Evening star., 1946-08-26
This and That
By Charles Z. Trrewell,
Dear Sir:

Dear Sir:
"YMCA.
"Of robins and black choke cherries:
In our yard over in Arlington County
there is large black choke cherry tree
which. now bearing ripe fruit, pleases
the birds to no end The robins and
wood thrushes are the most popular
tree guests.
During the past two or three days
we've noticed beneath the tree several
robins lying on the ground, bodies fatter
than usual and breathing rather
heavily. Is this the results OF simply
overstufnng on cherries, or are the birds
allergic to the fruit? Does the black
choke cherry contain any toxin sub
stance?
"The birds with apparently great
effort manage to fly away upon our
approach within 2 or feet.
Sincerely, L. r. g."
The robins were slightly inebriated.
Sometimes there is fermentation
set up in such fruit, and various song
sters become "soused," as the phrase it.
The choke cherry is Prunus virgin
lana. Sometimes 1t is confused with the
wild black cherry, p. serotina.
More than "a kinds Of birds like these
cherries, including such beauties as the
downy woodpecker, blue jay, cedar
waxwing, mockingbird, flicker, bobwhite
and others.
The wild red cherry, p. pennsylvanica,
Is another favorite of our birds.
Er1yit rf thu ehnk~ oI,o t. ,.A,
OF the wild black cherry, purple black,
and that OF the the wild red cherry, red,
as the name would imply.
In hot humid weather, the fruits are
likely to "turn," and when the bird eats
too much, he may become more or less
intoxicated.
Usually this state lasts only \ little
while, since the alimentary tract of
birds is so short that the poisons are
eliminated quickly.
The scientific names given above
show how the first, or genus, name, has
capital letter at the beginning, while
the second, or species name, Is never
capitalized, even though. made from
such proper names ~ Virginia or
Pennsylvania, or even the name Of some
discoyerer.
II one proposes to use scientific names,
therefore, he should use them In this
manner, the first one capitalized, the
second lower case.
This is often violated by those who do
not understand the matter.
Another common failing Is to find or
pretend to nnd, something highly
humorous In, scientific nomenclature.
This is usually the reaction OF young
persons on their first acquaintance with
scientific names. One often tends to
laugh ct the unfamiliar.
Actually. there is nothing less humor-
ous than = scientific name.
The birds, Of course, and all the other
living things. including the thousands
OF plants, know nothing Of their names.
Pet dogs and cats recognise their
names, but 1t Is only because these
names are spoken to them 20 many
times. It is sound to them.
The name really means nothing.
It is what one is that counts. In his
short novel, "The Virgin and the
Gypsy" Lawrence brings this out. This
story may now be secured in one of the
rs cent editions.
1t is only in the very last line that the
lady finds out that her gypsy has a
name. 1t is the pay off" line Of the
narrative.
Name means nothing to natural
creatures, and one may think sometimes
that too much stress is laid by humans
on names and using names.
Certainly when robin is imbibing
choke cherries, he ID not worrying In the
least about it, name. scientific or other
wise.