Page 127 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

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CHAPTER XII
DESTRUCTION OF SONG BIRDS BY SOUTHERN NEGROES AND POOR WHITES
Before going farther,' there is one point that I wish to make quite clear.
Whenever the people of a particular race make a specialty of some particular type of wrong-doing, anyone who pointedly rebukes the faulty members of that race is immediately accused of "race prejudice." On account of the facts I am now setting forth about the doings of Ital- ian and negro bird-killers, I expect to be accused along that line. If I am,Ishallstrenuouslydenythecharge. Thrfactsspeakforthemselves. Zoologically, however, I am strongly prejudiced against the people of any race, creed, club, state or nation who make a specialty of any par- ticularly offensive type of bird or wild animal slaughter; and I do not care who knows it.
The time was, and I remember it very well, when even the poorest gunnerscornedtokillbirdsthatwerenotconsidered"game." Indays lang syne, many a zoological collector has been jeered because the specimens he had killed for preservation were not "game."
Buttimeshavechanged. Inthewearingoffurs,wehavebumped down steps both high and steep. In 1880 American women wore seal- skin, marten, otter, beaver and mink. To-day nothing that wears hair is too humble to be skinned and worn. To-day "they are wearing" skins of muskrats, foxes, rabbits, skunks, domestic cats, squirrels, and even rats. And see how the taste for game,—of some sections of our population,—also has gone down.
In the North, the Italians are fighting for the privilege of eating every- thing that wears feathers ; but we allow no birds to be shot for food save game birds and cranes. In the South, the negroes and poor whites are killing song-birds, woodpeckers and doves for food; and in several states someofitisdoneundertheauthorityofthelaws. Lookattheseawful lists
IN THESE STATES, ROBINS ARE LEGALLY SHOT AND EATEN: Louisiana North Carolina Tennessee Texas Mississippi South Carolina Maryland Florida
IN THESE STATES, BLACKBIRDS ARE LEGALLY vSHOT AND EATEN:
Louisiana Pennsylvania Tennessee District of Columbia South Carolina