Evening star., 1946-08-15
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TrGceUeU.
"KENNEDY STREET.


Dear Sir:
Il have just read the inquiry of Dr.
S. and your reply concerning robins and
dered whether the cooking of the robins
head was for the purpose of better
hearing or seeing. In this respect, an
observation might be of interest.
"On golf course putting green saw
robin prospecting for food. This
feathered friend first cooked its head,
then a short period of what seemed to
be listening, then vigorous probe of
the beak to its full depth, and always
the same reward-a japanese beetle
grub.
"It nearly always took several efforts
with alternate sideWise movements to
gain the opening of sufficient size and
depth to reach the prize. These grubs
were so deep that I doubt that they
could be seen, and not once during my
observation did the robin miss on the
probing process.
THE grubs were not consumed at the
time, apparently being pulled to the
surface until several were on top, and
then they were gathered and flown off
to nearby trees for the young.
Il was not alone in watching this
performance. the robin having several
starlings as observers, apparently trying
to learn how it was done. When not
observing. the starlings were walking
about ramming their beaks at random
in the moist sod, trying to locate the
grubs.
The final act came when the robin
Il f<,, ! L.
starlings engaged the robin in a fight,
while the others few off with the ex-
posed grubs. For the first time in my
golfing career l was tempted to throw
my putter.
From this observation, after con-
sidering the depth at which the beetle
grubs were located. I feel quite sure
that in this instance sound was the d.
recting element There is no doubt in
my mind that both sight and sound are
used by robins in locating underground
food
Thanks for your very interesting ar
tlcles. Sincerely yours, H. w. B."
The robin would be rather foolish
one may think If he didn't use all his
faculties in finding food
The head-cocking motion is exactly
what a pet dog or cat does when it
wants to hear better
On the other hand, we must not forget
that birds have far keener eyes-and
less efficient smelling devices-than dogs
and cats.
When old man robin cocks his head
on one side he may be seeing something
even the keenest animal eyes could not
see
Also he may hear sounds whose wave
lengths are far above those of human
ears. Most of the pure natural crea-
lures can hear better than people.
1t Is not always true that they have
better "smellers" In our own expert
ence we have often smelled a can Of
salmon just opened in the kitchen before
the household cats. We, of course, had
prior knowledge of the opening of the
can and Imagination is a powerful
thing.
AS for the starlings stealing the
robins hard-won grubs, this is typical
instance of intelligence in nature.
In wildlife there are no human stand
ards of right and wrong. When we see
a dog or cat, or bird outsmart another,
we take 1t as 1t comes and put 1t down
as successful, that is ALL Mostly we
applaud.
The starlings, being exceptionally in
telligent, often manage to get food away
from more trusting birds, just as they do
their nests
Exactly the same tactics are used by
starlings in routing thrashers from their
nests One starting gets in the nest,
the thrasher drives him out, then
another startling dives in.
Bird for bird, the thrasher could win.
but he finally is tired out by the con-
stant succession of starlings, one after
another, all working as If by plan
Planning has its good points, un-
doubtedly, but when nations draw up
their plans" and lose sight of hu-
manity in the process, turning people
into numbers and cases." they lose the
attractiveness of the starlings and take
a turn downward. The atomic bomb
took great deal OF planning-and what
have we got? Something that makes
the very men who created 1t ashamed.