The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-02-25
Prepared by National Geographic Society.
Washington, d. C.-WNU Service.

w 7 HATEVER the visi-
w tors particular curios-
W ity may be, the nations
capital seems to offer some
thing to satisfy it.
Residents of Washington are
amazed by the variety of sights
their visitors wish to see. More
news and photographs originate
here than in any other city and
pilgrims to the capital usually
have their own ideas of where
they would like to be taken.
Showing the home folks the in
finite variety of sights, scenes,
and dignitaries is a major form
of entertaining out-of-town
guests.
Long propinquity has made Wash
ington residents accustomed to the
presence of the famous and near
famous. If man prominent in pub
lie affairs grows weary of the adula-
tion of hero-worshipers, he has only
to retreat to Washington to enjoy
virtual anonymity.
A rather shy-appearing elderly
gentleman used to walk four times
each day, to and from work. Among
other pedestrians he passed unno-
ticed, though in most cities he would
have attracted queue. He was
Andrew Mellon, then secretary Of
the treasury, the man who quietly
presented to the United States one
of the finest collections of paintings
and other works of art ever assem-
bled, and added to the gift a $10,-
100000 gallery in which to display
them!
People everywhere are familiar
with the government departments
through the extension services that
reach all parts of the country. For
information on almost any topic
within reason, one has only to call
the proper office.
Great Place for Students.
Thousands of students come here
not only because of excellent uni
versities and colleges but also be-
cause government agencies and pri-
vate institutions afford unparalleled
opportunity for research. If it is
necessary to ascertain the names,
nature, or classification of rare spe-
cies of flowers, for example, they
carry the question to the Depart
ment of Agriculture or to the United
States national herbarium, where
an expert quickly supplies authori-
tative data.
If a question arises concerning
trade practices in a foreign land,
accurate information is available in
the Department of Commerce. For
human-interest material and statis-
tics on other countries, there are the
embassies and Legations of those ma
tons. The Library of Congress and
the archives of the United States
furnish a wealth of material on his
tory. The national bureau of stand
ards is a mine of scientific informa-
ton. There is not a government
department that does not stand
ready to help the serious inquirer.
Almost everyone is amazed to dis
cover how much really unspoiled
natural country remains in the ma
TONS capital. There still are many
tracts of perhaps a hundred acres
of woodland and meadow where
wild blackberries and strawberries
grow, where coveys of quail scuttle
to cover at anybody's approach,
where youngsters build concealed
huts and defend them against all
rivals.
District Is a Bird Haven.
The District of Columbia well
comes more than 300 species of
birds each year, perhaps $50 of
them casual or rare visitors, but
many of them year-round residents.
Since the passage of a protective
law in 1882, the District has been a
yeritable wild-bird haven.
The bald eagle, the turkey vul-
ture, the wood duck, the pheasant,
the black-crowned night heron, the
quail, the starting, several kinds of
owls and hawks, and about Is other
birds are permanent residents.
Within the city it is not unusual to
hear the song of a wood thrush or
sight the bright flame of cardinal.
Theodore Roosevelt listed more
than 80 kinds of birds seen in the
White House grounds or near by,
and II of them nestled there. Wrens,
chickadees, finches, orioles, swal-
lows and sparrows are perhaps the
most numerous, but bluebirds, ce-
dar wax-wings, juncos, golden
crowned kinglets, and even cuckoos
are not uncommon.
There are five kinds of wild squir-
rels here, the gray fox squirrel and
the red most numerous; also cotton
tail rabbits, woodchucks, muskrats,
and chipmunks. Beavers and pine
martens, which used to inhabit for
ested districts, are virtually gone.
but occasionally red or gray fox.