Evening star., 1944-09-04
This and That
By Charles E. TraceDell.


Dear Sir:
English sparrows and crab grass seed
make a good combination. About so of
other afternoon and spent half an hour
very happily eating the seed.
They made a nice picture there, and
their numbers added to it: for some rea-
son or other I have never been able to
figure out, large number of anything
makes an impression.
There were enough of these birds to
give this impression, and I was sur
prised to see how brown they made the
lawn. They moved around constantly,
milled, I guess you call it. so that a
brown flood seemed to be going over the
grass
II thought how wrong people are to
look down on this bird. Not only is it
pretty. with good color, but it eats
insects as well as rarer birds, and does
something most Of them do not do, that
is, eats japanese beetles.
MY beetle traps have been almost
empty recently, so suppose the Japa-
nese beetle season is over for another
year. predict that next year will be an
off-year with them, that there will not
be as many of them next summer, in
part due to the activities of the English
sparrows.
Sincerely yours, G. S."
Those who value the English sparrows,
and the number is growing yearly.
should take steps to attract them for
the fall and winter season ahead.
This means, of course, nothing more
nor less than our old friend, bird feed
ing.
The good thing about 1t is that it
will draw the better and more famous
birds as we'll as the English sparrows.
The congregation of these birds will
also attract other sparrows, including
that masterpiece, the song sparrow.
Bushes and trees and vines are full
of English sparrows these days. 1t is
really quite sight to see so many of
them flying around. As our correspond
ent points out, there is something over
whelming in numbers. This has been
manifest for decade or more all over
the world. Instead of the Christian
ideal, single soul, the world has re-
verted to the pagan ideal of masses
Great hordes of people, all with arms
outstretched, or crowding squares some
place. 1t was manifest not long ago in
great crowd in our own fair city
There is no use trying to get away
from it at the present time. 1t is the
vogue, the world around and must run
through its cycle. In time humanity
will see again, as 1t has many times
before, that 10000 girls in uniform are
not any better than just one of the
girls in uniform.
Fifty English sparrows in the grass
just as the 10000 girls, do make a sight,
however.
The increase in the numbers of these
birds in the fall, so apparent on every
lawn. is due to the inclusion of the
young.
Each pair of sparrows has had from
Is to Is babies since last February
| These, added to the old ones, make
large numbers and on the grass they all
| flock together, making q genuine pic
ture for the bird lover who is not bound
down by prejudice.
At least fifty of these birds were in
great vine. but not one was visible
| Suddenly they flew down, one after
the other, to the grass, to cluster around
| slices Of bread placed there for them.
A dozen birds formed around each
slice. pulling and tugging. always in
motion, the white center being pulled
first one way and then another, and
always diminishing in size.
Soon the members of the band pulled
away from each other, and were spread
| over the lawn, each with his or hel
| crumb Of bread.
It is noticeable where bird feeding
has been carried on how much larger
and colorful the English sparrows are
than the ones seen downtown. Good
food alone is not entirely responsible
for this better appearance. Cleanliness.
Is factor, too. Suburban sparrows are
spared the dust and dirt Of ths down.
town aSeaA.