Evening star., 1944-09-11
This and That
By Charles E. Trdce,peu.
"37th STREET.

Dear Sir:
Il have read your column with pleas
ure for a year, and I would appreciate
it If you could identify this bird for me.
"It is little larger than a sparrow,
a darker gray on top, with a topknot
like a cardinal.
TT sings very much like a mocking-
bird, answering II you whistle at 1t.
There are two or three of them
around, and they are very tinid, flying
at sight of you.
Also I would appreciate 1t if you
would tell me what time of year it is
safest to get a white faced hornet S
nest. as I need it for a biology class.
Yours sincerely, E. K. M"
From this description we believe that
our correspondent bird is a catbird.
Many species, and particularly the
catbird, can ruffle up the feathers of
the head to resemble a crest
The catbird, of course, wears black
cap, but at times can push it up into
sort of peak.
Many persons do not seem to realize
that the catbird is almost on par with
the mockingbird, when it comes to sing
ing, and that its song is very much like
that of the other bird.
Often people exclaim, "Oh, listen to
the mockingbird!" when what they really
hear is catbird.
A grayish bird with a real topknot
is the titmouse. It, however, is smaller
than a sparrow, and its song IS not at
The titmouse seems to be calling a
dog, in its whistle.
The pewee is about sparrow size. It,
too, is light gray below and dark above,
and it has real crest. but about all
the singing 1t does is to call "pee-a-wee"
in mournful tones.
After cold weather sets in is the best
time to collect hornets nest, but even
then it must be undertaken with care
A bottle of virulent poison is some
times held to the mouth OF the nest.
but we cannot recommend the use of
such poisons.
Collection is best made at night.
The white-faced hornet is Vespa
maculata. really pretty scientific name;
he makes paper, in building his home,
and was without doubt the first paper
manufacturer.
He makes his paper out of wood pulp,
just as we do.
The nest may be as much as a foot
long. The hole is at or near the bottom,
and the affair is usually found in trees,
or now and then under projecting
roof.
Occasionally one will be found in a
berry bush.
These hornets get their wood pulp
from old boards, or trees where the bark
has been removed. AS far as we know,
the hornets do not remove the bark
themselves.
The wasp scrapes off the pulp with
its jaws. moistening 1t as it moves back
ward. He rolls the pulp into a ball,
and in this form carries it to the nest.
There he f1attens it into a sheet All
he needs is a printing press to put out
a paper!
This smart insect. When he wants
to make his nest larger, he simply
scrapes away some of the pulp, and takes
1t outside and plasters in on the house.
Or he may use the removed pulp to con-
struct the comb.
A little moisture applied to the SPOT,
and the application of his powerful Jaws,
and up comes the softened wood. Yet
the mixture is so secure that rains
never melt it.
Hornets destroy many flies and other
insects, and should be left unmolested.
We wish 1t would be possible for biology
classes to let the hornet nests alone. So
many people want to pull them down,
the moment they see them. Probably
they remember being stung! Certainly
the white-faced hornet has . powerful
! sting.