Evening star., 1944-03-25
This and That
BIZ Charles E. Trace1Ueu.

Plight of the first robins during the
recent snow and sleet was as nothing
compared with what happened to them
here during the winter of 1906-7.
Old-timers will recall that during that
time more than 5000 robins were offered
for sale in the local markets.
And they all were sold That was
before they were taken out of the class
of game birds. At that time bird lovers
actually feared that the robin, now so
plentiful, would soon be classed among
the rarer birds.
Today that is fortunately all changed.
The robin is protected throughout the
country, and those who kill him are
arrested and heavily fined, especially In
the South, where he congregates in
gigantic f1ocks of several million birds
before he flies North.
1t Is interesting to recall that 40
years ago the robin was actually un-
common here in summer.
He was abundant only in the spring
and fall migration.
This is one of the changes 40 years
or so can bring. We are so used to
living in the present, with some little
attention given to the immediate fu-
ture, that we fail to think about the
past at all
Now the robin is plentiful here. and
especially in the summer. when his
happy, bubbling song rings out all day
ana clear up till dark as he goes about
his incessant search for earthworms
and insects. His activities rid the soil
OF TOO many worms, and thus help keep
1t from getting sour. He catches and
eats many inimical insects. Though he
Is fond OF fruit, he prefers wild to
cultivated sorts.
Ihere are not many persons, even
robin admirers, who understand what
an enormous number of insects this
busy bird eats every spring and summer,
Early robins, which generally run into
some sort of snow or sleet storm. are
best helped with bread soaked in milk,
ralslns and an apple cut in half. Suet
may be put out.
No one should be disappointed if the
forlorn-looking birds refuse to come
to the feast.
The truth is that they seem a bit
dumb about it all. Perhaps their men
talities are as frozen as their toes. At
any rate, they often refuse to come to
the food, but remain perched dejectedly
IN plain sight of it.
During the icy period we put out
steamed raisins for them, and had the
satisfaction of seeing one fine specimen
sample the food. In the main, however.
the robins refused to come.
1t is nothing unusual to see them
watch other birds eat the food which is
put out for them. Occasionally they
Will sample few seeds from mixture,
but mostly they shun such fare.
\ +
The fact seems to be that two or more
ROBINS In the snow and ice will spend
most OF their time chasing each other.
we do not believe that they are in
much danger of starvation in such
times because March storms usually do
not last for long stretches. Robins are
lat and chesty, filled with fat and fury,
and know how to get along.
Certainly there is nothing more for
lorn looking in the winter garden than
one of these early robins, perched in
a shrub looking over the garden for
worms which are far, far down.
II robins nest in yard thev USUALLY
~~A'~-AS eAASAA cSSoAAO liCoI VI GIle summer
near 1t, either inS the same garden
or the adjacent one.
Four eggs of the famous "robin,s-epp
blue" are laid.
!. Readers will be glad that Lilly Belle.
the pet robin, returned to our ward
Tor her third season during the sleet
and ice storm.
How handsome she is this spring!
There could be little doubt of the
ldentification, for she flew into her
+ favorite maple, and inched along the
same branch, her favorite perch of
past years.
Her chattering cry of recognition rang
out over the yard during the snow.
Lilly Belle is an individualist, and is not
on travel rations. She comes and goes
as she pleases on a mandate given her
by the Lord three years ago.