New-York tribune., 1900-04-01

MODERATE AND ABsTANING AUDUBoNrTEs-
--Fruoxs FROM THE BIRD OF FREEDOM
AHE RUDDERs FOR woarDNs HATS"
Tho feathers OF the brown pelican are now worn
80 connonly-hundreds may be seen in New-York
daily-that every one knowing OF the ease with
which the bird may be killed and its comparatively
restricted range feel that at the present rate
Of destruction early extinction, at least in the
United States. is assured says Frank M Chap
man, Editor of BIRD Lore
Prom Texas reports come TO US Of the slaughter
of hrov, pelicans in large numbers, and we have
aIso heard rurnors that they being killed for
their feathers in Florida. If the residents OF the
last named State could be made to realize no"
infinitely more valuable TO them live pelican Is
than O. dead one do not for a moment oount thaI
fs destroyers would speedily receive their deserts
This apparently ungainly, but in reality singu-
larly graceful bird is the most picturesque element
in the life of Florida's coasts, where its size ana
Familiarity render conspicuous to the least OBJ
serving To the tourist It is much an object of
interest as the alligators or cabbage palms IL Is
distinctly strange and foreign, and It's presence
lends a character to the view given by no other
bird In Florida It's would therefore be frrepa-
rable and appeal to every lover of Florida to aid
in its protection
TWO CLASSES OF AUDUBONITEs.
"Auaubonites may be divided into two classes as
regards their attitude toward the wearing of feath-
ers-the moderates and the total abstainers' says
Mr.. Chapman.
.s1-he rnoderates hold that they violate Of
the interests OF protection in its fullest sense
nv wearing the plumes Of game or food birds, or
those of the ostrich, which is as legitmatey raised
for its feathers sheep for its wool. In short
they see the necessity of keeping feather wearing
within conservative bounds. and elect TO take the
individual responsibility of so doing.
.ahe total abstainers say: Let us break ourselves
altogether of the feather wearing habit. We shall
be more conspicuousIy consistent as bird protec-
tionists and shall not be called upon to settle
fine points and follow difficult boundaries. we
need not know anything about plumage, and never
have TO decide whether the wings used by niliners
are really of food birds the pinions Of song
birds disguised with dye Or If the fearfully manu-
factured confections are the heads Of real owls
and parrots twisted ont Of all semblance to nature
merely compounds of chicken feathers and cellu-
loid'
Both Of these attitudes equally useful to the
cause If they maintained consistently. but
inevitably the way OF the total abstainers is the
easier the The total abstainers need not.
quote Hamlet. know hawk from a handsaw.'
While. in order TO be consistent the moderates
must be bird students Of intelligence If
they would keep safely on the exceedingly narrow
pathway that divides the feathers that may be
from those that must not be worn, not alone by
Audubonites. but by any woman who has either
sense sensbility A pathway? A slack wire
is the better smile, treacherous is the footing
What is il that causes the downfall of many
Of the moderates. who know the common birds
fairly well, and could not be hoodwinked into buy
ing egret plumes dyed swallow wings?
You can guess easily. for you have seen the
tempter prOtruding above behind the I'D to date
outing hat the entire season, and unless YOU are
unusually lucky it has poked you reproachfully In
the eye, as II calling your attention its plight
The quill courser F9
Yes, the quill is mischief maker At its intro
ducton many years ago the quill at first the
harmless feather Of crow, a goose quill sedate
enough make a pen for judge. After a while in
took on dabs of color and even spangles but ali
this time il was good safe outing and rainy day
ornament.
Then a change came, the quill grew suddenly
longer, with a curl to its tip that made one wonder
If natural, how its original wearer had lived win
it This quill. however did not stay well in curl
and less than a year ago ii displaced ny tbe
regning faVorite. quill as aggressively inherit
any that decks the cap of the operatic Ne
phisto but not half as becoming TO the wearer
Now comes the Inconsistency of the moderates
They wear these quills blindly, because they have
studied birds thoroughly enough to distinguish
between plumages except when aided bv decided
color. The sentence, 1t is only a Quill covers