The plumes in question consist of long filamentous feathers that grow from the neck of the egret and also from its breast.  In most countries those who obtain these plumes wait until the birds are actually nesting before attempting to secure them, taking advantage of the fact that egrets nest in colonies and of the parental affection of the breeding birds.  A few men armed with guns are able to shoot every adult member of the colony, because the egrets continue to feed their young until they are shot.  As the plumes of these birds are worth nearly their weight in gold, egrets have become extinct in some parts of the world.

The export of plumage from India is unlawful, but this fact does not prevent a very large feather trade being carried on, since it is not difficult to smuggle “ospreys” out of the country.

Doubtless the existing Notification of the Government of India, prohibiting the export of plumage, has the effect of checking, to some extent, the destruction of egrets, but there is no denying the fact that many of the larger species are still shot for their plumes while breeding.

In the case of cattle-egrets (Bubulcus coromandus) the custom of shooting them when on the nest has given place to a more humane and more sensible method of obtaining their nuchal plumes.  These, as we have seen, arise early in May, but the birds do not begin to nest until the end of June.  The cattle-egret is gregarious; it is the large white bird that accompanies cattle in order to secure the insects put up by the grazing quadrupeds.  Taking advantage of the social habits of these egrets the plume-hunters issue forth early in May and betake themselves, in parties of five or six, to the villages where the birds roost.  Their apparatus consists of two nets, each some eight feet long and three broad.  These are laid flat on the ground in shallow water, parallel to one another, about a yard apart.  The inner side of each net is securely pegged to the ground.  By an ingenious arrangement of sticks and ropes a man, taking cover at a distance of twenty or thirty yards, by giving a sharp pull at a pliable cane, can cause the outer parts of each net to spring up and meet to form an enclosure which is, in shape, not unlike a sleeping-pal tent.  When the nets have been set in a pond near the trees where the cattle-egrets roost at night and rest in the day-time, two or three decoy birds—­captured egrets with their eyes sewn up to prevent them struggling or trying to fly away—­are tethered in the space between the two nets; these last, being laid flat under muddy water, are invisible.  Sooner or later an egret in one of the trees near by, seeing some of its kind standing peacefully in the water, alights near them.  Almost before it has touched the ground the cane is pulled and the egret finds itself a prisoner.  One of the bird-catchers immediately runs to the net, secures the victim, opens out its wings, and, holding each of these between the big and the second toe, pulls out the nuchal plumes.  This operation lasts about five seconds.  The bird is then set at liberty, far more astonished than hurt.  It betakes itself to its wild companions, and the net is again set.  Presently another egret is caught and divested of its plumes, and the process continues all day.