Evening star., 1938-03-07
THIS AND THAT
~ CHARLES &. TRACEWELL.
their absence; that Is to say, We want

their absence; that Is to say, We want
what we don't have.
Birds Of the wild fly from US. and we
want them; the sparrow and the starting
fly to US and we don't want them.
I'VE Of the human race want what we
don't have, and don't want what we do
have. Scarce things are precious only
to the extent that they remain scarce.
Before any slaughter Of sparrows
and starlings is decided upon, let's in
advance get a written guarantee that the
song sparrows and the bluebiros will nest
alongside the trafac lights, the neon
signs and the burglar alarms 50 distinc-
tive of. the city.
In passing, let 1t be said that there
are any number Of city-fashioned blue
bird and wren houses that 60 vacant
from one season to the next, and not
because Of occupancy by sparrow or
startling. but rather, methinks. be-
cause bluebirds and wrens don't choose
to get tangled in the back yard wash
and don't find in the city bits that are
seasoned to their taste.
In the right light Of things I think
it can be said that the startling and
sparrow have place in the scheme Of
man. They are the birds of the city.
And 1t wouldn't seem quite natural to
see song sparrow perched on the aerial
pole atop the garage. What Is more,
he couldn't be heard anyhow, for the
honking Of the automobile. I'll trust to
Nature not to make a mistake. Sim
cerely yours" etc.
SLIGO PARK HILLS, MD.
Dear Sir: am always interested in
your articles, especially the ones about
birds: and I agree with you that the
startling is a much-maligned fellow. He
Is an interesting bird, and well worth
study.
For several years lived in an apart
ment across from the Naval Hospital
grounds. and from an eighth-story bal
cony watched the starlings.
In the late winter afternoons as the
western sky began to redden with the
sunset, they began to gather, coming
from all directions, turning, wheeling.
jockeying for place in the tallest trees
on the hospital grounds.
There seemed to be myriads Of them.
The bare branches Of the trees were
soon covered and looked as if they had
suddenly come into leaf.
"A great chattering arose as they
waited for late comers. and listened for
the sunset gun which is fired as the
flag is lowered at Fort Myer, across the
river.
"At this signal they began to rise,
and each company seemed to wait fer
commanders order to go.
They arose-the sky was dark with
them.
In flight they circled, then directly
east. company by company. they flew.
Each flock seemed to known its own
plane tree down on Pennsylvania ave-
nue., or the buildings where their special
inches were.
In five or ten minutes after the firing
OF the sunset gun, there was not star
ling to be seen in the vicinity; nor would
they return to the hospital grounds un.
til the next afternoon. This program
was never varied. They seemed to be a
well-organized army. and I am sure that
they had efficient officers.
Very truly, E. M. H."
Birds which can inspire such good
tributes as these need no further defense.
The starting, in particular, offers a
world OF study both to ornithologists and
amateur bird lovers.
If there is some one who combines
the heart OF poet with the mind of q
scientist, and who has the time and the
energy and the patience, he can make a
name for himself by studying this
strange and interesting bird.