the admiration of
the beholder. Ten years ago this superb
representative of the feathered tribe was
to be found in the swampy regions of
Southern Indiana and Lower California.
In both localities fight of white herons
was bit OF natures poetry that turned
the dull Sky of stormy day into
psalm of praise. Their serene
and measured progress dignifed the SOM
Der heavens like the silent march of a
conquering army. They trOd the lagoons
rs the victor sweeps over the well worn
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 few They
reigned until fashion claimed them, and
then they fed, and as they fled fashion
still pursued.
The result viii be that before a decade
has passed the white heron win rank
with the dodo and the great aux as an ex-
tinct bird.
What renders certain the determination
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 granGe danes the world over
who wish to shine at social functions. The
dorsal plume is used both as an aigrette
and as bonnet adornment. Nothing else
can equal its daintiness and elegance. The
attempt to supply the demand has been
kept up with all the ferceness shown by
| commerce in seeking profit. The white
heron was hunted out of Indiana and Cali
fornia. 1t fed to Mexico and Lower Cali
tOrnla. Still the seekers for dorSal plumes
| pursued, and still the great bird sought
refuge to the southwark. Now it is un-
! known TO North America. Its present
! habitat is along the Amazon river. Even
| there 1t 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 $40 an ounce in
gold, and to secure them one New York
/ firm alone has 3O0huntcrs employed along
/ the wide reaches Of Bralil's great river
/ There is complete equipment, with
[ headquarters at Para mis- equipment
/ includes a steam yacht, numerous boats
and all the purlphernaHa Of an cNpedi-
1 ton into unknown wildS. Seven white
/ men lead the small army The people
/ under inem are natives who get nOml-
/ nally large pay. However, they accept
/ goods Of various sorts for the bulk of
/ Their wages, and In settlement of account
allow 50 for watches that cost their en-
/ ployers IS in New York The same
/ ratio prevails in the sale of guns, gradu-
/ ally silks for the women and other
/ articles Of traffic. so the dealers,
/ although their outlay is large, manage to
! reap in enormous profit on the coveted
! Gorsal pluucs. The haunt of the heron
! is also that Of the alligator and shark,
J for these dangerous amphibians travel
/ leagues up the broad Amazon. Therefore
/ il often happens that the hunter IN try
/ ing TO secure his slain prey falls a victim
/ TO the eager man eaters. But the de-
mand for aigrettes continues, and prob
/ ably the peri, has something to do with
/ the largenoss of the price. I'VE shall
quit the business within five years, g"
! said dealer TO The Press representa-
/ tive solely for the reason that there
] viii be no more white herons to hunt