Evening star., 1936-02-15

on him for months after he was big
enough to 60 out alone in the trees at
night. I could hear him calling inces-
sanity for food first from one part Of
the grounds and then from another,
and could often see the big birds going
to him with possibly tempting morsel
Of mouse or what had they.
+ Il
"Then there was a delightful little
bird called a mesange-nuthatch?-
kind that can walk down tree trunk
head-flrst with evidently no bad effects
of rush of blood to the head nor loss
Of balance.
"a pair nested behind piece of loose
bark on a trunk of q tree, just above
my reach, for when the young birds
Matched, and two had left the nest
was able to climb on box and put my
hand in, as I was curious to see what
the nest was made of.
II found it nicely padded with sleeps
wool, and, what was more exciting, and
even disconcerting, my hand closed on
another small bird, back in the darkest
depth of the aperture.
sid never robbed a birds nest before,
and I felt very guilty, but brought out
that small bird, who was full of the
confidence Of ignorance and not at all
afraid.
"He blinked at the light, and sat on
my finger trustingly.
"Then he proceeded to stretch pair
of infinitesimal wings-hed probably
never had the space for good stretch
before. After having done that a few
times, you'll hardly believe 1t, but he
began to take some setting-up exercises.
"He raised himself on his legs, bent
forward, and settled back again, doing
the same exercises several times, after
which he seemed much stronger and
was able to stand up on his legs
properly.
when he cooked speculative eye
I'D at the branches above, knew that
he was getting air-minded. I held out
nv other hand, about 2 feet from the
finger on which he was sitting, and
he few over to 1t and landed rocking,
but safely.
He was quite proud and decided that
It was time to call his parents, which
he did:
"They answered from the boughs of
some nearby apple trees, where they
were busy with his older brothers, and
suddenly, after carefully estimating the
distance, he took of, and flew the 80
feet very capably, and was united to all
his relatives. Yours truly, K. w. D."
X X
While extending congratulations to
Mrs D. on her annual opportunity 10
see and hear the birds OF France, we
wish to point out to the remainder OF
us that it is not necessary to go there
to see some mighty fine birds.
Right here in Washington, as she,
indeed. points out one may live with
the birds the year around, whether
one resides in the heart of the city,
the suburbs or the country sections.
With the exception of the nightin-
gale, the birds are much the same, al
though their names are different. ana
what's in a name, after all?
The nuthatches at our garden feeders
are Just as vastly entertaining birds, no
matter whether called meSange or devil
downhead, or what.
Wild birds, by their vast migrations,
which far outdo anything man has yet
done along the same lines, unite all
lands and races.
The interest of bird watching is much
the same everywhere.
The things we may discover about
them. for ourselves, are always just as
interesting as if they had never been
discovered before.
Right in your own back yard, or alley,
or even fat tin roof may be seen
some of the most beautiful of the flyers.
And If none of these, there are always
Sparrows, really as interesting as any.