The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-18
WOMAN CAN STOP
KILLING OF BIRDS
At Least This Is Opinion of
S. P. c. A.-Slaughter
Largely in South.

New York, Feb. 1S.-Wealthy New
Workers who 60 south every winter
can do a much better service for the
American Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals than by estab-
fishing an espionage on the negro
hack drivers. if they only would, &C
cording to bulletin of the society.
The form of service suggested by
| the society is TO aid in putting stop
to the ruthless slaghter of snowy her
ons and egrets. Certain southern Sec
tons in this respect are called the
black belt of cruelty"
Florida, where many northern peo-
| pie go each winter" says the bulletin.
lis the scene of the barbaric slaugh-
ter of the snowy herons and egrets.
True, the slaughter is growing less
every year. not through any diminua-
| ton of the desire to kill. because these
| beautiful birds are on the very verge
of extinction.
The graceful plumes which are car
ried by the birds at nesting time"
continues the bulletin. ARE still worn
by women in great numbers in the
| north and as long as fashion DEGREES
il new plumes must be supplied while
there are any birds left. Florida peo-
pie think all northerners favor the
slaughter; consequently it is difficult
to sustain public opinion locally. Nor
therners in Florida frequently ex-
press ignorance of the whole matter,
or Indifference.
| Killing Of the Esrets.
The worst phase of the butchery of
the egrets has never been published.
Humane readers know the mother
birds are killed and the young birds
drop out of the nests and die of star
walton, but particulars as to how the
old birds are killed are meager. Leaf
let's on the subject say they are shot
with small calibre rifles. but that is
not correct in every instance. The
most expert plume hunters say that
by shooting there is danger of break
ing or soiling the plumes when the
birds fall off trees or from the air.
Consequently they prefer to net or
trap the birds and tear the plumes
from the backs of thir living victims,
leaving them to die lingering deaths
in the swamps. Often their last mo-
ments are further harassed by encoun-
tiers with water rats and snakes that
lie in wait for their defenceless prey.
Foxes and wildcats also run riot
among the young birds, which literal
ly fall from their nests into their
jaws.
.. .. Creating a Sentiment. .. :.
Northern sentiment is highly re-
garded in Florida. If every S. p. c. A.
member wintering there would quiet
ly insist that plume hunting be abol-
ished, it might come to pass through
them more than by any other agency.
Ten or fifteen years ago they could
have saved whole colonies of birds.
Nov they can save at most few hun
dred specimens, but once their perse-
cutions are ended the egrets will slow
ly but surely increase again.
I'm Georgia and the Carolinas the
wholesale shooting of song birds, pro-
tected in the north. is widely practic-
ed. 1t is an ordinary sight to see ne
gro boys coming into the towns early
in the morning carrying long strings
of dead robins. The strict bird laws
of the north can never count for much
if the poor songsters have to face an
ordeal of shot in their winter abodes
Netting robins at the roosting grounds
is alsosa favOrite practice. Thousands
are sometimes secured in night only
the choice birds being used and the
others thrown away.
Wild Pigeons Extinct.
There are millions of them re-
marked a noted robin trapper That
was the language used by the hunters
who trailed the wild pigeons twenty
five years ago in Pennsylvania, New
York and other northern states To
day wild pigeons are as near extinc
ton as bird can be. The prizes Of
fered by the American Ornithologica
Union in the hope of securing mes,
and protecting the young have gone
begging. To use the words of Pro
movement, We have not seen sc
: much as a feather since our search be
gan
Mourning doves, which in some
northern states are preserved by com
mon consent by sportsmen. and repay
the courtesy by diligent work agains
insects, are trapped by thousands il
the south. So great has been the
slaughter it is a wonder that any are
able to fly northward in the spring.
The great number of Influential
members of our society who will sc
soon leave for the south can individ
: ually and collectively turn the tide
if the will The awful destruction ant
mutiliation of the esrets can be stop
ped, robins can have protective law:
passed for them and larks and dove:
and hosts of other birds which droy
in countless numbers before shot
guns will have powerful influences d
, work to save them. To work for the
society and for humanity would ado
a priceless pleasure TO ones winter
outing in the south.
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