Evening star., 1944-09-01
This and That
Bu Charles E. TrdceUeu.
"BETHESDA, Nd

Dear sir: .
"A small green bird was found dead
on a neiehbor's porch. Can you identity
1t by the following description?
slightly over inches in length.
green back with grayish wing feathers.
breast white with black stripes on
throat. two black stripes on crown with
orange gold between, bill fairly long.
dark and pointed; legs thin ana fairly
long.
NO bird in our bird book seems to
exactly fit this descriptlon-1 believe
the oven bird came closest.
Gould you recommend good book
to use in studying birds of this area?
Sincerely, M. A. g."
This bird was the oven bird. Many
of them have been reported from the
Bethesda district.
The orange gold stripe between black
stripes practically identifies 1t, along
with the other descriptives.
A dead specimen rapidly loses much
of the coloring.
Female birds are usually less colorful
than the males.
This is one of our finest birds and, as
already described here. is favorite
with all who see 1t.
One should never expect every bird
to ft the picture and description IN
the various bird books exactly.
That would be positively impossible!
The bird books themselves do not
agree exactly with each other.
One artist sees the bird one way, an
other in a slightly different pose and
dress
Often there are marked differences
in the color Illustrations.
These come about because the per-
sonality of both artist and bird enters
into the matter.
The best one can do. in trying to
identify a species, Is to match as many
salient characteristics as possible.
There usually will be one or two. per-
haps, which do not match or agree
entirely. This must be expected. De-
spite the years put on bird study, there
are many matters still in dispute and
many disagreements.
II 4
Most of the books are good. A favor
ite is Chester A. Reeds Bird Guide,
land birds east Of the Rockies, published
by Doubleday, Doran & Co. This is
pocket size, and the color pictures are
good.
Many larger works are on the mar
ket, including "The Book Of Birds" is
sued by the National Geographic So
ciety, and Birds of America" issued
by the Garden City Publishing Co.
Bird Portraits in Color" issued by the
University of Minnesota Press, Is a
favorite of ours.
Almost any book devoted to birds OF
the East, Middle West or South, will
do nicely.
IDAHO AVE.
Dear Sir:
"The swallows that hang around the
Westchester Apartments are chimney
swallows, and now the old birds, which
came in the spring, are augmented to
the extent of two broods and the colony
is at its greatest numbers.
Pretty soon all hands will be winging
scuthward and in expectation of the
great migration the birds are testing
their strength and wind against the day
when they take of, no more to nest
in the big chimney.
THE Westchester Apartments have
many chimneys. but for the birds there
is only one, and to watch them along
about 7:45 to 8:25 each evening Is, for
few bird lovers, genuine treat.
THE whole outfit whirl and swirl
over and around the chimney, chirping
in full chorus, some birds going to rest
and others remaining out . few minutes
longer, the general scheme being a
circular swing to the left, the great
mass slowly diminishing until the last
bird has disappeared-this occurring
oddly enough just as the street lights are
ta'SnA6 On. Sincerely. Z J. L."