Evening star., 1945-11-19
This and That.
By Charles E. Trdce1Ueu.

"WETHERILL ROAD.
Dear Sir:
"A short while ago I filled and
stocked all my winter bird feeding sta
tions for the first time this season.
my feeders were quickly found by
many titmice, juncos, chickadees, nut
matches, English sparows-and squir-
rels.
Now squirrels are perfectly welcome
at my feeders except that I know they
don't need the food as the birds do, for
squirrels remain with us all year, and
they keep birds from the food.
In addition to this, squirrels eat 4
tremendous lot and are an expensive
proposition.
What would like to know is wheth-
er there is any way to keep squirrels
away, other than killing them.
Il know from experience that they
can't be trained with BIB shot. If they
must be killed, shall kill them with
out too much compunction, for after
all, they're only unpleasant rodents,
but the truth Is that certainly do not
want to kill any animals unnecessarily.
Troublesome as they are, the squir-
rels do not mean any harm.
II would appreciate your advice on
this matter.
Sincerely yours, A. j. M"
X y X
This correspondent would seem to be
in a perturbed state of mind. First he
says squirrels are perfectly welcome at
his feeders, and then he declares that
he is going to kill Them He says that
squirrels are only unpleasant rodents" :"
and then that they do not mean any
harm.
Most persons faced by what to do
about the squirrels feel the same way
at the start.
In the first place let us realize that
the gray squirrel is much more than an
unpleasant rodent. He is in no way
comparable with the truly unpleasant
rat. Even the mouse has aspects OF
danger totally lacking from our squir-
rels.
One-fourth of the four-legged ami
mails are rodents. 1t is a large family,
and to belong to it is not necessarily a
matter of shame. No one should look
down on a squirrel because it belongs
to the order Rodentia.
In the second place. our gray squirrel
is such a conical, active fellow that he
manages to please thousands of watch
ers. Like all active things, he is likely
to do something which does not always
please. !
The watcher has too much time to
think That is one of the troubles of
being an observer. The doer is the
happiest person, as all realize. He who
merely watches must be ready to be dis
pleased, and in time come to q more
philosophical attitude.
The probability Is that the squirrel
needs food quite as much as the birds.
Our gray squirrels do not store food in
granaries as the red squirrels do. ALI of
us who feed the wintering birds should
thank our lucky stars that our suburban
squirrels are gray rather than red. The
red sort not only is a great pest around
human habitation, but also kills and
eats birds.
A person who does not want to kill
animals unnecessarily cannot kill these
gray squirrels, because truly they do
not mean any harm, and are hungry in
the cold.
No one has right to put out free
lunch and then kick at the customers
who come.
Cajolery should be tried. Conserva-
ton is at the heart of bird feeding, and
conservation ordinarily does not mean
killing. There has been too much kill
ing around the world, as it Is
Trying to outwit squirrels is good
sport. Creased poles for feeding sta
tions have bsen used. Several stations
at different points may be tried.
The best attitude is to put up with
the SQUIRRELS lust as one must NIT I'm
with English sparrows and starlings.
1t costs bit more money, but 1t is
better for the emotions, and certainly
keeps the whole process closer To the
heart Of descent hslnAnttY.