New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-08

numbers. and consigned TO the vastly deem u,,.
is its chosen home. The word Vastly " n ,,asa
remarked is hardly modern English bu, 90
on without it would be practically out M -, ~
question. " we
Now. one matter that will be called To m. =.
tention Of the United States Pisciculturai -. az
Agricultural Commission, as that Coyern,,ass
bureau will probably be styled in future has :.
lation to the domestication Of birds that -.
feathers valuable in the milliners' trade u,.s
ertO this branch of commerce has been obIIsa.
to rely upon the wild suppy-which ia ys.
much as III vegetables were to be collected ~
accidental patches in the forests. There in ).
reason for such condition Of affairs Alre,d,
the ostrich is being bred in confinement for 4.
pumes. which are plucked at suitable interval,
Why should not the same thing be done ,r,,s
birds-Of- paradise. and with other species usssa'
to fashion? Indeed, the project Of import,n
birds paradise from New Guinea and oth.s
isles in that neghborhood, with this puruoss 1.
view. has been definitely preached II NAV sv.
be practicable, by proper breeding. to irnprov.
the much priced plumage of certain wild bird,
The japanese have cultivated the tail -feaths,.
of variety OF rooster until they have y,
tanned length Of fifteen feet thus affordinp :,
illustration Of what patience and systemats
propagation may accomplish.
UNDESIRABLE BIRDS.
II the United States Fish Commission becou.
also a Bird Commission, an important featur
OF its work will be to shut cut from this com,
try undesirable birds The English sparros
now such nuisance, would never have bes.
introduced into the United States il Cover,
ment experts had possessed authority to exclud.
it. Persons ignorant Of its true characts
brought IL from Europe with the notion that
would gobble insects, whereas II Is primarily
seed-eater-not 10 mention its hostility to NOR
desirable feathered creatures AS result 4
has become a pest and other well meaning De-,
sons have recently imported a lot OF English
starlings to destroy It, Unfortunately. this star
ling is to all intents and purposes like our ow,
Objectionable crow blackbird. and has the SAM
habit OF eating the eggs and young of smaller
birds OF all sorts.
OrnithOlOgists consider II most important thai
Congress should regulate this business Of bri
Importation so to forbid the bringing Of am
feathered immigrants into the country without
consent Of the Department OF Agriculture, or u
the Fish and Bird Commission. Some depart
ment or bureau ought to have authority to pre-
vent indiscretons of this kind. AS the law nos
stands. anybody Is at liberty TO fetch into u.
United States any bird or other animal no mat.
ter how dangerous. The mongoose, which ha
wrought such destruction in Jamaica and The
Hawaiian Islands. might be introduced or mar.
hap the English rabbit which has wellnigh re-
duced Australia to the condition of desert
few yelr3 ago there was INTRODUCED into
Oregon the Chinese, commonly called the Mon.
golian," pheasant. 1t was expected 10 breed
rapidly and to prove a desirable game bird
these respects, as must be owned II has sur |
found its chosen adopted habitat in grain fields
and its destruction Of the grain has been
serious that the law forbidding the killing o. /
the bird has been repealed. This pheasant
much like the English pheasant but handsome
II has white ring around its neck and 10
colors are beautifully metallic.
One mistake made by American importers
game birds has been the notion that Dirds
migratory habits could be naturalized in the
United States. Great sums have been spent
trying to establish the European guam IN n1
country. thousands Of them being turned Ios
In New England but. when the season Of migfs
ton came. they have flown away-whlther no
body knows 1t is imagined that they nH
flown out into the Atlantic. ard have there css
lost The migrating habit. of course. Is inhert
through thousands of generations. and oiro
obey IL as an instinct These European qua
were accustomed to pass over the Mediterranen
into Africa when winter came. Thinking Una
they were crossing that inland sea on ther
aerial voyage from the Western Continent tnT
were drowned In the ocean.