Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-29
THE END OF FINE FEATHERS-By Frederic ]. Haskin

nual dancing exhibits for the benefit of the
less gorgeous but highly priced females.
Males Hold Exhibition
ION this occasion, the male birds dance
and fly about, exhibiting their attractions in
sort Of competitive examination, while the
females stand silently by, cycling them crit
1cally and finally making a choice. During
this dancing party the birds are so preoc-
cupied and worried for fear they won't be
chosen that they lose all their natural eau
ton, and are easily picked off with blow
pipes by the natives.
"It 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, so that new spread can be grown.
Except at their dancing parties, the
birds of paradise are naturally cautious and
well able to protect themselves. They have
but few natural enemies, but their families
are small, being limited usually to two Off
spring per season, so that they increase but
slowly. This is all the more reason why they
should be protected from human depreda-
tions.
The new tariff law will provide this pro-
lection, at least so far as this country is
concerned. According to Mr. Pearson, it will
lend the thirty-five-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 COM
merce in forbidden feathers will be at an
end.
Law Saved Gnlls
An example of how legislation may save
a species threatened with extinction is to be
found in the case of the sea gull which sew
eral years ago, was nearly wiped out of ex-
istence by the demand of New York milli-
merry for feathers. All along the coast, gulls
were slaughtered by the thousands to sup
kt,o do i,,fo
effect in the coastwise and Great Lakes
states, as we'll as by the Federal Govern
ment making it crime to kill sea gull or
to destroy it's eggs. AS a 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 pub
lie opinion regarding the use of feathers is
usually strongly influenced by legislation.
There is, for instance, no longer much de-
mand for the afgrette, although once it en-
joyed tremendous popularity. The same is
true of other species which were formerly
killed with impunity in order to crafty the
feminine passion for fine feathers.
Thus, back in 1885, DR.. Frank M. Chap
man, naturalist, walking through the shop
ping district of New York upon a spring
afternoon, discovered and identified feathers
from robins thrushes, bluebirds, tanagers,
swallows, warblers, warnings, bobolinks,
larks, orioles, doves and woodpeckers on
womens hats. Altogether he was able to
count at least forty different species.
This was a PERIOD, says Mr.. Pearson,
when people seemed to go mad on the sub
ject of wearing birds and feathers. They
were used for feminine adornment in almost
every conceivable fashion Here, for example,
are two quotations from daily papers of that
date, the names only being changed:
Miss Jones looked exceedingly we'll in
white, with whole nest of sparkling, scn-
tillating birds in her hair, which it would
have puzzled an ornithologist to classify
Mrs. Smith wore a gown of unrelieved
black, Topped up with blackbirds. A winged
creature so dusky that it could have been
intended for nothing but crow reposed
among the curls and braids Of her hair.''
Today these society notes are more likely
to excite mirth than Indignation, yet they
were written less than forty years ago. So
fast does public opinion change-who knows?
perhaps in a few more years, the vogue
for paradise plumes which has almost an
initiated a whole glorious species, may also
seem less tragic than ridiculous.
We were taking the fresh-air children
back to the city. At the last minute we
missed small Annie. We made hurried
search and found her at last on the floor be-
side her bed, with her face buried in the pill
low.
whats the matter, Annie?" we asked,
What are you crying for?"
81 amt crying" 1as the indignant reply.
81 was just kissin., 1ny bed good-by, cause
don't know when I'll ever see another