The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-12-21
PLEA roR BIRD sLAYEs.
Sale and Life Likened to Negro
Traffic.

frame.
Writing Of Captive Wild Birds,p in a
pamphlet for the American Humane as
ISOLATION. Miss Marshall Saunders Of
Halifax, n. s., makes a plea not only for
stopping the traiic in captive wild birds,
on the ground Of cruelty, but for the
emancipation Of the bird slaves az
she styles the faathered captiyes from
foreign countries. As means Of put
ting an end to such traffic in birds, AIiss
Saunders urges a systematic iuyestisa-
ton on the part Of the humane societies
and the compilation Of statistics.
Il should like 10 see the humane so.
ciefies take an interest in this matter,
says she, "and 10 inquire into IL. Fig.
ilres must be kept, and We ought TO be
able TO get at them. | should like TO
find out how many birds are imported,
where they come from, what Is the per-
eentage Of deaths, by whom they ahs
purchased, etc. : appeal TO hvniane
workers to do Something for .he foreign
birds--the pitiful little eaptiyes uprais-
ing their suffering voices in protest all
over this continent. We let our black
slaves 90. Let ~ set the bird slaves
free also"
Likening the traffic In rare African
birds TO the traffic IN negroes and the
ships laden with birds for this and other
countries 70 the slave ships Of old, Miss
Saunders refers 10 a book published by
well known Boston bird dealer and
authority on the subject.
In this book writes Miss Saunders,
he says that African negroes catch
birds and take them 70 the captains Of
barks plying between. the west coast
and Boston. The captains buy the birds
in lots, giving in exchange watch
chains, paper collars, stove.pipe haas and
rum. Some Of the captains trade a pint
Of rum for the first ten birds, then when
the negro becomes stupehed they take
the rest Of his birds and drop him over
board, perhaps mile from shore. The
partially intoxicated man does not
drown, but manages 20 reach the beach
and RECEIVERS. The unhappy birds are
put in boxes with wire fronts, having
pefches raised above each other. There
are often eight hundred small birds
packed closely together bluebirds, ruby
birds. lavender birds aud orange birds.
Imagine the feelings Of these gorgeous
little fincles on being transported from
their home on the wide African coast
70 the confined horrors Of their bird
slave ship rolling about on the ocean.
The author goes on 10 state that Of
ten the boxes al the finches are brought
to the upper deck. and II a hurricane
suddenly arises they are blown overheard
and tossed from crest TO crest Of the
billows for an hour before boats crew
can leave the ship for the rescue. OF
course, many Of the birds perish. When
they first arrive In America they are in
rough feather and bad order. because the
boxes are overeFowded and in filthy con.
dition, and the seed used during the voy-
age is Of the cheapest grade.
Further on, be saws that each little
birds is Of such slight value in Africa
that the negro would die strict teeto-
taller If be depended on catching them in
cages. To quote him again Our AZ.
ricSn has q chronic hatred Of work and
loves the -old Medford.7 so he strolls
about until be finds piece Of forest
where hundreds OF fnches roOst. Then.
obtaining peculiar sort of wood which
when burning stupehes the birds. ~
stretches his sort Of blanket made Of
large leaves, lights the Odorous finder
and catches blankets full Of inehes faster
than he can transfer them to the
boxes