The exploitation of animals for human vanity
HUDSON, W.H. Birds in a village. Chapman & Hall. 1893.
8vo. Original green cloth, gilt letteirng to spine; pp. 232 + [8, ads.]; previous owner's bookplate to front pastedown, blindstamp of W.H. Library to ffep, very good.
First edition. This charming account of the British birdlife is distinguished by a surprisingly vociferous attack on the contemporary trend for using feathers and dead animals in women's fashion, a practice Hudson condemns as barbarous (pp.88-90). He praises Britain for having a Wild Bird Protection Act, unlike may other countries in the world, but nonetheless identifies this nation as a large market for unscrupulous exotic animal dealers. This is an early example of campaigning for wildlife conservation and co-operation among human agencies.
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