Evening star., 1946-04-15
This and That
Bu Charles Z. TrdceUel.


Lily, the pet robin, is having time
to get back into her neighborhood.
After she was chased out OF 1t by two
prior robins, on her return for the
sixth consecutive year, she evidently
made no new trial for several days.
Then, one morning as we were going
along, We heard = great commotion in
the trees, and there was Lily Belle, as
handsome as ever, being chased by q
trio of robins.
Such squawking among the boushs is
seldom heard.
Lilys voice is without peer among her
species.
Her chatter makes her known unmis-
takably, after the winters absence down
South.
Here she was, chattering and scream
ing in rage. The bad boys among the
robins were demanding to know why
she had invaded their territory
Birds stake out claims, in sense, and
fight to maintain them, just as the
settlers had claims in the old days and
used a shotgun, If necessry, to keep in
vaders out
Our pet robin has no shotgun, but she
had perfectly good bill and two good
feet, and these she used for all they
were worth.
The indignant trio evidently were two
male robins and the mate of one of the
two.
They struggled with the big female
bird, driving her from limb to limb,
higher in the tree, and finally out of It.
iy,,
Belle flew high over the tree and dis
appeared.
If we know Lily Belle, she will be
back.
This is her land Of the free, she
thinks. She was brought up here, and
in that milligram brain of hers Is a
composite picture of plenty of kindness
and plenty Of worms.
Hand feeding did 1t.
She was on the ground, a terrible
place for a week-old robin to be, that
sunny day six years ago.
On the ground, and Just hopping
along, doomed to extinction in a few
hours, or day at the most.
It was at this moment that she had
been picked up, and taken indoors, to
face life in new environment.
She was too young to know much
about the nest. or the bird bills which
poked food down her anxious throat.
Now she was being brought up "by
hand" an entirely different thing,
among birds, than being raised by bill
BY bill is natural, by hand is some-
thing else. The latter often works,
though, and, as in Lilys case, results in
handsome. healthy bird, with an un-
usual interest in human beings.
Everywhere kindly persons bring ur
baby birds which fall from the nest
Mostly they are successful. And ever
afterWard these birds are friendly with
mankind.
They come to window sills and fiy
down close to chairs on the lawn.
When food Is placed out for them
they do not fly away, as most specimen,
do. but remain there to eat 1t.
These, in most cases, are the birds
which have been raised by human beings
1t seems shame that any one shoulc
ever harm bird, our friends in feather.
who help our gardens and crops and
also add a great deal to the beauty o1
living, II we are wise.
IL Is particularly DaQ Wnen an!
thoughtless person takes advantage Of
the friendliness of these birds "raisee
by hand"
Lily Belle so far has escaped harm.
We estimate that, in her annual mi.
grations, added together, she has trav.
eled some $4,000 miles in her visits tx
us. Perhaps as much as 10000 miles
Who knows?
who cares7" shouts Lily, as she goel
over the treetops. Statistics are rsths,
| silly, you know"