Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-05-25
ROBINS ARE BACK AGAIN
Once More to Be Seen About the White
House Grounds.
Last Spring the Hawks Drove Them
All Away, hut Now These Pests
Have Been Driven on.

A little robin red breast tripped over the
well-kept lawn in front of the White House
today and his beautiful plumage shone
brightly IN the sun.
I'm glad to see that robin back again. ;"
said the big policeman who stands guard
near the portals of the mansion to a Star
reporter who was passing by.
Why? Well, simply because it indicates
that the singing birds have not been Ell
tirely driven out of the grounds. What
do l mean? Why, didn't you know that
the pesky sparrow hawks had nearly ex-
terminated all the robins in this vicinity
or at least had driven them away? Well,
it's fact. Early last spring, when the
Clevelands lived in the White House. a
small colony of sparrow hawks made their
nome In these grounds They made cruel and
1ncessant war on the robins, which were
quite numerous here at that time and 1t
did not take them long to brighten away
all they didn't kill. Altogether they were
most unWelcome visitors and various eff
forts were made to get rid of them and to
induce the song birds to return. The hawks
made their nests near the tops of the tall
est trees and couldn't easily be reached
All sorts OF traps were laid for them but
to no avail Finally it was determined to
shoot them, If possible, but out of consid-
Grafton for the tender feelings of Mrs.
Cleveland the execution of the plan was
deferred until the family had gone away
for the summer. Then several sharp
shooters were concealed on the roof CT the
Navy department, SO as to bring them
within range of the birds, and they bIazed
away at the hawks at every opportunity
Much ammunition was wasted. The hawks
were wary and seldom came within shoot
ing distance. Even when thew got within
range they were very hard to hit on ac
count of their circling and eccentric flights
Ihey usually took their aerial exercises in
nv,1
always on the lookout for their appearance
me hunt lasted many days with varying
success but finally resulted in the death
OF ABOUT half dozen of the hawks and the
:. sappearanee OF the rest of the tribe-may
II never increase. At any rate, when the
Fresldehts family returned in the fall thew
were pleased to hear that the hawks were
gone. The robins must have been very
padly scared, however, for until TODAY none
OF them has had the courage 10 return 70
the PRESIDENTS grounds. Now that the
way seems clear it is hoped that they will
again make this their home and once more
sIaouen the place with their melody, for
they are as welcome as the flowers that
doom In the spring. Besides being fine
Singers and well-behaved members of the
1eathered tribe, they do a great deal of
sooo In rldding the trees and plants of de-
structive insects. But 1 have heard that a
couple of hawks have also been seen swoon-
ing around and it is possible that they NAV
again attempt to take up their residence
iHey Lnu DetteT not Try II, however
Tor II they do their fate is sealed The
snarpshooters will be called into service
Immediately on their first appearance. and
an the pests will soon be made to bite the
Gust. Or coul Sc, we might be compelled to
postpone the slaughter until the White
House is vacated for the summer, but l do
not think Mrs. Mckinley would object to
the plan when she understands that it is
necessary for the preservation of the
robins We might be able to stand the
hawks better If they would drive away the
sparrows. but that is a thing they cannot
do. 1t is true they attack the sparrows
but they frequently have cause to rue il.
Although sparrows are always fighting
among themselves. they invariably join
forces against their common enemy, and
despite their inferior size they are good
lighters: ! have frequently seen a hawk,
which had swooped down on a poor lone
sparrow, put to flight by the fierce on
slaught of body of reinforcements drawn
quickly to the scene by the cries of the in
tended victim. They come swiftly from all
directions and pitch into the bigger and
stronger bird viciously with apparent disre-
gard Of the danger. hawk might hold
his own against a few sparrows but when
confronted by score or more as is usually
the case, he is compelled to seek safety in
fight