Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-07-31
This and That
By Charles E. TraceUeH.
LITTLE FALLS PARKWAY

LII LIE FhLlSS FAHh WAY.
Dear Sir:
Last year when we discovered nest
OF baby rabbits under tree not 10 feet
from our very busy porch was tempted
to write you, but now that there is q
new nestful in the identical spot, I am
passing 1t on as matter OF interest.
The tree has bulbs planted under it
and border to hide the dying foliage,
which would allow great protection
Il have some very old stuffed birds.
One, sparrow size, is green with black
head, wings and tail. The second is
smaller. green and black with blue at
the wing joint and yellow at the back
just above the tail.
Two larger birds, robin size, are
black. One has red on wing top and
the other has a yellow patch on wing
and back and black and yellow tail.
1t will be appreciated If you will identity
them for me.
Very truly yours, r. j. H."
~ -
ARLINGTON. Va.
Dear Sir:
Being native Washingtonian, there
fore unacquainted with any birds other
than robins and sparrows, 1 am de-
lighted and bewildered at the many
different birds see and hear in my new
home.
Can you suggest book or pamphlet
that will enable me to identify the birds
songs as we'll as their names? I hear
many lovely songsters and nearly die
of curiosity regarding identity of the
bird who is hidden in the thick trees
nearby
II have learned the cardinals and the
robins song. And, from your many in
teresting articles, I think I know that
Of the thrush.
as the thrush the gray bird with
white-edged wings or the reddish-brown
bird 1 see SO often?
Il confuse his song with that of the
mocker.
Can you describe the sorlg of the
yellow and gray large bird that walks
around the trunk Of a tree and up and
down like squirrel? I believe he is
woodpecker. We also have red-headed
woodpeckers. Do they sing?
Then there is a small red bird with
black spots. What can it be and how
does it sing? There is q doleful little
song, similar to the soft whistle one
might make through the front teeth,
very sweet and gentle and constant
sort of sing-Songy-three notes mot
identicaD, then two that sound like yoo-
hoo. Who is the owner? 1 know I
sound like city rube, but love these
little creatures and would like to know
more about them.
Does the blue jay have song other
than the scream? Will you describe the
oriole, the nightingale, as well as their
songs? I wish we could obtain music
records on our photograph Of bird songs
That's how anxious I am to know these
birds. Very truly yours, E. j."
Now. here are lot of questions, and
we doubt if Audubon himself could have
answered all of them.
A sort of an pathological puzzle for
the hot days!
The yellow and gray large bird that
walks around the trunk of tree prob
ably is the flicker.
The robin-sized black bird with red
on the wing tops may have been the
red-winged blackbird.
We are leaving the rest for our read
ers to puzzle out and will be glad to
pass on the information received.
The wood thrush, of course, is the
brown bird with the pale stomach with
spots on it.
Its song is so distinctive. being made
up Of four groups of three notes each,
that 1t is impossible to mistake it after
getting 1t in mind.
Native Washingtonians, let us point
out, ought to be able to know more
than two birds.
We know one person living in the
heart of the city who identified 80
species, all coming to window feeding
station.
Moving to the suburbs always in
creases interest in wild life Of many
kinds.
AS for stuffed birds, the colors become
dull In time and it Is difficult to know
what they are. If the owner will take
these birds to the National Museum,
experts there will be glad to Identify
tho gpecirnenG