Middletown transcript., 1897-05-15
SPARE THE BIRDS,

In writing of the destruction Of our birds,
which has increased during the last few
years at an alarming rate, we make our ap-
peal for them in connection with the cruel
and heartless practice of wearing birds as
ornaments on hats, bonnets and clothing.
For, although birds are slain for other pur-
poses, the great majority of our little feath-
cred friends fall victim to the heartless
bel1ests of fashion. And, while this may
seem to be rather an insignificant question
in these days when there are SO many
greater issues, yet we believe that the pro-
lection of our birds from determination is
of as great importance as is the protection
of our forests from the destructive hand of
the woodman, because birds are of great
practical benefit to agriculture. They are a
benefit to the farmer because they subsist
very largely upon the insects which feed
upon plants and trees. destroying millions
Of them, which, were it not for these birds,
would swarm upon the farmers crops and
greatly diminish the results Of his labor.
An ornithologist once watched the nest of
pair of birds for sixteen hours, to see how
many visits the parent birds made to their
young. During that time 312 visits were
made to the nest; and if we suppose only
four insects to have been ca rried at each
visit, this pair of birds alone would have
destroyed over 1000 insects in sixteen
hours. We cannot afford to ignore this i'm
portant relation existing between agricul-
tural interests and our BIRDS.
Then it is safe to say that the wearing of
birds as ornaments has tendency to blunt
the finer sensibilities and render those who
wear them less tender in their treatment of
all little, living creatures.
And it is an unnecessary, cruel slaughter
of the beautiful birds, whom God in inf
mite goodness has placed upon the earth, to
gladden. our eyes by their bright plumage
and fill our ears with their joyous
notes.
Although it is impossible to ascertain the
exact number of birds killed each year, we
can form an estimate of what the slaughter
must be, by some figures that have been
published, stating that single local taxi
dermist handled $4,000 bird skins in one
year; that single collector brought back
from three-months' trip IL 900 skins; that
from one small district in Long Island,
10000 birds were brought to New York in
four months. In New York one firm had
on hand, on Feb. I, 1895, 100000 skins, and
the supply is not limited by domestic con-
sumption; tAmerican bird skins are sent
abroad.
European markets draw their supplies
from all over the world: In London there
were sold, in three months. from one auc-
ton room, 10000 Brazilian bird skins
and 300 900 East Indian birds.
In Paris, 1000 600 African birds were sold
to one dealer in one year; and single New
York firm contracted to supply y40, 900 skins
to one Paris firm. This immense number
of birds is slain wholly for ornamental pur-
poses. There may be some excuse for the
killing Of game birds, strictly for table use;
but all these millions of birds slaughtered
yearly are worn on bonnets, hats and
clothing because fashion demands that
they shall be. Is it not enough for fashion
to squeeze and comfort and torture the hu-
man body, laying its withered hand upon
the roses of the cheek, stealing the bright
ness from the eye and the elasticity from
the step, giving to its victim, for the exub-
erancy of health, a ruined constitution,
and miserable, worthless existence, with
out its Staying these millions of our beauti-
full birds2 Should not women be satisfied
upon the altar of fashion, without demand
ing the same of our birds, and robbing our
woods and fields of their sweet songs2
VIII at would our woods and meadows be
without the melody of the wild birds, who
make the green hills ring with their untfr-
ing anthems, in which one can almost hear
the words, 'The hand that made us is di
vine?n
1t has been said that fashion rules the
world, and it is evident that, to those who
kneel at its shrine, no sacrifice is consid-
cred too great to be made to this inexorable
goddess, and that health, beauty, talent
and priceless golden moments Of time are
laid with hopeless submission at her feet.
Still, we believe that majority of those
who cause this slaughter of our birds do so
through thoughtlessness or ignorance, and
not through cruelty
The daily sight Of little dead birds on
hats and bonnets has tendency to deaden
the conscience to some extent, and we will
venture to say that child who wears
stuffed birds on hef bonnet does not hesi-
tate to crush the caterpillar lying in her
path And we doubtif the boy who daily
sees little dead birds on his mothers and
sisters hats would be very deeply inn
pressed by their rebukes when he robbed |
nests of their pretty eggs and stoned the |
parent birds.
We witnessed the agitation, not long ago, |
ola lady whose cat had caught wild bird. |
and, carrying it to the house, laid Its little |
mangled body on the porch. She wrung |
her hands in very tragic manner. and ex-
claimed, How dreadful and at that same
moment upon the bonnet on her head,
we're poised two. beautiful humming birds,
and what mockery was her pretended solic
ilude for pussy's prey The cat was follow
ing blind instinct Of its nature, and she