HC Deb 18 April 1928 vol 216 cc186-94W
Sir W. DAVISON

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give a tabulated list of the plumage, giving the names of the birds, of which the importation into this country is forbidden by the Importation of Plumage (Prohibition) Act, 1921, which was seized by the Customs Department during each of the half-years from 1st January, 1925, to 31st December, 1927, together with the approximate quantity of plumage involved in each case?

Mr. SAMUEL

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 4th April, 1928; Col.

The following is a List of Birds the plumage of which has been illegally imported and confiscated by the Customs Authorities under the Importation of Plumage (Prohibition) Act, 1921, for each half-year from the 1st January, 1925, to 31st December, 1927, together with the approximate quantity of plumage involved in each case.
Name of Bird. Type of Plumage. 1925. 1926. 1927.
1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec. 1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec. 1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec.
Albatross Skin 1
Avocet Skin 1 1
Bird of Paradise Skins 3 2 1 19 3
Millinery mounts 24 8 5 6 10 7
Single feathers 12
Heads 1 1
Tails 1
Bittern Skin 1
Blue Bird Skin 1
Bo'sun Bird Single feathers 12 20
Budgerigar Skins 2
Bustard (other than exempt kind). Skin 1
Bundles of feathers 7
Bee Eater Stuffed bird 1
Cassowary Head, mounted 1
Single feathers 40
Cockatoo Wings 1
Crests 1
Fans 1
Condor Quills 6
Coot (Yellow-billed). Skin 1
Cormorant Ladies' stoles 2
Caps 1
Collars 1
Cowbird Wing feathers 17
Crane Single feathers 24
Millinery mounts 2
Skins 2
Crane (African-crowned). Piece of skin 1
Heads 2
Crone (Crested) Crest 1
Cuckoo, Emerald Skin 1
Diver (Buck Throated). Necklets 13
Diver (Red Throated). Dress, etc., trimmings 5
Eagle Quills 54 6 2
Skin 1
Wings 2
Eagle Hawk Wings 4
Eagle Owl Made-up birds 24
Egret Wings 2 2 4 2
Millinery mounts 24 21 8 6 17 8
Single feathers 363 266 168 2,780(a) 93 162 (g)
Bundles of feathers 14 335(b) 62 6
Skins 60(c) 2
Fans 52
Emu Bundles of feathers 1
Tails 1
Skins 360
Millinery mounts 1 1
Single feathers 20

1978, Vol. 215], supplied the following statement:

Name of Bird. Type of Plumage. 1925. 1926. 1927.
1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec. 1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec. 1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec.
Finch Skin 1
Florican Piece of skin 1
Flamingo Wings 18
[...] Skins 2
Goose (Pigmy) Skin 1
Goshaw (S. African). Wings 2
Goura Millinery mounts 2
Grebe Skins 259(d) 3 1 1
Necklets 6 1 4
Ladies' stoles 1
Dress, etc., trimmings 20 1 2
Millinery mounts 1
Packet of plumage 1
Greenfinch Skins 1
Guinea Fowl (Vulturine) Skins 2
Hawk Single feathers 12
Skins 3
Wings 2
Heron Millinery mounts 50 18 11 7 3 4
Wings 2 2 -
Tufts 6
Bundles of feathers 2 12
Skin 1
Single feathers 12 140
Heads 1
Tail 1
Heron (White) Skins 2
Hornbill Skin 1
Humming Bird Skins 4 3
Imitation made-up birds. 2
Millinery mounts 2
Hoopoe Stuffed bird 1
Ibis Scarlet Wing 1
"Indian Jay" Wings 2
Indian Love Bird. Wings 2
Indian Mango Bird. Skins 2
Indian Boiler Wings 2 10 4 2 1 4
Tails 1
Skins 2 1
Single feathers 5 5 8
Feather fan 1
Feather work picture 1
Jay, Blue Skins 1 1
Wings 5 3
Tails 2
Single feathers 12
Jungle Cock and Jungle Fowl. Skins 1 1
Tails 1
Millinery mounts 4 4
Single feathers 12 24
Bundles of feathers 3
Feather handbag 1
Kea Wings 5 1
Kingfisher Articles containing small pieces of feather. 40 71 28 11 93
Millinery mounts 1 2
Fans 1

