Evening star., 1944-07-18
This and That
By Charles +. TrdceUell.

Dear Sir
Il wish to thank you for your recent
article IN which you spoke up against
the idea Of putting tanglefoot on a stake
to keep squirrels out of bird feeding
station. t---@s ~
1T was all the mora effective because
you are recognized as one writer about
animals who does not indulge In senti-
mentality. but places the creatures be.
fore the reader for Just what theyaare.
There are naturally many ideas about
animals In gardens. and the harm they
may or may not do, and have no quar-
rel with any one except when he does
things which add to the terrible sum
total Of cruelty which distinguishes this
age around the world.
THE worst sort Of cruelty Is the men,
tai cruelty which holds life in contempt.
Surely one does not have to be either a
philosopher or sage to recognize to
what this has led.
I'VE must take care, all of us, not to
let it have a beginning, although small
one. in Our own little back yards.
With many good wishes to you, and
many thanks. am
Sincerely yours, L. @. R."
And here is 4 correspondent who
seems to feel Arsumentative:
Il am glad that you give both sides,
though my views and those OF Chevy
Chaser seem to be In rather q small
minority.
Many thanks to him for his frank
ness and his tips on bird feeding; for
must confess that those who believe
that 4 squirrel can do no wrong are
just q little too much on the animal.
worship side for me.
All animals have their places in ma
ture, but dog. cat. squirrel, parrot and
monkey fans might realize that there
are msny who, without being either &C.
centric or cruel, do not share their ami.
NAL worship.
For instance, we don't own dog nor
care to, but we accept our rseighbors'
dogs and respect their attachment to
their pets, unless and until the latter
become neishborhood nuisances.
while am not bird fanatic, I am
interested in and enjoy their study, and
the neighborhood doesn't seem to con-
slider it an evidence of eccentricity.
Though you suggest that birds prefer
a sunken bath, ours is on a stand about
three feet high, is easily emptied and
cleaned, and in shady spot less than
10 feet from front window, where we
can watch their habits.
"All birds seem to prefer clean, cool
water. Robins bathe often, but are
bossy and messy and must have the pool
to themselves. often seeming to hop out
and in again and again Just to delay
the bathing and drinking of other birds.
Jays are cocks Of the walk drink
often, but seldom bathe, and no other
birds question their rights. Flickers,
cardinals, sparrows and wood thrushes
are also frequent visitors if the pool is
clean and cool.
"Starlings come occasionally, but have
not appeared quarrelsome. To my
thinking, the wood thrush is the quiet
est, friendliest visitor Of the lot, Al
though described in the books As 'shy
ana retiring"
In recent days we have almost sue
ceeded In picking up two wood thr,uhes.
Certainly they are, as this correspond
ent says, the quietest and friendliest Of
our summer birds. What has happened
is that they have, in the past so years,
transferred themselves from forest birds
to suburban birds, and in the process
have grown tame. At heart. however.
they have always been true princes Of
the American bird world, 20 it is no
wonder that they conduct themselves
beautifully wherever they are.
Every yard ought to have at least two
bird baths, one sunken and the other
on pedestal. Clean, fresh water should
be placed in each every day and some
times twice q day. An old broom, rag
or whiskbroom will be needed for the
sunken bath.
Being kind to animals does not consti-
tute animal worship" any more than
trying to act the part Of . gentleman
makes one / sissy.