Evening star., 1936-09-19
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

How q cardinal bird got the name Of
Landon is explained in the following
letter:
Dear Sir: In your article Of August
Is you mention the most interesting re-
suits Of a window feeder, and as my
wife and I have had much pleasure the
the birds on our window sill am writ
ing to ask If you know of feeder like
the one you mention. and how I can
obtain one? II 1t is on the market, and
where 1t can be purchased?
"If not on the market. could you de-
scribe 1t so that could have one made?
1--WE have fed many pounds Of sun
flower seed and there has been no little
waste on account Of the sparrOws scat
tering them, and also on windy days.
I'VE have several cardinals, papa,
mamma and the little ones. There is a
small tree that tops out at our second
story window and they bring their babies
over on the tree and take the seeds to
them in the tree.
There is one fellow who is so ex-
tremely fond of sunfiower seeds that We
have named him Landon.
1--WE are In an apartment house in the
District Of Columbia portion Of Takoma
Park and there are many yards with
gardens and trees, consequently there
are many birds.
"We enjoy your articles very much
and read them religiously. We have a
squirrel who walks the tight wire and
has travelled four blocks, using q tree
or a roof now and then to fill in be-
tween the wires.
I'VE get a great laugh when he slips
of and walks upside down, whipping his
tail until he regains his normal position.
"A short time ago he had business on
the other side Of Butternut street, and
he came out to the curb and ran up a
power pole about three feet, appeared
to look up and down the street and at
a moment there was no traffic he sour
ried across to the other side. I am be-
neved to be truthful person.
Thanking you in advance for the in
formation desire, believe me, most cor
daily yours, A. B.. s."
This letter chimes right into our mood.
for we had 1t in the back of the mind
to write about bird feeders. because so
many people have never seen them or
even heard of them.
Yet nothing, for the small amount of
money put into one, can give so many
people SO much pleasure. The number
Of folks who love the birds are legion,
yet Of this large number the greater pro-
portion has never fed the birds in any
except a haphazard way.
A recent popular song went on to say
that when Winter comes, and the brides
have no crumbs, they just keep on sing
ing to make up for their empty
Stomachs.
The moral is. Of course, that human
beings ought to be optimistic.
Well, there is more psychology than
ornithology to that song. isn't there?
For few birds sing in Autumn, or
Winter, after all, and if they do not get
something to eat in the cold they will
freeze to death if they stay in this
climate. That is why most of them 60
South, like sensible creatures
Fortunately for the birds which Win
ter with us, there will be many
crumbs" including seeds and grains in
great variety.
The latter will be put out by bird
lovers, people who have come to under
stand that If We want plenty of bird
life the year around we may have it by
installing feeding stations and keeping
them filled during the cold and snow
Blrd-feeding devices, in the main, con-
siSt Of window feeders and feeders tc
be placed at some distance from the
house. The latter usually are either to