Name of Bird. Type of Plumage. 1925. 1926. 1927.
1 Jan.-30 June 1 July-31 Dec. 1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec. 1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec.
Kingfisher—cont. Wings 2
Skin 1
Lyre Bird Tails 2
Love Bird Skins 2
Lory Wings 10
Tails 4
Head 3
"Native Turkey" Single feathers 20
Oyster Catcher Skin 1
Owl Head 1
Tails 1
Skins 1 5 3 1
Wings 2 2
Parakeet (Yellow) Skin 1
Parakeet Single feathers 12
Skin 1
Parrot Skins 1 4 1 1
Wings 7 49 19 22 4 19
Bundles of feathers 2
Millinery mounts 3 1 3 1
Tails 2 1
Single feathers 12 42 76 29
Artificial flowers 4
Peacock Fans 34 14 30 8 21 145(h)
Single feathers 14 120 478 316 282 101
Articles containing a piece of feather. 132 4
Millinery mounts 576 (e) 2 1 18 16
Made-up birds 1 2
Skin 1
Tails 2 2
Wings 1
Feather whisks 2
Bundle of feathers 1
Pelican Head 1
Wings 2
Single feathers 24 2
Skins 1
Penguin Skins 1
Pigeon (Bronze Wing). Wings 2 4
Pigeon (Burma) Wings 2 2
Tails 1 1
Pheasant (Argus) Millinery mounts 142 1
Fans 1
Skins 1
Single feathers 65 120 6 22
Pheasant (Blood) Skin 1
Pheasant (Chinese). Millinery mounts 5
Wings 2
Pheasant (Copper). Fans 45 11 22
Featherwork picture 1
Pheasant (Koklas). Single feathers 3
Pheasant (Lady Amherst). Millinery mounts 1 576(e) 1
Dress, etc., trimmings 1
Skins 2
Pheasant (Moonal). Skins 2 1
Heads 2
Tails 1
Pheasant (Reeves) Fans 11 2 1 2
Single feathers 150
Millinery mounts 2

Name of Bird. Type of Plumage 1925. 1926. 1927.
1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec. 1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec. 1 Jan.-30 June. 1 July-31 Dec.
Pheasant (Reeves and Copper). "Menu," etc., cards, each ornamented with a few feathers of these birds. 200
Quetzal Millinery mounts 1
Rhea Americana Sample packet 1
Rhea Darwini Sample packet 1
Single feathers 12 84 84
Rook Single feathers 5
Featherwork picture 1
Sparrow Skin 1
Sparrow Hawk Wings 4
Starling, Glossy Millinery mounts 2 2
Stork, Adjutant Single feathers 12
Fan 1
Stork, Leptoptilus Bundles of feathers 18(f) 6
Wings 3
Fans 1 2 4 1
Single feathers 38 28 45 47 2
Packets of feathers 3
Millinery mounts 1
Sun Bird Millinery mounts 2
Skins 2
Swan Single feathers 44
Fans 4
Necklets 1
Sand Lark Stuffed bird 1
Teal (Falcated) Millinery mounts 1
Teal (Baikal) Single feathers 400
Thrush Skins 1
Vulture Millinery mounts 2
Water Hen Skin 1
Waxwing Skin 1
Wood Snipe Skin 1
Wigeon (Chiloe) Skin 1
Wattle Bird Wing 1
Woodpecker Skins 2
Woodpecker (Golden). Single feathers 12
Miscellaneous Packets containing plumage not identified but within the prohibition. 19 11 8 7 11 4
(a) includes about 2,000 single feathers produced by a passenger to the Customs Officers on importation.
(b) 325 of the bundles formed the subject of legal proceedings against the importer, who was fined &£50 in London.
(c) These skins were included in a consignment of goods sent from Khartum and marked "for British Empire Exhibition, 1925." The consignee disclaimed all responsibility for the inclusion of the plumage in the consignment and asked to be allowed to divert it to Amsterdam. The request was refused and the plumage confiscated.
(d) 200 of these skins represent a consignment sent to this country from Germany without being ordered by the importer for sale on commission.
(e) One consignment of sports hat mounts containing only a small portion of this prohibited plumage in each mount.
(f) These included 10 bundles, which proved the subject of legal proceedings against the passenger, who was fined &£5 at Plymouth.
(g) The importer of 51 of these feathers was convicted and fined &£5 and &£2 2s. 0d. costs at the Thames Police Court.
(h) Largely presents sent to friends in this country by the troops in China. The troops have been informed that the practice is illegal.