THE POOR BIRDS | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 28, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 42.

THE POOR BIRDS.

THE only way, says the Independent, to put a stop to the slaughter of song-birds is to make the sale of their feathers and wings or the wearing of them on women's hats illegal. One or two States have such laws, which ought to be enforced. A Boston court has lately declared that it is unlawful to wear feathers of a bird that is protected by law. An expert connected with the Museum of Natural History in this city took pains to observe the hats worn by women during two afternoons. Forty species were represented, including thrushes, warblers, shrikes, fly-catchers, tanagers, swallows, wax-wings, grosbeaks, sparrows, orioles, woodpeckers, jays, owls, grouse, doves, quails, shore-birds, herons, gulls, terns, and grebes. Of course there is no objection to wearing the feathers of tame birds. This is a matter that ought to appeal to the conscience of women as well as to the good sense of ornithologists.