The Portland daily press., 1900-08-03

3 SLAUGHTER OF BIRDS ABROAD.
Correspondence of the Country Gentle
man.
So much has been said in recent years
about the wanton slaughter of American
birds that the impression prevails that in
some quarters we are particularly cruel
and thoughtless as nation, in killing
song and plumage birds, while Euro
peans are largely exempt from such ac-
cusations.. Yet in view of the heavy i'm
portations of bird wings and feathers
from France and London every year for
millinery purposes, it can hardly be said
that Americans are more disposed to the
wanton killing of birds than any other
nation. 1t was a Frenchman who IN ade 4
the assertion chat wherever the Euro !
pean. goes he kills birds. They go into
foreign countries to hunt rare Dir DIS. In
Algeria they killed so many storks that
there are hardly any left. Storks are not
afraid of the Arabs, but they know the
European on sight" The same IS true
of the red ibis of the Nile, which from
time immemorial, even from the days Of
the Pharaohs, was a picturesque feature
of the land. But today the bird has been
all but exterminated and the natives
lament the loss of their birds as much as
they do anything else.
There is much greater persistency OF
certain species Of song and game birds
than many imagine. Otherwise Europe
would have long since been robbed OF
every bird that ever Inhabited its woods
and shores. The destruction has beer
+ going on for ages, and yet the birds con
tinue to breed and to lose ground slowly
! 1t is estimated that there are about 700
! 600, 600 birds destroyed in France alon
q every yea T, but large percentage Of thi
e loss is due to other agencies than man
a The hawks, Weasels, cats and storms
= destroy a great many of the young bird
t every spring, and the thousands Of hunt
5 ers q , the rest. There are 5000 hunt
+ iNg licenses in France, and presumabl
that number of hunters, and small
4 army of irresponsible pOachers.
? Italy. like France, was at one time tn
E natural home of the birds, but thei
z slaughter has gone on in. the south o
! Italy to such an extent that a score a
old species have entirely disappeared
z They are killed for their feathers, whic
are shipped to Paris and London for mill
{ merry purposes, or they are shotsby licenses
, gunners or poachers. 1t is estimated tina
{. ~oV3OVV DAIUc dIc annuity slaughtered
D Italy, including Dlumage birds, gam
birds and birds of prey which destro
? the crops of the farmers In forty years
( at the present rate Of decrease, the bird.
3 of France and Italy VIII be reduced {
the sparrOWs of the towns and q few gam
birds protected in private preserves
Many of the aquatic birds, such as til
grebe, black tern and merganser hav
3 disappeared from the coast and hunter
nave to go to other shores TO find them.
Paris ana London are the great center
Tor Dlrd feathers and wings for miliiDer
uses and millions of them come to thes
cities from Asia, Africa, and the cont
nent and islands of Europe A consic
t cradle percentage of these same feather
are imported to this country, and man
that are found on the hats of women an
obtained from abroad Our laws al
! strlcter and probably better enforced tina
GhoSe OF Europe, and thsre is a more il
telllgent idea of the ethical value Of tn
plrds ia this country than in any of tn
european countries. This is due to til
great amount of bird literature sprea
. through this country in the last few year
and to the efforts Of the bird-DrOtectin
| societies organized in nearly every count
ana state IN the Union. These societis
are represented by more women tina
men, and they have been fnnuentiaI /
curing the destructive instincts of tn
small lad with the gun as well as indu,
ing MS sisters to refuse to wear hats an
Donnets ornamented with wings an
feathers of birds other than those kiIIe
for their meat.
But If we are ahead Of EuroDe
spreading the blrd-protecting propaganda
the European bird lovers lead us in n
matter OF training and doroestIcati-
song birds. We import thousands of eor
birds from Germany, France and EnpIar
ever year, and these trained songster
are heard in about one-half OF n
american homes. They include a
canaries, the bull-tincbes. Furonae,, we
piers, skylarks, goldhnches, chaffinohe
llnnets, nightingales, siskins. starline
WOODLANDS, and thrushes. These birds s
mostly bred and raised in captivity. ar