Our Vanishing Wild Life eBook

William Temple Hornaday
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 632 pages of information about Our Vanishing Wild Life.

Our Vanishing Wild Life eBook

William Temple Hornaday
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 632 pages of information about Our Vanishing Wild Life.
unknown. 
Pitta East Indies. 
Magpie Europe. 
Touracou, or Plantain-Eater Africa. 
Velvet Birds Locality uncertain. 
“Grives” Locality uncertain. 
Mannikin South America. 
Green Parrot (now protected) India. 
“Dominos” (Sooty Tern) Tropical Coasts and Islands. 
Garnet Tanager South America. 
Grebe All unprotected regions. 
Green Merle Locality uncertain. 
“Horphang” Locality uncertain. 
Rhea South America. 
“Sixplet” Locality uncertain. 
Starling Europe. 
Tetras Locality not determined. 
Emerald-Breasted Hummingbird West Indies, Cent, and S. America. 
Blue-Throated Hummingbird West Indies, Cent, and S. America. 
Amethyst Hummingbird West Indies, Cent, and S. America. 
Resplendent Trogon, several species Central America. 
Cock-of-the-Rock South America. 
Macaw South America. 
Toucan South America. 
Emu Australia. 
Sun-Bird East Indies. 
Owl All unprotected regions. 
Kingfisher All unprotected regions. 
Jabiru Stork South America. 
Albatross All unprotected regions. 
Tern, all species All unprotected regions. 
Gull, all species All unprotected regions.

* * * * *

In order to throw a spot-light on the most recent transactions in the London wild-birds’-plumage market, and to furnish a clear idea of what is to-day going on in London, Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam, I will set out in some detail the report of an agent whom I engaged to ascertain the London dealings in the plumage of wild birds that were killed especially to furnish that plumage.  As one item, let us take the sales in London in February, May and October, 1911, because they bring the subject well down to date.  My agent’s explanatory note is as follows: 

“These three sales represent six months.  Very nearly double this quantity is sold by these four firms in a year.  We must also take into consideration that all the feathers are not brought to the London market, and that very large shipments are also made direct to the raw-feather dealers and manufacturers of Paris and Berlin, and that Amsterdam also gets large quantities from the West Indies.  For your purpose, I report upon three sales, at different periods of the year 1911, and as those sales do not vary much, you will be able to judge the consumption of birds in a year.”

The “aigrettes” of the feather trade come from egrets, and, being very light, it requires the death of several birds to yield one ounce.  In many catalogues, the word “albatross” stands for the jabiru, a nearly-exterminated species of giant stork, inhabiting South America.  “Rhea” often stands for vulture plumage.

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Project Gutenberg
Our Vanishing Wild Life from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.