Evening star., 1945-07-06
This and That
By Charles E. Trace,Deu.
"INGOMAR PLACE.


Dear Sir:
Your wise and happy lady CORE
spondent recently told us how she was
endeavoring to learn the notes of MANY
birds, so that If ever she should no lon
ger be able to sit at her window and
watch them, she could at least identify
her friends out in the trees by their
songs and imagine how they look as thew
went about their cheerful business of
the day.
did you ever tell her that the CAV
whistle the modern young male of the
human species uses to greet the opposite
sex with admiration and applause is
none other than the first two clear-cut
notes-one up, one down-of the cardi-
nails most distinguishing call7 There
could hardly be more humorous. fir
tatious, yet essentially friendly tribute
10 girls beauty and charm. Evoked
almost universally as an automatic re-
sponse OF surprised delight, it seems
indeed an expressive way in which to
say, My dear, I like you; come and play
Does the cardinal use it with similar in
tent?
Your cardinals and mockingbirds are
never-ending sensation to many of
us transient northern visitants in Wash
ington. Up home we almost never see
the redbird and OF course the mocker
not at all. When you told us a while
back that the latter sometimes sings
all night. took it with a grain of salt,
wishing the while that I could hear
again the nightingale in our pare that
summer we had big house outside of
Geneva. But you were right, as usual.
Hardly week later a mocker arrived
over in RittenhouSe street where was
staying then, and set up regular
schedule of practicing most of the night.
And now, out here on Connecticut
avenue, we have for the first time seen
one singing from high perch on a
chimney or weather vane, 60 through
his repertoire and then fly feet I'D in
the air only to drop like a plummet
back to his spot, never varying from an
absolute perpendicular. This must be
an old story to you, often described for
the benefit of other newcomers to the
South. 1t Is easy to guess it must be an
exhibitionist trick, on something of the
same order as the looping, weaving, airy
dance of the hummingbird wooing his
girl friend up in our Connecticut gar
den. Am right?
Sincerely yours, c. E. L."
AS to the cardinals whistle, there can
be little doubt that most of his singing
in spring and summer has amatory in
tent.
There is little question, also, that the
singing OF all male birds is partly the
announcement of territorial intentions.
Perhaps it would be unfair to COM
pare the song of the redbird to the
awful voice which once came over the
air waves from Berlin, announcing the
intention Of grabbing more territory.
But certainly there is in the bird song
some similar intention. The song says;
Here I am, If too many of you nest
too close, there will be no worms and
insects for my babies. Keep away!"
AS for the mockingbird, he sings a
mounting" and dropping" song in
spring, going up through the branches,
then hopping down through them. His
song is series Of soft liquid notes.
Not only will the mockingbird and
some other species sing on moonlight
nights, but the mocker even will sing on
pitch-black nights. Perhaps In such
cases the sight OF lighted window stirs
him up. Or he may concentrate on
street lamp. or even distant star.