The Lamar register., 1898-11-09
EoRET is A SHY BIRD.
How Hunters secure the Fin. Feather.
for xfInll.sry Purpo..

Tor Miiibsary Purposes.
From the New York Sun: Nearly a
feet high, very dark from tho burning
OF tropical sun. but sinewy and
strong In appearance. was Charles u
Mohrmann few days ago as he re-
lated his story OF the hunting Of tho
esret in South America. At nrst
glance he would be taken for an ON
Ger In the Spanish or Cuban army who
had been exposed to the elements In
campaign. He started In his present
career from the feather and hat diS-
triet Of New York city In an endeayor
TO reach the source of supply OF this
most valuable millinery decorative an
cry In his quest he hunted through
Mexico aud Central America. only 10
md that the game was pretty much
hunted out in those countries and
travelled on into Venezuela before he
found the birds in rookeriss, for II IL
10 a gathering Of this kind only that
they can be shot with profit These
rookeriss may be sought for years
without success, The danger. the hunt
er explained. Is not great, being prInri-
pally from snakes, scorpions and cen
tipetes. There IA popular error. ne
says. about alligators being ferortous.
He says he has frequently waded out
into shallow stream crowded With
them and armed only With a stick: he
has shouted AZ them and dubbed them
over the nose, when they would get
out oi the way as fast as they could.
The long. lean kind are hsrcer. sun.
about the only danger when one gets
Into school Of alilgators 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 wettluE and
loss of provisions follow. The eEret
.s a shy bird. Thslr rookerles are in
places not easy OF access. but may be
approached In a small launch The
birds TOost In high trees standing In
water The hunter approaches eau
tiOusly. anchcrs under the tree. and
then shoots from daylight until dark
A foWiinE piece Is the weapon used.
The bird falls near the canoe and Is
picked up by the huntsr. Dogs are
not used. because the aIIiEators arc
very fond ot Goss These rookeries
contain from I0.Oeo to 10000 birds.
about Is 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
ts when they ATu about six weeks old.
The season varies. In Central Amer
tea and Mexico Il Is from February to
October. The best time Is In March.
April and May, After that the piumes
become little ragged on the orino-
co the season 4 from about Sept l
10 Jan. 1. There are big rookeries on
Aprsne. a tributary OF the orinoco-
Two steam launches are now on that
river and have made considerable
money. Rookeries are on big cattle
ranches. owned by natives, who ieal-
ousiy guard them privilege costs
about 1900 and 80 per cent OF the
proceeds. Each bird Is worth about
sig5. The feathers for which they are
hunted grow on the back and hang
down over short. stubby tail About
/. s.oo0 ounces we're shipped from the
AnINNE ENAENN 70 eNt# ARt y AAa7N sN-AHH
This would approximate about 2oO.-
600 birds. The amounts shipped TO
Paris and London are larger, but the
figures are not obtainable. There are
known 70 be Immense rOokeries on
other tributaries OF the orinoeo which
have not been approached because the
launches draw thirty-eight TO forty
eight inches OF water, In these
streams for six months in the year
during the dry season there is only
twenty-tour inches OF water. Feathers
are plucked. and. after being assorted
into grades /. and 3, are dried and
Theoretically sealed in tin boxes for
shlument. 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