Evening star., 1943-12-22
This and That
By Charles E. Trace1UeU.

Dear Sir.
Il wish you would devote one of your
columns some day to the convolutions
of the starlingS coming home to roost
at dusk. 1 think it is one of the most
wonderful of Washington's winter dusk
sights. Have you ever watched the
squadrons, for instance, that come up
Pennsylvania avenue, along the canyon
OF the buildings, at torpedo-plane
height? I know of no other sight so
suggestive of freedom and fun Watch
it some time.
yours, B. M. Nick"
4
If this correspondent had read this
column as we'll as he watches starlingS.
he would know that the mass fight of
starlings has been discussed here many
times, including october 81, last.
He is right in calling attention to
the marvel of their flying in down.
town. This has been noted by many
who happen to be there at the right
time.
AS was stated here: Experts who
have studied both birds and the science
OF flight regard the starting as one of
the most capable of all flyers, reaching
his perfection in these mass flights.
"Hupan pilots would give a good
deal to be able to engage in mass flying
as capably as the starlings.
THE big birds not only fly in ranks,
but manage to change their course
together, as If some leader had given
an invisible order
eff there is any order given it must
be by some sort of radio which man.
kind has not yet discovered. Every
wing tits at exactly the same moment.
This is the marvel of the starting
flight. 1t is not case of one bird
following the other, and so on through
the crowd. Every bird turns at the
same time Every wing dips, and every
tail slants just the same way at pre-
cisely the one and same moment
The fact is that the massed flights
of all birds are marvellous things.
1t is believed by some theorists that
they talk to each other in frequencies
too high for human ears to hear.
This would explain good DEAL but
1t would not tell us anything about
that certain quality which our CORE
spondent has unerringly caught in his
phrase, freedom and fun"
Freedom and fun, one may feel sure,
are the heritage of all birds. That is
why this column has been so much
interested in them, and why its readers,
by thousands of letters, have shown
their interest
Freedom and fun-are these not
democracy'S own, wherever found? The
birds had freedom from the beginning,
and their living together in the air
and trees comes about as near to real
freedom, perhaps, as this old world
knows
1t is just another of the debts we owe
them. They have tried to teach us
many things, but often we fail to
understand. Going to bed early, and
rising early-haven't the birds set us
this example for centuries, and did
any one ever pay any attention to
them, except Benjamin Franklin and
the writer here?
Busy executives, sitting at their neat
mahogany desks, bathed in the soft
glow of lamps, surrounded by carefully
wrought draperies, will do we'll to emu
late our correspondent.
Look out the window, and watch the
starlings come in. 1t is a thrilling
sight, and will help wash away the
cares of the day.
This daily sight makes rather silly
the protestations against the bird which
occur every now and then.
These birds are from England, the
land OF brave men. If the very birds
OF that distant rampant of freedom
can fly so well, is it any wonder that
her brave young men can set the stand
ards for the world? Blood and tears,
yes, but freedom and fun, too-these
shall be the heritage of the future.