Evening star., 1938-06-28
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES +. TRACEWELL.

ono knows. nowadays, that . rock gar
den Is not just q heterogeneous collec-
ton Of stones sticking up out of the
ground, like 8 miniature Stonehenge,
but . def. placement Of more or less
fiatsish rocks with soil pockets, to give
perfectly natural outcropping, such
as may be seen in the mountains.
The English call all plants used In
such placements "alpines," whereas We
rcall them rock garden plants No doubt
the English name is really better, since
1t points definitely to the natural noun
famous regions from which 20 many
rock garden plants came in the FIRST
place.
But 1t Is not 20 much the place Of
origin, really, which counts, as the fact
that all plants 10 used must be, for the
best effects, plants which naturally
thrive in shallow pockets Of soil in and
between stones.
There can be little doubt that most
birds prefer perfectly natural settings
for their baths and homes.
Too much effort, on the part Of the
human helper, often defeats its purpose
Wild birds, the scientists call all our
songstefs, and We must never forget
the adjective. Wild they are, and wild
they remain, despite the fact that they
build nests In our gardens, and eat the
food we put out for them, and bathe in
our basins II they are not too deep.
Cardinals and others, nesting in q
garden, are never really at home there;
just why they build in yard, when there
is plenty Of room in Rock Greek Park,
must remain q mystery, unless we fall
back upon habit.
Animals are creatures of habit,
Every one knows how q dog loves its
walk, or automobile ride, and every eve
ming at the same hour will look toward
the front door, once the habit Is formed.
The birds build close to human dwell
ings, but all the time they are looking
for infringements on their lease; often
the slightest noise will drive them away,
even after the labors OF nest building,
Is our correspondent points out.
Often. however. no amount of noise
or confusion seems to bother them. We
have pointed out here the case of the
barn swallows In q garage, undeterred
by incoming and outgoing cars, parties
OF sightseers. including many children,
the bright lights Of headlights etc.
The fact that birds do build in such
places-Jenny Wren will nest in the
sleeve Of q coat hung on q nne-helps
prove, We feel, the so-called territorial
theory Of bird song. This theory would
have us believe that such songs are not
entirely love making. but in part stake
out. in vocal way. the territory which
one pair of birds claims.
If = pair will build in a neighborhood.
despite noise and confusion, it shows
the power Of the habit Of the territory,
once chosen. If this were not So all
birds hereabouts would nest in Rock
Creek Park and be done with 1t. There
Is plenty of room there.
-
But no, as the French say, the moment
. bird has staked out his territory, by
the use Of sound waves, in a most up-
to-date manner, he is determined to
stick 1t out, come what may.
Often he sticks 1t out; quite as often he
does not.
Birds are subjected to the ordinary
vicissitudes of this life, and have a
great many more enemies, including hu-
man beings. than some think as they OBJ
serve with delight their apparently care
free life.
No one would ever think Of q turtle"
grabbing . robin-but one did, and our
correspondent caught him in the act.