Bird Of Paradise.

Plea for Resumption of Trade.

THERE is probably no more mistaken policy in the Pacific than the pro hibition of export of bird of para dise plumes.

Professional ornithologists note a considerable depletion since the shooting of plumed males ceased. This would seem a paradox to the uninitiated; but the facts are that the male bird only develops full plumage and becomes saleable when his potency as a breeder is upon the wane. His interference with the matrimonial affairs of younger potent birds is the real cause of the very serious decline which is only too evident to close observers.

The hen bird is a mere little drab, and no one would shoot her on pur pose—while the younger males are not worth powder and shot.

There is some idea that shot car tridges are not discriminating in their effect —destroying all and sundry.

Were this true, a small calibre rifle or 410 bore shot gun could be pre scribed. But, as one familiar with the birds, I have seldom seen the plumed bird in close association — seated amongst the others. He is usually busy “showing off”, and dancing the “hula hula” some ten or twenty yards away, trying to attract attention to himself. The fact that he bounces the others and breaks up the family circle is to his detriment.

In the days of licensed shooting, the Germans built up many very fine plan tations from the income obtained by trading plumes, because licenses were only issued to bona-fide settlers.

Certain it is that, like many other well intentioned interferences, the pro hibition of plume trading is a failure.

Egrets may be a different matter —but the natives kill thousands of them, and bushels of “white grass” (egret feathers) can be got for a song on the Sepik river.

In the Paradise Birds, blue bird plumes have brought as high as £50 on occasion, and few marketed plumes of other species were worth less than £5.

Excise duty was £2 per plume, so that the trade was of appreciable assistance to revenue.—E.G.