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THE MUTTON BIRD.
THE MUTTON To
THE H O N .
BIRD.
EDITOR.
MY dear Sir.—You may perhaps remember that, at the October Meeting of the Suffolk Naturalists' Society, I enquired if anv Member present could give me information about the ' Mutton Bird.' Dr. Collings, Capt. FitzRoy and Mr. Noel Blyth were all kind enough to supplv answers. These replies were supported and developed by Mr. Stuart Baker and Mr. Kinnear of the British Natural History Museum this afternoon at a meeting of the Plumage Committee of the Board of Trade, over which I presided. Skins of the Bird in question were before us. The application, which had been referred to the Committee, was from the Govt. of Australia who desired to have the Bird ( P u f f i n u s tenuirostris, Gould) added to the Schedule to the Plumage Act, so that its downy feathers might be imported into this country. T h e case in favour of importation was that the Bird was protected by the Animals and Birds Protection Board of Tasmania and by legislation in the Australian States, so that there was no chance of the destruction of the species ; that some 750,000 Birds were annually killed without any diminution in their numbers being apparent; that, as the Birds were killed in order to be eaten, it seemed to be senseless to compel the destruction of the downfeathers for which a market could be found in this country and would result in the emplovment in Australia of a large number of workers. The case against importation was that there was no demand in this country for these feathers ; that, if it were permitted, import would result in manv more Birds being killed ; that, owing to the similarity of plumage, it would be impossible for the Custom-house officers to distinguish the plumage of Puffinus tenuirostris from that of similar species breeding elsewhere, e.g. in New Zealand, which would thus be in danger of extermination; and that the down-feathers cannot be properly purified from their oily and offensive smell. After considerable discussion, it was decided to recommend the President of the Board of Trade not to add Puffinus tenuirostris to the schedule of plumage, the import of which is permitted. T h e argument about the difficulty of the Custom-house officers in distinguishing the plumage was the one which probably decided the opinion of the Committee. 1 do not know whether the President will accept our recommendation, but we have done what we were asked to do. Campsey Ash High House, Suffolk ; 11 J a n u a r y 1937.
Yours very truly, ULLSWATER.