Milford chronicle., 1913-02-28
TO BAR BIRD BUTCHERY.

Thousands of letters, kilograms and
personal appeals to save the aigrette-
bearing herons from extinction by pro-
hibiting the importation of their bloody
scalps have been sent to the Ways and
Means Committee of Congress from the
farmers, spOrtsmen club women of every
section of the country, according to re-
ports received at the headquarters of the
/ National Association of Audubon Socie-
/ ties in New York City. Following the
/ hearing on the feather schedule of the
/ tariff at Washington last month, forty
/ five state game commissioners through
out the continent have begun to add to
the plea of the Audubon workers their in
fiuence in urging Congress to bar from
the country the feathers plucked from
butchered mother birds, traffic in which
has already been made illegal in many
states.
In briefs submitted by ornithological
experts to the Ways and Means Com
mittee at Washington, it is shown on
behalf of the agricultural and fishing
interests of the whole country that the
herons. that have been massacred for
their plumes almost to the point of ex-
tinction. are of great economic value in
destroying farm pests and natural
enemies of trout and other valuable
fish. In two hundreds meals of birds !
of these species it is proved by scientific /
investigation that 5538 grasshoppers, |
257 cut-worms, Ala crayfish and 81 |
suckers were consumed as well as 36l /
water mOccasins and other snakes which |
are known to destroy young fish. 1t is
also demonstrated by these documents
that the worldwide war of extinction
now conducted by the feather dealers
against the birds who bear aigrettes
while brooding is characterized by bar
Oarous cruelty and unnecessary, and
that the loss of tariff revenue on such
trophies of bird slaughter could readily
De made up from other sources.
That traffic in egret scalps would be
absolutely stopped by prohibiting their
Importation, has been admitted before
he Ways and Means Committee of Con-
sress by a representative of the com
nercial interests that are fighting at
Washington to continue the interna-
ional traffic in aigretts that employs
rmies Of bird butchers to scour the 7
lobe for the plumes Of the murdered
lother birds whose young are left to J
tarve. With more than 100, 900 Audu- :
on workers arrayed with the farmers, 8
JOA loAA4Glg EluD WOlllGH anu udLuIE
)vers of every section of the land q r.
ainst these few feather Dealers it is
oped that Congress will decide to make 4
ne United States lead tie world in re-
Ognizing the hpP' e,ne and economic need
1r TE'-Cting out this cruel trade.
ii every American man, woman and
Mid who hates cruelty and loves nature
i'll write or wire Chairman Underwood
the Ways and Means Committee of
ongress in Washington to stop heron
ltchery by prohibiting the importa- 4
on Of aigrettes, we know we shall win Y
le powerful forces of the millinery in
rests" said T. Gilbert Pearson, sec
,tary of the National Association of
udubOn Societies, at its headquarters,
va Broadway. New York City. I'VE
ant the women and children to be r
card in defense of these dumb bird
FOODS as well as the farmers, ranch
en- and sportsmen, who are urging v
1on this congressional committee the
'eat economic need of their preserva-
on.