MURDEROUS MILLINERY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7891, 22 December 1903, Page 2

MURDEROUS MILLINERY

: . NOTABLE ACTION BY THU SELBORNE SOCIETY.? tiird lovers will be glad to\ kam that the Selborne Society has issued an appeal to a number of expert ornithologists, requesting them to furnish reports to the society as to the species of birds now exhibited in milliners' windows for the decoration of women's hats. As a result, it is to be hoped that the ruthlessnesfc of the slaughter which is caitsed by this traffic will be brought ham© to those directly concerned. A correspondent of the " Daily Mail," who is taking a prominent pai't in this inquiry, says'' that the number of diffeirent species now to he seen in the London shops is greater than "ever. The ranks .of the graceful little sea-swallows and gulls havebeen heavily taxed. The black-headed gull, which has become such a popular favourite at the bridges along the Thames during the winter months, i s also especially prominent, whole birds in summer dress being by no means rare. Probably, Wheti the various reports arrive, over two hiindred different kinds of birds will be found to figure therein. Among the more striking birds used for millinery decoration are various species of humming birds, birds of Paradise and sun birds, kingfisher»> egrets, herons, pigeons, owls,' swallows, titmice and parrotsu — By way of adding insult to injury, these are often dyed the most hideous colours, and are thrust into shapes that suggest death by torture on the rack. Perhaps one of the most offensive exhibitions of this kind yet devised was that of a pair of love-birds ekswered together, and supporting a double train of a foot or more in length, made up of ih© wings of others of the same species. As many as twenty pairs of wings were used for fcb-is purpose. Fancy two-and-twetity victims displayed on one hat ! After tins who shall call the Bornean head-hunter a wivago ? Besides whole birds there will b& found scores of nondescripts, such as the body of ai thrush or skylark, with a pair of 'terns' wings, and the head and -wings of the beautiful white eft-ret, dyed gre,en, fitted to the tail of a gull. Tufts of egret plumes a.nd the side plumes of the bird of "Paradise are as much seen as ever, though the cruelty entailed in their collection has been again and again proclaimed from the house-tops. Tlwn present action of the Selborne Society has been prompted by the announcement in the " Drapers' Record " that tha birds used for millinery are not real, but are "manufactured" by Ruling duck and pigeon feathers over a lump of cotton-won], this is merely trifling with the real facts.