Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-13
This and That
By Charles E. Trace,peu.
"WHITEHAvEN STREET

w III v GJN L.,
Dear Sir:
Perhaps some of your readers who
have been inquiring about our friends
the titmice may be interested in nv
intimacy with them in the South.
"One spring afternoon as sat sewing
on piazza near the birds feeding
place in Florida, felt two little feet
on top Of my head, and a pull at my
white locks which Mr. and Mrs. Tit
mouse had decided would be good ma
terial with which to line a nest.
Another attack upon me was made
the following year when some friends
were visiting me, so I have witnesses
to my tale
The same little folks like to enter
an open door and hop near to nv
seat at the breakfast table to pick I'D
their meal of peanuts while I drink
coffee
They are quite as tame In Wash
ington, where they share with many
other birds peanut butter and sunflower
seeds on my window sill
Very sincerely, M. L. B."
There can be no doubt that some
persons are personally attractive to
birds.
Titmice are friendly, but not to every
human being.
1t is only one, now and then, which
they seem to find irresistible.
We have carried here the story of
Maryland clergyman who reported
flock of % titmice coming to his
hand.
Most of us, no matter how much we
like birds, might stand for years with
out single titmouse flying down to
investigate us at close range.
These friendly little birds are noted
for their interesting habit of pulling
hair from the human head
This column has told the story of
how one flew down and pulled hairs
from a fur coat while its wearer was
waiting for bus.
1t is peculiarly bird of the South,
probably being more common there
than the chickadee even
The tufted titmouse, as he often is
called, is friend of the chickadee.
The two of them visit feeding stations
together, and when one disappears, the
other goes, too.
Olive Thorne Miller tells of how a
titmouse flew into the house and built
nest in hanging basket She laid
two eggs, but the excitement of the
human occupants became so great that
it frightened the bird away
Usually only one or two will come
to local bird feeding station in winter.
Now and then flock will arrive, con-
sisting of father and mother>and the
babies of two broods.
Since from 5 to eggs are laid at
each nesting, it may be realized that
these flockS will consist of about a
dozen birds.
The titmouse, in addition to his crest,
is distinguished by his habit of storing
up food for the winter.
He does this by inserting seeds and
small grains beneath crevices of bark
on tree trunks and in the crotches of
limbs.
In summer the titmouse eats only in
sects, and feeds only insects to its babies,
since these are the natural 4baby food"
of all species.
This urge for fresh food right from
natures larder is so great with most
birds that there is no danger of over
doing artificial feeding. There Is moth
ing you can put out for them as at
tractive as live insect. A well stocked
feeding station in spring and summer
simply means more birds to eat more
insects and crawlers. 1t will lure some
of the seed eaters. Ground meat offers
real help to busy father and mother
birds, who find it difiicult to find enough
bugs for hungry mouths, including
their own.
The titmouse is the bird whose call
resembles some one whistling for dog.
1t Is loud, clear and sweet, and one
OF the most famous Of all bird cries.
Titmice do particularly well In help
Ing man with his gardens, because they
fnd and eat thousands Of small In
sects and their eggs which escape the
larger birds.