Evening star., 1944-07-28
This and That
By Charles Z. TraceUeH.
NEW YORK AVENUE,

Dear Sir:
First may tell you how much we sill
enjoy your column in the paper? We
never miss night as we are all lovers
of nature and enjoy hearing about the
different problems,
1T is just lately that We have had the
time and place to enjoy birds, etc, so we
know but little about them.
Sunday we found a new bird in our
feeder and We are at a loss to name
him. He or she looks like a small black
bird but has a brown head, dark eyes
and most of his tail is brown.
I'VE looked under rusty blackbird and
under coWbird in our book. but neither
say anything about brown tail.
I'VE did not hear his CALL Could you
tell us what he might be called?
I'VE are also disturbed about our
bluebirds. They were building. He was
always around singing to his mate, so
We thought she was laying or perhaps
setting. Then it seems they gave up, or
something.
I'VE still see him about, and Ter oc-
casionally. but they are not working or
there are no eggs or shells present.
About how long does it take to raise a
family from nest to young?
Perhaps you could also tell me c f.
hand how terrapin's shell enlarges as
he grows. We have several in our to-
mato patch. and are very curious about
them, but We move them to the woods
to save our tomatoes
Sincerely, NJ P. w."
Our correspondents bird is the cow
bird. There is no other black bird with
a brown head. The color of the tail
feathers seems to change according to
the light that is on it.
Then, too, there can always be freaks.
An individual bird may have brown tail
feathers, whereas most Ct them have
darker, even black feathers.
Cowbirds are interesting creatures,
since they seem to be original exponents
OF what once was called free love-"
In distinction from other birds, where
the mates live together for life. or at
least for one spring and summer, the
cowbirds take up With each other as
they please.
The mother coWbird, If such she may
be called, lays her eggs in some other
birds nest and then fcrgets about them.
This constitutes her parasite, just as
is the English cuckoo.
She then spends her time in the fields,
looking for food for herself. The bring
ing up of her offspring is left entirely
to the foster parents who neglect their
own babies. 1t has been said at least
five songbirds are lost every time cow
bird baby is brought to maturity.
Still, cowbirds are interesting, and
especially so in the city or suburban
yard. Many persons who have heard of
them all their lives fail to recognize
them when they see them at last, mostly
because they are so handsome. That
is, they have come to regard them as
scoundrels of the bird world, which
they are, in sense, and here before
them they see very smooth, pretty
bird, which walks without shame in
the sunlight.
Terrapins grow along the edges of
their shells outward. According to one
authority: THE dorsal shield, or cara
pace, within shelter of which tre head,
limbs and tail car be more or less COM
pletely sheltered, is formed (a) along
the middle line by the vertebrae whose
neural spines are fattened, tb) by ex-
pansions of the parts which in other
animals form well-defined ribs and Co
along the edge by marginal plates ossi-
fed in the underskln or dermis. The
dorsal vertebrae and ribs are thus
rigidly involved in the carapa.e; the
neck ard the tail are the only flexible
parts. The ventral shield OR plastron
consists Of nine bony pieces, one anterior
and four on each side. They arise as
membrane bones in the Dennis. Over
tapping, but not corresponding, to the
bones of the shields, are horny epider-
mic plates of tortoise she'll which al
though hard are not without sensitive
ness, numerous nerves ending upon
them"