The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-11-25

How Hunters secure the Fine Fsathsss
for millinery Purposes.


How Hunters secure the Pine Fsathsss
for millinery Purposes.
From the New York Stunt Nearly s
feet high. very dark from the burning
OF a tropical sun. but slnewy and
strong In appearance. was Charles X.
Mohrmann a few days ago as he re-
lated his story Of the hunting OF the
egret in South America At frat
glance he would be taken for an Off
Ger in the Spanish or Cuban army who
had been exposed TO the elements in
a campaign. lie started In his present
career from the feather and hat dis
trlct Of New York city In an endeavor
to reach the source OF supply Of this
most valuable millinery decorative fn-
cry. In his quest he hunted through
Mexico and Central America, only. TO
flnd that the game was pretty much
hunted out In those countries. and
travelled on into Venezuela before he
found the birds In rookeries. for II Ii
in a gathering OF this kind only that
they can be shot with profit. These
rookorles may be sought for years
without success. The danger. the hunt
err explained. il not great. being princi-
pally from snakes. scorpions and CEN
tlpedes. There Is a popular error. ne
says. about alligators being ferocious.
He says he has frequently waded out
into a shallow stream crowded with
them and armed only with n stick: Ae
has shouted at them and dubbed them
over the nose, when they would get
out OF the way rs fast az they could.
The long. lean kind are fiercer Still.
about the only danger when one gets
into a school OF alligators is that they
will not move out OF the way until
shot at. and then In their scramble
they may hit a side OF the boat with
the tail and splinter H. A wetting and
loss OF provisions follow. The egret
IA shy bird. Their rookeTles are In
places not easy Of access. but may be
approached In a small launch. The
birds roost In high trees standing In
water. Tho hunter approaches eau
tlously. anchors under the tree. and
then shoots from daylight until dark.
A fowllng piece ~ the weapon used.
The bird falls near the canoe and IL
picked up by the hunter. Dogs arc
not used. because the alllgators are
very fond OF dogs. These rookerles
contain from 10000 to 10000 birds.
about 10 per cent OF which may be
taken. as only the old birds are shot.
and then not until the young ones are.
able to take care OF themselves. which
IL when they are about six weeks old.
The season varies. In Central Amer
lea and Mexico II 10 from February 10
October. The best time Is In March.
April aud May. After that the plumes
become little ragged. on the Orino-
co the season Is from about Sept.
TO Jan. 1. There are big rookeries on
Aprene. n tributary OF the Orinoco.
Two steam launches are now on that
river and have made considerable
money. Rookerles are on big cattle
ranches. owned by natives. who jeal-
ously guard them. A privilege costs
about $4,000 and so per cent OF tho
proceeds. Each bird IL worth about
1926. The feathers for which they are
hunted grow on the back and hang
down over a short. stubby tail. About
5000 ounces were shipped from tho
Aprene region to New York last year.
This would approximate about 200.-
900 birds. The amounts shipped 70
Paris and London are larger. but tho
fgures are not obtainable. There are
known TO be immense rookerles on
other tributaries OF the orinoco which
have not been approached because the
launches draw thlrty-elght to forty
eight Inches OF water. In these
streams for six months In the year
during the dry season there Is only
twenty-four inches Of water. Feathers
are plucked, and. after being assorted
into grades /, and 3. are dried and
Theoretically sealed In tin boxes for
shipment They are used for millinery
purposes, and In the English army for
officers helmets. Mr.. Mohrmann has
been a hunter for three years and In
tends going back In September next.