Evening star., 1945-03-21
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceueH.
TEMPLE HILLS, Md.

TEMPLE HILLS. Md.
Dear Sir:
I'VE love to read your column and it
is so consistent in its enjoyment. It
has never failed yet to entertain as well
IS instruct. ta-s
I'VE arrived here in Maryland In No.
vember, coming from Virginia (nearby)
and could hear voices of blue jays and
crows in the many oak woods, saw an
occasional mockingbird, but my happi-
ness was complete when the lovely blue
birds came
1T had been years since I last saw
them. If some one had given me a
million dollars couldn't have felt any
happier.
To-day six fat robins were on the
lawn, and about 20 sleek little slate
blues with shiny dark yellow bill and
white stripes edging the tail
L did not know them When they
fly they resemble the mockingbird but
they are smaller in size. I have not
seen cardinal over here, and only one
startling
I'VE raised beautiful squirrel one
time. He was most affectionate and
especially loved my husband. He would
crawl into his shirt and curl UP inside
there for a whole evening while my
husband read or worked at his desk.
He would take an old necktie in
preference to fur jacket and curl up
IN 1t. My husband taught him how to
open nuts by tearing little hole out.
He would take penny and 60 through
the motions of burying it in a window
sill corner.
He was jealous of any visitors and
would get very nervous and Jump around
from one piece of furniture to another,
rarely getting on the floor, and one day
bit my best friends finger.
He could amuse you constantly. and
one time he kept teasing my husband
by picking up his folding rule and run
ming off with it until my exasperated
spouse grabbed him, spanked. and in
the act of putting him in his cage let
him get away. He ran away and never
returned. He was then about 2 years
old and had always come back but
his feelings were hurt this trip. We were
all heart broken, of course
I'VE learned about a year later from
an old colored farmer Of an exceptionally
large squirrel which had been frequent
ing his corncrib and who was quite
tame. We felt it must be Skippy and
were happy to know he had been well
coined back to the great outdoors.
Thanks again for all your columns.
Sincerely, L. L. g."
Our correspondents sleek little slate
blues" must have been tuncos, or snow
birds. They are often called slate-col-
ored juncos.
They are among the finest OF the SPAR
row clans, having wide distribution
throughout the United States.
On the Pacific Coast there are more
than 20 variations true varieties, OF the
junco. Some Of them migrate north
ward through the inhospitable Aleutian
Islands to Siberia, where they nest.
Our own junco breeds from the noun
tains OF Pennsylvania up through New
York and northward to Hudson Bay.
There are three human requirements
for raising gray squirrel as pet.
First, one must not be afraid of the
animal.
Any hesitation or fear makes the
beastie nervous.
Second, all motions in handling must
be slow.
Third, no motion must be fast. This
may seem mere restatement Of the
second rule, but 1t Is essential: squir-
rels tend to snap at the first quick
motion. And those needle teeth 20
straight to the bone.
Teaching squirrel how to open a
nut might seem to be gliding the lily, as
1t were, since these animals are natures
own original nutcracksrs.