Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-31
This and That
BIZ Charles E. Trace,UeN.

By Charles E. Trdce1UeH.
The goldfinch, in its winter dress. Is
one of the beauties of the winter scene.
Dark brownish in hue, with mixture
of greenish, it loves to eat the berries
which stick up over the snow.
Seeds of the trumpet vine, waving on
long strands from the trees, invite these
little birds.
The other day we looked out an upper
window and saw one clinging to seed
pod at the end of vine at least Is
feet long.
The bird was almost as light as the
pod, for the latter scarcely went down
when the bird lit on 1t.
He spent some minutes getting the
seeds out, and consuming them with
evident relish.
The goldfinich, as the snow bird, will
not often be seen in large flocks in the
wintertime.
Both species must be looked for, and
few give greater rewards for the watch
ing.
The snowbird, or 'junco, is known to
far more people than the goldfnch, or
wild canary, In its winter dress.
The bright yellow which gives the
goldfnch the popular name is lost dur
ing the cold months. The more sober
dress applies to al the family-the male,
female and the young.
1t is necessary, then, to keep sharp
lookout, and to note particularly the
feeding habits of any small stranger.
The goldf1nch is a great hanger on.
That is, he likes to cling to the top of
a stalk, and hang on, no matter how
far down the branch goes with him.
We have seen these birds down so far
that their backs touched ground, but It
made no difference to them.
Food is what they are after, and they
find it in the least likely places. Weeds
of all kinds furnish them sustenance,
so that any one who appreciates bird
life must have more than one thought
about weeds. He must realize that
weeds also furnish food to various birds,
and to some of the very best. Weeds
which grow in great patches in vacant
lots and pastures must save the lives Of
countless little birds when the ground
is covered with snow. Icy coatings often
keep them from even these foods.
1t is impossible to snort too much
about weeds, if one keeps in mind the
fact that their seeds feed innumerable
wild birds all winter.
He or she who loves nature has a
duty to try to see all sides of things
1t will not do just to see single side.
This is what the politician does! He
who observes the wild things of the
world has no right to be politically
minded, but must be scientifically mind
ed; that is, he must be willing to in
vestigate, to look and weigh. It will
not do to grow red in the face because
squirrel comes to the feeding place,
without first realizing that the squirrel
Is as hungry as any. It will not do to
Sspeak out heatedly against bluejays,
without first watching these birds hon.
estly and fairly. It will not be right,
scientifically, to berate the English
sparrow, without watching their family
life and realizing that they are as de-
voted parents as any, and that they
have as much right to food in the cold
as more desirable species.
The goldfnch needs no apologist It
is one of those fortunate species which
at all times and in all places pleases the
public fancy. The only difficulty it has
is in getting people to recognize it in
its winter feathering, which often seems
to obscure it to eyes which would other
wise look upon it with favor. Perhaps
they think it is "just sparrow
The junco, often seen at the same
time as the wintering wild canary
seems to find most of its food in the
snow, living up to its common name OF
"snowbird" in every way.
These two, the goldnnch and the
junco, make perfect wintertime team
one which all the looking necessary to
see It's members win be well repaid.