Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-24

A bed-ridden invalid in a Southern
Sanitarium, former member of The
Stars news staff, the late John L. Mar
tin, found new interests in the last years
of his life through intimate acquaint-
ance with the bird population of the
trees outside his window.
Martins keen observations of the
habits and personalities Of the feathered
creatures have just been published post
humouSly.
The sick man records how, from his
bed, he looked out upon the happy, sing
ing birds, envied them their joy and
freedom, and longed for better under
standing of them. But he could not go
to them. Perhaps he felt more than a
premonition that he could never arise
again from that sanitarfum bed and go
to them, that the timid creatures must
come to him.
This is how I did it." he says 1.-THE
orderly stretched a rope between my
porch and the Dough of an oak tree 80
feet away, running it through pulley
at each end. A cigar box, laden with
bread crumbs, was suspended by stout
Irvine from the rope. The pulley ar
rangement enabled me to slide 1t TO
the tree and in among the leaves.
Did Thriving Business"
"An inquisitive chickadee was the first
spreading the news. Almost immedi-
ately nuthatcheS and titmice joined
him. Then began to draw the box
slowly away from the tree and toward
the porch. I drew it about yard at q
time and always the guests followed 1t
unheSitatingly and fearlesSly until 1t
was a few inches away from the porch
pillar. It was back within two hours
after had sent it into the tree and 1t
has been in operation ever since. doing
a thriving business the year around"
From these close quarters Martin
was able to study chickadees, nut
matches, titmice, cardinals, downy wood
peckers, bluejayS, English Sparrows, song
SparrowS, pine warblers, purple finches,
Carolina wrens. scarlet tanagers, towhees,
chipping SparrowS, catbirdS, brown
thrashers. robins and wood thruSheS.
They revealed to me-" he said, that
birds have very human side. Their
dispositions, reactions and emotions are
like those of men and women. Anger,
love, fear, courage, laziness, enterprise,
fidelity, disloyalty, chivalry, good and
bad manners-you may find them all in
birddom. am convinced there is some
faculty past human understanding by
which birds give each other signals and
warnings"
Here are a few of Martins character
studies of the birds:
"The catbird has q friendly DISPOSE
ton and a world of personality, but
there is no getting away from the fact
that he is a Jekyll-Hyde actor. He
spec1alizes in contrasts and contradic-
tons. A gentleman one minute, he is a
tramp the next. He can sing with the
best OF them and he can make the day
h1deouS with raucous noise. Just as you
listen entranced to liquid notes that
rival the loveliest song of the hooking
bird he jars you with perfect limitations
Of keg of nails falling down uncar-
peted stairs.
Can Be Dude or VagabOnd.
when he gives careful attention to
his dress, he parades as a sleek little
slate-colored dude. A moment later he
may become grouchy, ruffle his feathers,
droop his tail and take on the appear
ance of vagabond. His moods change
with bewildering swiftness and without
any apparent cause, except the peculiar
completes in his makeup.
1.-The robin Is the perfect type Of
solid and self-respecting gentleman
His self-possession seldom fails him. He
Is dignifled and industrious. Though
DlcSSeU WIFI u SOOu QlSROSitlO1IS AC 10
not afraid of a fight when 1t is forced
on him and invariably gives good ac-
count of himself. AS a husband he is
faithful and attentive. Devoted to his
children, he helps take care Of them
and is at all times a good provider."
The Kentucky cardinal Martin de-
scribed as "a nobleman Who in his re-
lations with his family and retainers
compelled an elaborate and unfatltng
ceremonial. A scarlet flash in the sun
shine, he was elegant in his habits, q
close student of lady bird nature, and
a stickler for etiquette. He convinced
me that the Kentucky cardinals have a
well-def1ned tribal or feudal organization
in which ancestor worship plays a big
part. He and his wife were among my
first customers The following Summer
they brought up family Of two. The
next Summer these children found mates,
built their nests somewhere near the
sanitarium and fed their youngsters
with food carried from the inn.
Difference Is Shown Cardinal.
milford Cardinal was unmistakable.
Tn addition to the dulling of his raiment,
he was occasionally little dull and UNI
kemut looking, as If he had reached the
aoe that paid little attention to trivial
ties of dress. Sometimes he showed up
with one of his long feathers out OF
Mace or dragging on the ground, ike
an absent minded old man with half
his s,Ispenders hanging down. His wife
treated him with marked difference.
His children always gave him place.