Official News - page 4

BIRD-LOVERS OUTRAGED BY GALLAGHER'S NEW FEATHER CHARM

by Hazed

Gallagher's, the shop on Earth that sells expensive gizmos and exclusive high-tech jewellery, is under attack from bird lovers because of the new charm they are selling for September - a tail feather from the Altarian phoenix, one of the rarest birds in the Galaxy.

This large bird has a bright red plumage and the feathers of its long tail are particularly fine. When the bird takes to the wing and flies across the bright skies of its home planet, it looks as if it is on fire, hence the name. Each mated pair breeds just once, producing a pair of eggs, which means that even if the birds never die through mishap before they have a chance to reproduce, their numbers can never increase under normal circumstances. Xeno-biologists assume that this low breeding rate cannot always have been the case or the creatures would have died out long ago, and oral histories kept by the intelligent natives of the planet show that they were more widespread some time ago, but nobody can agree on what has caused the catastrophic change to their reproductive habits.

The phoenix is a protected species and killing one is illegal. Anton Gallagher claims that no birds were harmed in the making of his charms - he says that the feathers were shed naturally as part of the moulting process and collected by intrepid climbers who ascended the tall purple mountains of the planet to reach the spires where the phoenixes roost. However, ornithologists and other nature-lovers are outraged because they claim it sets a dangerous precedent: even if the charms did not come from birds that had been killed, they say that in offering their plumage as a valuable commodity it makes it easier for less scrupulous vendors to get away with selling illegal feathers or eggs, and could even legitimize the undergrown trade in rare bird flesh that they are trying so hard to stamp out.

To which Gallagher replied that he is not responsible for the actions of criminals, and all he is doing is selling items to bring joy into the lives of his customers. And, incidentally, making a great deal of money!

Buy the new charm from Gallagher's with 'BUY FEATHER', then 'WEAR 2006 FEATHER' to display it. The charm costs one slithy tove, and you must already have a keyring (which also costs a slithy).

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