Great Falls tribune., 1922-04-27
The HQSkir Letter . nt1ess,sz assa"
THE END OF FINE FEATHERS.

| their natural caution, and are easily
picked off with blow-pipes by the
natives.
1T isn't necessary to kill the birds
in order to get their feathers, but is
usually more convenient. Lately, since
they have been growing so scarce, they
are frequently trapped and released
after the feathers have been cut, sc
that new spread can be grown.
Except at their dancing parties,
the birds of paradise are naturally
cautious and well able to protect them
selves. They have but few natural
being limited usually to two offspring
slowly. This Is all the more reason
why they should be protected from
human depredations."
The new tariff law will provide this
protection, at least so far as this
country is concerned. According to
Mr.. Pearson, it will lend the 35 year
battle against the slaughter of wild
birds for millinery" A few feathers
will be smuggled in and peddled from
house to house, as aigrettes are at
present But for practical purposes
the commerce in forbidden feathers
will be at an end.
Law Saved GuIIs
An example of how legislation may
save species threatened with extinc-
ton is to be found in the case of the
sea gull which, several years ago, was
nearly wiped out Of existence by the
demand of New York milliners for
feathers. All along the coast, gulls
were slaughtered by the thousands to
supply the trade until legislation was
put into effect in the coastwise and
Great Lakes states, as well as by the
federal government, making it a crime
to kill sea gull or to destroy its eggs.
As result, the species was no longer
molested, and now there are millions
of sea gulls again to be seen along our
coast.
Experience has shown, moreover,
that public opinion regarding the use
of feathers is usually strongly influ-
enced by legislation. There is, for in
stance, no longer much demand for the
aigrette, although once it enjoyed
tremendous popularity. The same is
true Of other species which were for
merly killed with impunity in order to
crafty the feminine passion for fine
feathers.
Thus, back in 1856, DR.. Frank NJ.
Chapman, naturalist, walking through
the shopping district of New York
upon spring afternoon, discovered and
identified feathers from robins,
thrushes, bluebirds, tanagers, swallows,
warblers, waxwings, bobolinks, larks,
orioles, doves and woodpeckers on
women's hats. Altogether he was able
to count at least 40 different species.
This was a period" says Mr..
Pearson, when people seemed to go
mad on the subject of wearing birds
and feathers. They were used for
feminine adornment in almost every
conceivable fashion. Here, for ex-
ample, are two quotations from daily
papers of that date, the names only be-
ing changed:
Miss Jones looked exceedingly we'll
in white, with a whole nest of spark
ling. scintillating birds in her hair,
which it would have puzzled an
ornithologist to classify
Mrs. Smith wore a gown of un-
relieved black, looped up with black
birds. A winged creature so dusky
that it could have been intended for
nothing but crow reposed among the
curls and braids Of her hair"
To-day, these society notes are more
likely to excite mirth than indignation,
yet they were written less than 40
years ago. So fast does public opinion
change-who knows perhaps in a
few more years, the vogue for paradise
plumes, which has almost annhilated
q whole glorious species, may also seem
less tragic than ridiculous