friends. Another
man went about the neighbourhood hunting male Baltimore Orioles until
he had shot twelve, as he wanted his sisters to have six each for their
Sunday hats. The Roseate Spoonbill of the Southern States was never
extensively killed for the millinery trade, and yet to-day it is
rapidly approaching extinction. The feathers begin to fade in a short
time and for this reason have little commercial value, but the amateur
Northern tourist feather hunter has not known this, or disregarded the
fact, and has been the cause of the depletion of the species in the
United States. Almost every one could cite instances similar to the
above, for there are many people in the {155} United States who are
guilty of taking part in the destruction of birds for millinery
purposes. In addition to the feathers of American birds already
mentioned the feathers of certain foreign species have been very much
in demand.

_Paradise Plumes_--One of the most popular foreign feathers brought to
this country is the Paradise. There are at least nine species of
Paradise Birds found in New Guinea and surrounding regions that furnish
this product. The males are adorned with long, curved delicate
feathers which are gorgeously coloured. As in the case of all other
wild birds there is no way of getting the feathers except by killing
the owners. Much of this is done by natives who shoot them down with
little arrows blown through long hollow reeds. The high price paid for
these feathers has been the occasion of the almost total extinction of
some of the species, as indicated by the decreased number of feathers
offered at the famous annual London Feather Sales. Travellers in the
regions inhabited by the birds speak of the {156} distressing effect of
the continuous calls of the bereft females as they fly about in the
forests during the mating season. As a high-priced adornment the
Paradise is the one rival of the famous aigrette.

_Maribou._--The Maribou which has been fashionable for a number of
years past comes principally from the Maribou Stork of Africa. These
white, fluffy, downlike feathers grow on the lower underpart of the
body of the Maribou Stork. These birds are found in the more open
parts of the country. Their food consists of such small forms of life
as may readily be found in the savannas and marshes. To some extent
they also feed like vultures on the remains of larger animals.

_Pheasants._--The long tail feathers of