Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-06-11
THE PLUME HARVEST
Hunters in Southern States Furnish
Northern Markets.
Lead Lonely Lives in the Swamps,
where They Are Constantly on
the Watch for Feathered
Creatures.

At this season of year the plume
hunters are reaping their harvest. They
are the men who in all Of the thousands
of bays, inlets and bayous of the South
Atlantic coast, on the marshy ponds
OF the interior and in the great swampy
districts shoot shore birds for their
plumage only.
1t is an industry widely spread, in
which good deal of capital is invest
ed and a good deal of work done, and
properly conducted it is highly re-
munerative. says a recent report in the
New York Sun.
The plume hunter must face all sorts
Of weather. of course. except very cold
weather. He must know what birds
are most highly valued and where they
are TO be found, how they are TO be APP
preached and how their plumage is TO
be preserved after they are dead.
There is nothing difficult about the
work.
Probably there are more plume hunt
ers in Florida than in any other state,
though many of them operate along
the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts,
down the Atlantic edge of Georgia and
in Texas and Arkansas.
They get all sorts Of birds because
of late years plumes have become
searcer and milliners now use feathers
they would have disdained formerly,
but in the main they devote themselves
to well-plumed shore birds. some of
which are of extremely beautiful hues.
Among the birds of Florida most
steadily pursued are the herons, black,
white, blue and green. These are in
tens Of thousands. and though they
are shy, they can be reached by man
who knows how.
Avocats, black and white. are slain
in numbers, as is the whooping crane,
a great stately bird whose body fur
nishes so many handsome feathers
that ii is a rich haul Flamingoes of !
a light pink, those Of so dark a pink |
as to be almost crimson and the pink |
and white and pink and blue varieties
are eagerly sought.
The curlews, sandpipers and other
trotters along the sands are gathered |
in, and fishhawks and pelicans are |
knocked down at every opportunity.
There is also relentless war against the /
many kinds of southern gulls. In fact,
pretty nearly all feathers are regarded
as good things by the plume hunter
except the buzzard's feathers. or the
feathers of the yellow-tipped Mexican
yulture.
The skins are rudely but effeetually
preserved. They are taken off whole.
with the wings left on. and after the
fat is scraped from them they are
rubbed with salt and powdered arsenic.
No further attention IS paid to them.
except 10 pack them securely, and they
reach New York in excellent condition.
With many of the smaller birds more
ARE is taken, and the plume hunter
n preserving them may even rise to
aXidermy. 1t is often desired to save
hese skins with the heads on, so that
he whole bird may adorn some wom-
ms bonnet. The plume hunters do
'ery well, some of them. and are pa
lent about learning, because the bet
er work of this sort is done the more
money they win get for it when IT
caches the wholesale feather houses
n the north.
As a general thing plume hunters
cad lonely and exposed lives. camp
ng under ragged tents in swampy dis
riots, doing their own cooking. stand
ng or sneaking for hours in the mud
md day and night unspeakably dirty.
'ome Of them have boats and drift up
md down the bayous, picking off
'rane or avocat here and there. or they
orce their way through tangled
wamps, where the vines swing low to
he water. making for some hidden
agoon far in the forest, known 10 no
nan save them.
Some Of them have breechloaders.
,ut not many of them, though the
lump gun is finding its way among
hem rapidly. They use cheap, black
'owder and unchilled shot. but they y
I'LL all right. and as the cost of am !
nunition IS much of an object with
hem, one viii sometimes put in half
day trying to get little nearer.
Occasionally a small-caliber rifle is
ound among them, and this is much a
he best weapon for their business. but
ommonly they stick to antique. muz-
le-loading double-barrels, with water
roof caps. a plume hunter with or
mary luck viii clear up several hun
red dollars in winter. and through ,
he summer he fishes. half for profit.
aif for amusement or loafs through