If the feather dealers had deliberately attempted to form an educational list of the most beautiful and the most interesting birds of the world, they could hardly have done better than they have done in the above list. If it were in my power to show the reader a colored plate of each species now being exterminated by the feather trade, he would be startled by the exhibit. That the very choicest birds of the whole avian world should be thus blotted out at the behest of vain and heartless women is a shame, a disgrace and world-wide loss.
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LONDON FEATHER SALE OF FEBRUARY, 1911
Sold by Hale & Sons Sold by Dalton & Young Aigrettes 3,069 ounces Aigrettes 1,606 ounces Herons 960 " Herons 250 " Birds of Paradise 1,920 skins Paradise 4,330 bodies
Sold by Figgis & Co. Sold by Lewis & Peat Aigrettes 421 ounces Aigrettes 1,250 ounces Herons 103 " Paradise 362 skins Paradise 414 skins Eagles 384 " Eagles 2,600 " Trogons 206 " Condors 1,580 " Hummingbirds 24,800 " Bustards 2,400 "
LONDON FEATHER SALE OF MAY, 1911
Sold by Hale & Sons Sold by Dalton &
Young
Aigrettes 1,390 ounces Aigrettes
2,921 ounces
Herons 178 " Herons
254 "
Paradise 1,686 skins Paradise
5,303 skins
Red Ibis 868 " Golden Pheasants
1,000 "
Junglecocks 1,550 "
Parrots 1,700 "
Herons 500 "
Sold by Figgis & Co. Sold by Lewis & Peat Aigrettes 201 ounces Aigrettes 590 ounces Herons 248 " Herons 190 " Paradise 546 skins Paradise 60 skins Falcons, Hawks 1,500 " Trogons 348 " Hummingbirds 6,250 "
LONDON FEATHER SALE OF OCTOBER, 1911
Sold by Hale & Sons Sold by Dalton & Young Aigrettes 1,020 ounces Aigrettes 5,879 ounces Paradise 2,209 skins Heron 1,608 " Hummingbirds 10,040 " Paradise 2,850 skins Bustard 28,000 quills Condors 1,500 " Eagles 1,900 "
Sold by Figgis & Co. Sold by Lewis & Peat Aigrettes 1,501 ounces Aigrettes 1,680 ounces Herons 140 " Herons 400 " Paradise 318 skins Birds of Paradise 700 skins
If I am correctly informed, the London feather trade admits that it requires six egrets to yield one “ounce” of aigrette plumes. This being the case, the 21,528 ounces sold as above stand for 129,168 egrets killed for nine months’ supply of egret plumes, for London alone.