Page 146 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

124 OUR VANISHING WILD LIFh
Undertheheadof "HummingbirdsNotWanted,"Mr.Downhamis at great pains to convey* the distinct impression that to-day humming- birds are scorned by the feather trade, and the demand for them is dead. / believed him—until my agent turned in the following statement
Hummingbirds sold by Lewis & Peat, London, February, 1911 . Hummingbirds sold by Lewis & Peat, London, May, 1911 Hummingbirds sold by Hale & Sons, London, October, 1911
Total
.
.
.24,800 6,250 10,040
41,090
It is useless for anyone to assert that these birds were merely "offered," and not actually sold, as Mr. Downham so laboriously ex- plainsistheregularcoursewithhummingbirdskins; forthatwilldeceive no intelligent person. The statement published above comes to me direct, from an absolutely competent and reliable source.
Undoubtedly the friends of birds, and likewise their enemies, will be interested in the prices at which the skins of the most beautiful birds of the world are sold in London, prior to their annihilation by the feather industry. I submit the following exhibit, copied from the circular of Messrs. Lewis & Peat. It is at least of academic interest.
PRICES OF RARE AND BEAUTIFUL BIRD SKINS IN LONDON
Condor skins
Condor wing feathers, each 05
" "
"
"
$3.50 to $5.75
:
Impeyan Pheasant 66 Argus Pheasant 3.60 Tragopan Pheasant
Silver Pheasant
Golden Pheasant 34 Greater Bird of Paradise:
2.50 3.85 2.70 3.50
.46
Light Plumes: Medium to giants 10.32
Medium to long, worn
Slightdef.andplucked Dark Plumes: Medium to good long
12-Wired Bird of Paradise Rubra Bird of Paradise
Rifie Bird of Paradise
King Bird of Paradise "Green" Bird of Paradise East Indian Kingfisher
East Indian Parrots
Peacock Necks, gold and blue Peacock Necks, blue and green Scarlet Ibis
Toucan breasts
Red Tanagers
Orange Oriels
Indian Crows' breasts Indian lays
Amethyst Hummingbirds Hummingbird, various Hummingbird, others Egret ("Osprey") skins
21.00 7.20 " 13.80 2.40" 6.72
"The Feather Trade," by C. F. Downham, p. 63-4.
3/16 of 1/32 of
"
7.20 " 24.60 "
1.44 1.80 2.50 1.14 1.38 2.40
"
38 .44
"
06 .07
.03 24 .66 .36
"
14 .24
"
22 .26
.09 .05 .13 .04 .01 J4
.01 " .02
.01 " .01
1.08
2.78
"
"