The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-24
ASK NATIONS. TO SAVE BIRDS.
America to Urge Bird Conservation at International Conference Crops and Health of Human
 Race 9f Stake
Race at Stake

To urge the world powers to unite in checking the commercial butchery that is known to be rapidly exterminating the most valuable bird species from the face of the globe, a conservation movement of international scope has been organized in New York city. At fke fifth quinQuennial convention of the International Ornithological Con- Eress, which will be held in Berlin on May 3Oth an American representative from the National Association of Au- dubon Societies has been instructed to present for the consideration of the nations a plan for uniform protection against the army of poachers that SCOUT the earth to supply its great millinery markets with the plumage of billions of the birds, on whose natural activities the human race must depend for agricultural prosperity and Sanl- tary safety. To enlist Mexico in a tripartite agreement with the United States and Canada in the interest of the migratory birds of the North American continent, a representative from this country is also preparing to appear before the Mexican Congress.
 Headed by the National Association of Fish and Game Commissioners, the North American Fish and Game Pro- tective Association and the American Ornith0logiStS' Union, as well as the National Association of Audubon Soci- cities, this campaign of protest against the rapid destruction of the feathered resources of every land will be carried from this country to all civilized na- tions. Testimony from the foremost agricultural and hygienic scientists showing the great part played by the insect eaters in checking crop pests and by the sea birds in averting pes- tilence, is now being prepared IS proof tafr, r,f iy1tfA tionai protection. Until the authorities of every nation join to check the ille- gal raids of the scouts for the millinery markets, who are securing the ends of the earth more widely each year, the ornitnoIogists declare, no hope can be held out against quick and final ex- finction of the most useful bird spe- cies that inhabit every land.
 Details of the recent raid of Japanese poachers upon the bird reserves of the United States about Hawaii have just been received here and will be laid be- fore the coming international confer ence with the growing demand for re- ciprocal bird protection among the na- tions Ten tons of the feathers of val hab1e Pacific American species with Enc skins and wings of over 259, GOO birds have been found to be some of the booty that the revenue cutter Thetis brought back with twenty-five
 
 ed on American soil to put in year at killing and mutilating the tame flocks on these remote islands. While the value of these bloody trophies to the wholesale millinery market is es- timated at some s10O,000. the bird life that the Japanese destroyed in taking them is calculated to be worth to the people of this country at least mill lioE dollars.
 '-As long as billions of the most economically valuable birds of the earth may be destroyed in some coun- tries and shipped to the millinery cen ters in others, it will be impossible to prevent their ultimate extinction" said William Butcher, president of the National Association of Audubon So- cieties at it's Headquarters, 141 Broad way today. For instance. the Bird of Paradise. one of the most striking and beautiful of Natures creations is now on the egof extinction. The sale of it's pIumage can not be check ed until the nations cooperate to this end This trade in feathers is the chief cause of the worlds alarming loss of it's bird resources which are essential to the health and prosperity of the human race everywhere. Migratory birds know no geographical lines and we do not believe their existence should be menaced any longer by the leck of the uniform protective laws we propose to advocate to the world pow ers''