Evening star., 1936-08-22
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

This is not difficult to believe. To
trade one mockingbird, however, for a
score other species is a very poor trade
after all.
The strange thing is that the pair of
Knockers referred to herein as unduly
belligerent pay no attention whatsoever
to q small ground feeder In service at
this time.
A flock of English sparrows, OCCASION
ally q blue jay. q flicker, blackbirds
from time to time, and pair of turtle
doves.
These are the present eaters of the
chick feed, which does well enough at
this time. When the weather gets cold.
various seeds will be added more liked
by the true seed-eating birds.
In the meantime. the sparrows are per-
fectly satisfied with the chick feed,
which Is the cheapest. One advantage
Of this broken grain is that 1t will not
sprout.
Birds are wasteful, in their feeding,
when plenty is at hand. In this they
are human, as in so many other ways.
=
Birds have eyes only for a few things,
among which are food and danger, else
they would note the beauty of the small
feverfew blossoms in the border near
which they are feeding.
This is one of the most satisfactory
flowers. with pretty foliage and long
time Towering.
In England the flowers are dried and
tincture made with them, which Is re-
puted to drive away mosquitoes, as well
as relieve the bites.
1t belongs to the pyrethrum family,
which accounts for it. In some books it
is put in the genus chrysanthemum.
Wherever classified, the feverfew be-
longs to the long list of herbs which
thousands of persons still believe have
real medicinal value. It's very name
comes from febrifuge, fever medicine
Birds in the garden must be i'll, from
time to time, but to the average observer
is one of their charms, too, that they
always give the appearance of perpetual
health, so different from ailing mortals.
Yet every one knows the list of ills
to which Gagged birds are heir. The
little canary can get more things the
matter with it" than all the dogs and
cats put together.
The long list of canary ailments in the
books devoted to these birds would tend
to scare away all except the determined,
did not common sense tell them that
the list merely shows what they may
get, not what they are likely to get
In the outdoors birds are healthier,
since they get all the exercise in the
world, and almost always food fresh from
the larders of Mother Nature This
means that the wildbirds get vitamins
in every bite. Even the grains and seeds
which their human friends put out for
them in feeding devices are Impressed.
Hence it comes about that most ardent
watcher seldom sees a plainly sick bird,
which may or may not account for the
fact that he never seems to see them
taking medicine, as turkeys are reputed
to do. Most people know how cats and
even dogs hunt out and consume Ger
tain grasses when Ill Of certain ailments
The wild birds may do this, too, but, of
course, it is impossible to know. 1t is
safe to say that the medicinal action of
various herbs would be much the same
on them as on man. But certainly no
bird, to our knowledge. has sampled leaf
or flower of the feverfew, which failure,
If it revealed anything at all, would only
show that these particular birds suffer
from no chills at this time of year.