Evening star., 1944-09-07
This and That
By Charles Z. TrdceueN,

Autumn brings the blue jays back to
many yards.
Not that the jay is a migrant Far
from It, He stays here the year round
but often fails to visit the individual
yard.
With cooler weather he appears sud-
denly in places he has not been all
summer. 4ee
This will be good thing for most
observers, for they recognize the beauty
and intelligence Of this species, and
also its humor. ,,.., -. =,
Tales Of jay cruelty are common. but
many persons will have watched them
lifetime without seeing q single
instance.
The other day in our own yard biz
one flew down to share III some slices
OF bread around which were gathered
at least SO English sparrows.
He came in among them as a friend.
ana was so accepted, evidently. The
smaller birds paid no particular atten-
ton to him, but kept on tuggine away
at the slices of moistened bread,
They did not fear him, and he did
not molest them In any way. He did
not take any more bread away from
He was just one of the boys ENJOYING
the opportunity to take part in q sud-
den windfall.
Unquestionably the birds of an entire
nelghborhood soon find out that In a
certain place such Handouts" are likelv
to occur.
This means that they watch out, with
those small bright eyes, and in some
way signal others. They are all watch
ing each other, OF course, and when they
see one take on all OF a sudden, they
are likely to follow him to see what
he is up to.
Ihose who have watched birds for a
long time are willing to believe that
lnere Is something more to it than this.
Undoubtedly some species, such as the
starlngs, have ways of telling each
other where food is to be found. The
starlings even 90 farther and send out
scouts TO discover it. The amazing
thing IS that these scouts seem to have
the ability to notify their group without
coming back to the band Some sort of
Eaolo intelligence Is not impossible.
Much has been found out about the
olrds, but great deal still remains to
be discovered.
At any rate, when one bird finds food.
others soon appear. It is not often that
one specimen, or one group will be left
IN sole possession Of food source This
Is why feeding the birds as a practice
soon draws so many.
There is no better time to begin than
now. Not only will scores of migrating
birds be helped, but those which winter
mere Will soon find out the place in the
neighborhood where food is to be found.
either at regular or irregular intervals,
Autumn brings many dry days, with
cool winds drying up natural sources,
sometimes 1t is really drier in autumn
tnan IN the worst drought OF summer.
This Is seldom realized unless one is
'nteres1ed IN birds or plants, or both.
There is nothing like a garden
whether called Victory or not, to Get
one interested In the weather, The
nirds need water. too, as well as plants
but 1t Is not often that we stop to
think Of this.
They also need grit and sand. and
some small supply Of this should be ke6t
available to them In every garden where
they are wanted
There can be little question that thew
40 good all fall and winter by cleaning
up such bold insects as come out Even
during winter there will be warmer days
and these draw to their doom such in
sects as are fooled into believing that
spring is at hand.
We have said nothing about the
aesthetic aspects Of feeding the birds
IN fall and winter. These win speak
Tor themselves to all persons who Be-
come interested. Much to their surprise
IN many cases, they win find that they
have more birds in winter than In
summer.
Flocks Of English sparrows are rood
additions to the winter bird feeding
picture. Jays, too. Squirrels. too.
Pigeons are not so good, neither are
grackles. Rats may be attracted, but
they merely show that they were In the
neishborhood already. The householder
should seize the opportunity to destroy
them. In doing this. he should take
every care that the birds and ueighbor.
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