Page 151 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

EXTERMINATION FOR WOMEN'S HATS 129
entirely preposterous and incredible. The whole proposition is de- nounced by several men of standing and experience, none of whom are ''inconnu."
As a sweeping refutation of the fantastic statements regarding "garceros," published by Mr. Downham as coming from Messrs. La- glaize, Grisol and Geay, I offer the written testimony of an American gentleman who at this moment owns and maintains within a few yards
of his residence a large preserve of snowy egrets and herons, the former representing the species which furnishes egret plumes exactly similar to those shipped from Venezuela and Brazil. If the testimony of Mr. Mcllhenny is not sufficient to stamp the statements of the three French- men quoted by Mr. Downham as absolute and thoroughly misleading falsehoods, then there is no such thing in this world as evidence. I sug- gest a perusal of the statements of the three Frenchmen who are quoted with such confidence by Mr. Downham and published by the Hon. Chamber of Commerce at London, and then a careful reading of the following letter :
Dear Mr. Hornaday:—
I have before me your letter of June 8th, asking for information as to whether or no
egrets shed their plumes at their nesting places in sufficient quantities to enable them to be gathered commercially. I most emphatically wish to state that it is impossible to gather at the nesting places of these birds any quantity of their plumes. I have nesting within 50 yards of where I am now sitting dictating this letter not less than 20,000 pairs of the various species of herons and egrets, and there are fully 2, .500 pairs of snowy herons nesting within my preserve.
During the nesting season, which covers the months of April, May and June, I am throughthisheronryinasmallcanoealmosteveryday,andoftentwiceaday. Ihave had these herons under my close inspection for the past 17 years, and I have not in any oneseasonpickeduporseenmorethanhalfadozendiscardedplumes. Suchplumes as I have picked up, I have kept on my desk, and given to the people who were inter- ested. I remember that last year I picked up four plumes of the snowy heron that wereinonebunch. Ithinkthesemusthavebeenpluckedoutbythebirdsfighting.
ThisyearIhavefoundonlyoneplumesofar. Iencloseitherewith. Youwillnotice that it is one of the shorter plumes, and is badly worn at the end, as have been all the plumes which I have picked up in my heronry.
I am positive that it is not possible for natural shed plumes to be gathered commer- ciall}^ I have a number of times talked with plume hunters from Venezuela and other South American countries, and I have never heard of any egret feathers being gathered by their being picked up after the birds have shed them.
I have heard of a number of heronries in South America that are protected by the land owners for the purpose of gathering a yearly crop of egret plumes, but this crop is gatheredalwaysbyshootingacertainpercentageofthebirds. Thisshootingisdone byexpertswith22-calibrerifles,anddoesnotmateriallydisturbthenestingcolony. I have known of two men who have been engaged in killing the birds on large estates in South America, who were paid regular salaries for their services as egret hunters.
Very truly yours.
E. A. McIlhenny.
I am more than willing to set the above against the fairy tale of Mr. Laglaize.
Here is the testimony of A. H. Meyer, an ex-plume-hunter, who for nineyearsworkedinVenezuela. Hissworntestimonywaslaidbefore
Avery Island, La., June 17, 1912.