Evening star., 1945-12-29
This and That
By Charles E. Trdce1DeH.
SENATE PRESS GALLERY

Dear Sir:
do you know. and I suppose you do,
that mockingbirds dance?
I'm the nearly two years. that have
lived in the Kensington area, where
they seem to like the neighborhood, I
have become acquainted with these
strange and intriguing birds.
For some reason, they were not COM
mon at my Chevy Chase home where I
lived for Is years, and rather remotely
seen in the seven years I lived in Brad
ley Hills.
But in this area they dominate, yet
not until two weeks ago did I ever see
them dancing.
'Two-fat as pigeons and hope of
the opposite seX-have apparently set
dancing ground, because both times
when I have seen them they were on
the same spot.
They face each other about four or
five inches apart; one hops or dances
about four inches one way: the other
follows: then the first position, the 9TH
er again following.
1.-The first time I saw this was early
in December the second time on De-
cember 13.
"On the first occasion, observed it
for only about minute but the second
time these plump Quakerish looking
birds kept it up for at least five minutes.
"Now and then the pattern changed,
and one would dance left while the
other danced right, but never more than
six inches apart, and they always came
back to the original Henry Ford square
dance position, as far as I understand
Uncle Henry'S theory of it.
II know these birds are bomb divers,
who love to torment cats and dogs, and
I have often seen them doing their flut-
tering showoff from chimney tops and
telephone poles in the spring, and the
young devils chasing each other around
the houses in my neighborhood in the
fall, getting more fun out Of life, 1t
seems to me, than most birds do.
II also note this: They seem to live
without eating; never see them feed
ing along with the industrious and vo-
racious robins and starlings, chipping
sparrows and the like. Instead, 1t seems
to me, they sing all spring-and sing
more beautifully and longer and at more
hours than any other birds-and they
quit for the summer but go back to
singing in the fall.
How do these 'Stork Club members
of the avian world get that way?
Sincerely, F. R. B."
I X X X
Our correspondent describes very
well the courtship dance of the mock
ingbirds.
| At this time of year they must just be
trying out few steps for spring!
Then they will chase for at least
5 feet, before starting back the other
way.
In the spring dance, they face each
other, and hop sideways.
First to the right, then to the left
they 60, keeping this up for long time
The male also perches in high tree.
| or atop pole, and from it pours forth
q mating song.
| It is such antics as these that endear
this bird to many watchers. Its song
| is beautiful, and, as our correspondent
says, carried on all night when the moon
4 is out.
In the South he is said to sing down
the chimney"
Brookv;lle road, in nearby Maryland
from Bradley lane north, is sometime.
called Mockingbird lane, from the mum.
bers of these birds which live along it
They feed on dogwood and other ber.
ries, and probably do not eat as much
as some other species, but of course
manage to get enough food to keep th'
heat in their bodies.
Creatures living outdoors "A hours s
day need great deal of Matchmaking
| foods. Mockers may be supplied with
bread, doughnuts and raisins at Thu
time Of the year.