Evening star., 1946-08-12
This and That
By Charles E. Trdce1Dell
aGREENwTTTJ pApYwAv

1EkGEN W1If1 FAfLh WAY,
Dear Sir:
'I read your column regularly and it
Is the most truly enjoyable column in
the paper.
Now find have problem. For
several days have noticed an extreme
ly small hummingbird has been visiting
our garden at about the same time
every afternoon.
THE bird is so small that at first
could hardly believe it could possibly
be bird, but it seems quite fearless, and
I was able to get up very close so that
/ could get good look.
1T moves so rapidly that 1t was hard
for me to get the exact markings but
the general overall impression is that
it Is very bright yellow-green with a
rust-colored tail and a buff -colored
breast.
THE tail is striped in some manner
and the bird appears to have feathered
antennae or horns, but I couldn't be
sure because it may have been an optical
illusion from the rapid beating of its
wings.
THE birds body, tail and all, does
not seem to be much more than an
inch and a half long, and its bill seems
to be about an inch long. The bird is
so small that I thought it might be
only half grown hummingbird
Tt most certainly is not the size Of
the other hummingbirds that come to
the garden.
II have looked through four bird
books and according to them the only
hummingbird that inhabits this section
OF the East is the ruby -throated hum
mingbird, which doesn't even slightly
resemble this bird. Perhaps this is a
misplaced hummer.
L am inclosing rough sketch to
show the approximate size and general
coloring. Do you have any idea what
this hummingbird might be?
Very truly yours, 3. S. s."
X *%
This letter shows the necessity of
sticking to ones own first impressions.
Our reader thought it could not be
bird, and she was right
1t wasn't bird.
1t was moth!
This form Of the sphinx moth is
often mistaken for a hummer.
Several other moths give the same
impression.
There are hundreds of these moths in
Georgetown, an area much beloved of
them.
Hummingbirds come there, too, by
the thousands, but the moth mostly
shows up In the late afternoon and
evening
Some people call it the phlox bug.
because it is peculiarly attracted by
this flower
The moth looks very much like a
hummingbird, and is about the same
size, and seems to be feathered, but of
course it isn't.
1t will let one put q hand down
over it, thing no hummingbird would
ever do.
The possession of antennae should
tell one that it is, indeed, an insect,
S4 4
"ROLLINGWooD.
Dear Sir:
This deals with people who do not
like birds refer to those parents who
put bee-bee guns into the hands of
their small boys and turn them loose
to shoot at anything they can find.
We moved into this suburban home
In the late winter. We have deep woods
back Of us and one side. We love the
birds here-we feed them and get great
pleasure from watching them. The first
time these boys came into our yard and
shot down beautiful thrasher was q
very unhappy experience.
Can you suggest remedy for this
situation? Our son Is 20--we are not
unacquainted with small boys, but this
is our first acquaintance with this kind
of cruelty. OF course, the answer lies
with the parents, but how can we deal
with 1t?
Yours very truly, K. r. c.
* + \
The only answer, of course, is educa-
ton. Shooting Of songbirds is against
the law, as laid down in the migratory
oird act. The killing. hunting, captur-
ing, taking, iniuring or molesting Of
migratory insectivorous birds, their
eggs, or nests, is prohibited throughout
the year.