Evening star., 1946-05-07
This and That
By Charles E. TraceweN.

Dear Sir:
There is honor among thieves as
the following eyewitness account will
attest
This morning while working in nv
earoen noticed blue jay make re-
peateo 1orays from the limb of nearby
Tree onto patch of soil had finished
spacing and quickly locating japanese
perch. '
Perhaps 20 minutes elapsed and there
was terrified scream behind me.
quickly turning, I was startled to
see sharp-shinned hawk seize the
luckless blue jay and fly directly at
me and over my head, clutchinp his
Vlctm In his needlelike talons.
ne came to earth Immediately In
a neighbor's yard, near an unoccupied
oog mouse. and had scarcely alighted
ere starting Coming from the neigh
oors garage flew directly into the
melee of hawk and jay.
Inc haWk was so startled that he
Ieleased his grip and Mr.. Bluejav. emit
tlng this time a note of defiance. fled
somewhat disheveled, from the scene
OF his near demise.
Inc haWk, chagrined at losing his
meal left the arena disgustedly. while
the starting, pugnacious rascal that he
u.s. retlred the conqueror.
Yes, there is honor, even among
'i"e'eS. Yours truly, E. H."
Il
Inc startling has a deserved reputs. il.
ton for doing just this sort of thing
ne has been known to fly down and
pun a drowning baby sparrow out Of
pool o1' VI
a canny fellow, the startling is able
10 take care of himself-and others
whenever need be. He is not much
AFRAID OF any other bird, not even hawks
as this account testif1es.
His powerful bill and neck muscle.
ms solid body and marvellous flvinp
ability, combine to make him a foe
to be feared AVG
win these, however, he combines
sooo disposition, so that he manages
10 get along very well with all other
species. ''A'e4
omal Dlrds never have much to fear
from MIN at feeding stations, where
ne conducts himself rather well. everv-
'ntng taken into consideration,
ouch praise as this may seem strange
10 tnoSe who have never really watched
tne starting closely, but only know him
from evidences left downtown. or from
Ihe conversation of starting haters.
Actually, this is some bird, to use the
Vernacular. In the springtime he sings
ana whistles with the best of them. an
other fact unknown to professiona1
startling haters.
IN the air, the Startling has few r.,
vie with him, being able to master cono
tlnentS>as we'll as drive awav hawts
He has made for himself and bic
children wholly new migration ro,,tas ,s
AZ ,s strange land. Across the sea he is
s.iii neio IN great esteem by the Euro
peanS' natural enemies there keen
ooWn the number of his tribes.
mere ne wakes on good American food
ana multlplles, despite inroads made
against MIN by persons who find killing
great sport ''''e
Let 1t be said, fairly, that unless man.
Aiilo somehow manages to educate itself
ouI OF looking upon killing as great fun
!uli ana satisfying, he will end by kill,
ing himself. He is, with his atom bomb
on the highroad to doing it.
Inc wise startling seems to have botb
humor and intelligence in his good deeds
once, IN the snow, We saw one of them
hgnt on the back of another that was
pecking at slice of bread. From this
dry vantage point he reached down and
ate some bread himself. We have seen
starting take pieces of bread back to
the bird bath and dunk" them with
great satisfaction. Here is a good bird.
as birds go, despite all that has been
SAID against him. bird with brains
and ability, fully able and willing at
times to do good deeds just for the
sake of doing them.