Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-15
'EM LIVE, SAY
| ISTARL|NC LOVERS
Habits Can Be Controlled,
They Add, if District Spends
a Little Money.

i New ideas for the control and intimi-
Ndation of the much maligned English
) starlings continued to be advanced to-
: day as officials of the District strug
gied anew for more effective remedies
to rid Washington of the careless little
visitors.
w Correspondence from readers of The
]. Star indicates that the problem has
{ been given serious consideration in the
l1ome-far too serious, perhaps. for the
welfare of the starlings. The birds, OF
course, have many defenders, who
! vigorously object to any inhumane
Z treatment such as drenching them with
fire hose or Roman-rocketing them
out of the trees and facades of build
ings where they are won't to roost.
Might Control Habits.
The consensus seems to be that even
though the birds may be a pest in GER
tain respects, their habits can be con-
trolled, like the smoke nuisance for In
stance, II the authorities are willing TO
spend a little money for that purpose.
In this connection q municipal rooStlng
lodge for starlings was proposed by
Josephine Swain Peterson, 1911 Evarts
street northeast.
mo one seems to realize that the
starlings are valuable birds" she writes.
IF these birds are observed in the day.
time, instead of nighttime, their eco
nomic Importance will be appreciated.
Would Capitalize Them.
"And since the birds cannot be driven
away from the Avenue, why not CAPT.
talize them? If the starlings are
smarter than we are, why not go into
business with them? Why not use the
starlings for advertising purposes? since
+ they won't move, build them some kind
of roosts along the Avenue. Place them
above the trees, with canvas boards be-
meath, flood them with light, ana let
the tourists come and look at them.
That will be Just one more sight to add
to Washington"
From M. Marshall also comes the
suggestion of starting rooSts. probably
il the city dads would have few large
colonies of houses built and placed on
pedestals high above the autos and
little food scattered around to attract
the birds the starting problem would be
solved" he wrote.
BE sure and do not paint the houses
bright colors, especially red," Mr.. Mar
shall warned. Dull gray, tan or brown
Is the starling's special color"
Roman Candles Effective.
Jennie r. Mccarthy, up in Hacken-
sack, N. j., who heard OF Washingtons
GLHTllIlR UIUQ1CIIls ACGhAACA uAA1S SAAS go
thorities there when confronted with
the same nuisance some years ago
used Roman candles three or four times
with complete success"
s'The birds fed and did not return
that season." she said. "It would seem
to be the right thing to try on the
starlings In Washington"
A fantastic scheme for driving the
starlings away Is proposed by 9. AaA,
ho1fof ffot q dNvfNA
similar in principle to the automatic
windshield wiper, speeding back and
forth In front Of the building facades,
would solve the problem. Such de-
vice" he said, would destroy the rest
Of the darling creatures wherever they
would seek TO tuck their little Feet un.
der the warmth of their folded wings
and would be worth the expense OF var
ing and the small amount OF current
necessary to operate It,"
Inspiration In Found.
The problem inspired two Of the cor
respondents to write poetry. Mrs. 8. L.
Cole. 32S South Carolina avenue, pro-
duced the following:
ssYes. God made the little starlings,
We are positively sure,
But. while stopping here In washington,
Our lives are not secure.
s'ge gave us hearts and feathers
And wonderful pairs of wings,
Yet folks say, Those old starlings
Are such terrible, terrible thingsF
1--WE tried 30 hard to please with
Our chatter and our mirth,
But, oh, boyi Washington wants
To put us OF the earth!
con Pennsylvania avenue, where the
Stores are so high and fne,
We seem to want to wander for
A happy nights recline.
ssThe treetops and the branches
Have been rudely swept away,
And now, Oh angel mother, we
Have no place to stay!
s'We haven't any odor like old
Gasoline and such,