Evening star., 1934-03-02
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES 3. TRACEWELL.

first opened their eyes last Summer
in the rose vine ON the porch, and
never learned that their mother used
the feeding perch because Of its con-
venience in their nursery days.
The birds need the feeding In Win
ter, perhaps will die without 1t, but
they come gladly all Summer long,
too. They seem to be the same ones
as in the Winter. Though the wren
makes his nest not 20 feet away, he
seems to scorn the dole system. A
true bird lover can appreciate our
trepidation and delight when the
mother mockingbird during the set
ting (sitting) period few from her
nest In the rose vine right through
the porch around the corner to the
feeding cup for refreshment. Could
domestication come nearer?
Il have enjoyed your articles on
fish, too. but have no success In that
line. Ours have a propensity to Join
the long procession which keeps the
dealers in such goods in high good
humor. Yours sincerely. e. T."
X \ X r
The following letter contains addi-
tional advice on how to attract birds:
Dear Sir: We usually read your
articles in The Star, especially about
the fish. since I have fancy fan-tail
goldfish. and my huband Is raising
tropicals and even white worms to
feed them. Your article the other
night about the birds Is what prompts
me to write; because you mentioned
a pair OF cardinals Just coming to
your yard. I am under the impress
sion, then, that you do not know the
idea of having them daily visitors all
the year around.
FIX the feed house in a tree, or on
your porch, or window sill, and put
sunf1ower seed in it every day. We
find it inexpensive, and 1t affords us
such pleasure to feed them and watch
them, especially in the Spring, in
mating season. Mr.. Reddie cracks
the seed and puts it in her mouth.
Later, in the Summer, they bring
their young birds and feed them, and
what a chatter they make!
This morning there were two pairs
OF red birds, but one objected to the
other fellow poaching on his territory
and tried to chase him away. My
parents put seed out on their cellar
window sill so they can feed birds
without going out in bad weather,
and the birds also have a dry place
there.
Mrs. Reddie has quite q time peck
ing her reflection In the window glass.
We suppose she's trying to chase any
shadow as well as the sparrows. This
kind OF weather we even dip bread
in surplus bacon drippings, and cook
the potato peelings for the birds.
They eat apple peelings, too. and of
course suet and cut up ham rind.
We put out water for them VIM
ter as well as Summer, and that, too,
is big drawing card. I dare say
many people would enjoy the birds
more if they knew or thought about
feeding them and supplying them with
water.
incidentally, the birds keep our
yard and flowers fairly well cleaned
Of bugs and caterpillars. Respect
fully yours. another nature lover, Mrs.
c. r. S."
"P. S.-If you want to feed the
cardinals all the year round and
draw the line on the sparrows in
good weather, put the seed out about
dinner time-because the red birds are
about the last ones to come and the
first ones up. Ours come regularly at
quarter Of Z in the morning; then the
sparrows, and then the others. Even
when we lived closer in town We al
ways had family of cardinals, so it
seems they soon find out where they
have a friend"
These letters are presented here,
not only because they are interesting
in themselves, but also because they
contain real instructions on how to-"
evolved by nature lovers out of their
daily observations. Such Winters as
the present bring the problem of bird
life to the fore. 1t is fortunate for
the birds that they have thousands Of
,1nknou-, friovIe