Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-27
THE END OF FINE FEATHERS
BY Frederic J. Hnskin

n New York dealer, who IL something
OF nm authority on the subject. This
IL Of it's best during the ccurting sea
ron when they hold their annual
dancing exhibitions for tho benefit u
the less gorgeous but highly priced
females
"On this occasion, the uosic birds
dance and fly about, exhibiting their
attractions in a sort OF competitive
examination while the females stand
silently by. eyeing them critically and
finally making choice. During this
dancing party tho birds are 70 pre-
occupied and worried for fear they
won't be chosen that they ioso all
| their natural caution. and are easily
picked off with biow-pfpes by tho
natives.
| 1T isn't necessary 20 Kill the birds
in order 70 get their feathers, but
Is usually more convenient Lately.
since they have been growing 40
scarce. they are frequently trapped
and released after tho feathers havs
been cut, so that new spread can be
grown.
Except at their dancing parties.
the birds Of paradise are naturally
cautious and well able 70 protect them
selves They have but few natural
enemies, but their families are
small, being limited usually 20 two
offspring per season, so that they
Increase but slowly. This is all ths
more reason why they should be pro-
tected from human depredations."
The new tariff law win provide th's
protection, at least 50 far AZ this
country Is concerned. According 70
Mr.. Pearson, It VIII END the thirty
, FIVE year battle against the slaughter
OF Wild birds for millinery" A few
feathers viii be smuggled IN and ped
died from house 70 house, az aiErsttes
are az present. But FOR practical pur-
, poses the commerce in forbidden
feathers will be az an end.
Law Saved GuBs.
> An example OF how Legislation may
, save a species threatened With sx-
tinction is 20 be found IN the case Of
the sea gull which. several years ago,
was nearly wiped out OF existence BY
a the demand Of New York milliners for
, feathers. All along the coast. gull.
were slaughtered by the thousands "a
supply the trade until legisiation WA
put into effect IN the coestwfss and
= Great Lakes states. as we'll az by tn.
Federal Government, making IL .
: crime 20 kill a sea gull or TO destroy
it's eggs AS result, the species wal
no longer nnolested, and now there
are milllons Of sea gills again 20 b.
seen along our coast.
Experience has shown, moreover
I ] sG,rx
l. Of feathers Il usually strongly 4nnu
enced by Legislation. There 3s for IN
is stance. no longer much demand for tn
% aigrette, although once It enjoyed
" tremendous popularity. The same &
ID true OF other species which were for
,e n1eriy killed with impunity in orde
"A 70 crafty the feminine passion 20
ie fins feathers.
D. Thus, back IN 1888, DR.. Frank y
OF Chapman. naturalist, walking throug
st the shopping district OF New Yor
I'd upon a spring afternoon, discovere
,e and identified feathers from robins
Al thrushes, bluebirds, tana9ers. swal
\ lows, warblers. waxwinzs. boboiink,
= larks, orioles. doves and vvoodpecker
on wornsn's hats. Altogether ne wa
able to count at least forty diHerer
species.
This was a period" says Mr.. Pea,
"a son, when people seemed to go ma
a. On the subject OF wearing birds ar
as feathers. They were used for ferninir
g. adornment in almost every concei1
nj able fashion. Here. for example. a.
y. two quotations from daily papers
IN that date. the names only being chan,
nd ed:
Miss Jones looked exceeding
RI well IN white, with a whole nest
o. sparkling. scincllating birds in h
sir hair. which II would have puzzled Z
IN. ornithofogist to classify.
a Mrs. Smuth wore a gakn OF unr
ar ieved black. looped up with blaekbirc
,te A winged creature so dusSy that
-a- could have been intended for nothiY
Ia5 but a crow reposed among the cur
90 and braios OF her hair"
Today, these society notes are mo
nkely 70 excite mirth than indign
=" ton. yet they were written less thu
co. forty years ago. So fast does pub
os opinion change-who knows ?-pe
"a haps IN q few more years, the VOC
for paradise plurnes, which has aIrnc
las annIhilated q whole glorious speci,
ich may also seem less tragic than ridic
ms lous.