Evening star., 1947-05-03
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceUel.
"FALLs CHURCH, Va.

Dear Sir:
"In checking my roster Of spring ar
rivals, I find the cardinals, towhees,
fiycatchers, tituice, chickadees and two
or three thrlush-like birds; but am
much exercised over my latest arrival.
"It Is about sparrow size, spotted
reddish brown coat, with white streak
over each eye and atop head, with
a distinct diamond or triangle of white
under shis chin so close to the beak
that he appears clownish when seen
full face.
'He appears alone at the board, but
what a charming little fellow, and eats
grains and raisins.
1.-THE hycatcher is an individual bird
In her habits, and adopted the same
nesting site as in two previous years,
the uppermost part OF the sunroom
screen, protected by the overhang OF
the roof.
"She made no alterations this year,
but just took over and started to set.
She CLEANS her food from the air, and
is content with whatever gnats she
catches in flight; she has a way of
swaying on nearby tree before going
back to the nest.
"If the snowbirds will go north, then
and only then will say Spring IS
here but previous years have taught
me that they are better weather proph-
cts than man.
Sincerely yours, o. E. S"
X X
If this correspondent Is not familiar
with the white -throated sparrow, that
may be her bird; but If she Is familiar
with it, let her look up the white
crowned sparrow.
The white-crowned is a beauty, not
seen here nearly enough. But In mi
grafton a close observer Is likely to
see him in all his glory.
Careless observers often mix up the
two.
The white-crown entirely lacks the
yellow patch before the eye, the white
stripe over the eye, and the white patch
on the throat. all of which the white
throat has.
There is difference. too in the shape
of their heads. If one can get close
enough to note this.
The white-throats head is almost
fiat on the crown, whereas the head
of the white-crown is dong shaped.
Both these sparrows, two Of the 19
species which come to this locality, as
sociate with each other, and may be
seen eating together.
The song of the white throated spar
row Is by all odds the better. But in
such comparisons, Of course, people
always differ.
The late John Burroughs considered
the white-crowned sparrow as "a vastly
finer songster than the white-throat. !"
So take your choicei
One famous musical ornithologist de-
scribed the song of the wtite-crowned
sparrow as follows:
ut is composed of six, or at the most
seven notes (lnless 1t Is doubled; the
first one is twice as long as the other
which are of about even value.
THE intervals are fairly accurate and
include anything from third to fifth;
all the notes are clearly whistled ex-
cept generally the two next to the
last, and these are distinctly double
toned or buried; the whole is marked
by an even crescendo to the highest
note which is next to or within one
of the last, or sometimes actually the
last
Let us point out again that the white
throated sparrow is the one with the
white just below the bill. The white
crowned has none there A very good
colored painting of both birds side by
side may be seen In plate 80 in Birds
of America"
The white-throat is our own favorite
OF the two, simply because we see him
SO much more. Each is wonder, in
its way. being among the best of the
sparrows. What a group they are, the
sparrowsl The next time you see Eng
lish sparrows, do not sneer at them;
they are members OF mighty clan.