Evening star., 1947-06-16
This and That
By Charles r. TrdceUeH.
"LANDovER HILLS Md,

Dear Sir:
I'VE have variety of birds here, but that
saucy beauty, the blue jay, is my pet. He likes
the bowl Of bread and milk set out for him
why does he bob up and down when he
tweedles that song?
"The other day had visitor in nv house
He was tiny bird that must have darted In
when the door was open. He kept trying to fly
through the window pane, and as approached
him he new up the open stairwell into bed
room.
HE seemed to appear and disappear like
magic. Finally he flew into another room and
opened the window. He sat upon the sill and
allowed me to get good look at him. then few
to freedom.
HE was small, dark gray or black, about
two inches long, and on the plump side, with a
long black beak. Can you tell me who the
welcome intruder was? The mocker helps him
self to my strawberry patch but 1t is all right
with me.
"Once plump brown bird In a polka dot
vest-he was a little bigger than robin and
had beige vest with short brown dots or
stripes-visited the berry patch. 1t was fun to
watch him poke the berries into the mouth of
his mate, who just sat and waited to be fed
instead of helping herself.
What kind Is the tiny bird who visits the
pine cones and walks out on limb and right
over the edge, then proceeds upside down on
the bottom of the limb?
Sincerely, c. " H."
Bread and milk makes fine food for most
living things. We speak Of it in the singular
despite its dual composition, because it makes
homogeneous foodstuff.
What is lacking in the milk is made up by
the bread, and what the bread lacks the milk
supplies.
The universal relish for this article of food
offsets the attack sometimes made upon it by
those who believe that certain foods are in
compatible, one with another.
Almost every one likes bread and miik-and
this includes both birds and most small ami
mails Dogs relish the dish. Cats are not so
likely to enjoy it. Maybe they will drink the
milk, but not all of them will eat the bread
The term dread and milk" comprises milk
and crackers milk and rolls milk and corn
bread and really takes in milk and the in
Vulnerable dry cereals.
It is always good idea to put tablespoon
of milk on any bread put out for the birds
Water will equally soften hard crusts.
Grackles and starlings like to take dry bread
and dunk it in bird bath.
Often such baths are made Shiny by this
treatment and need cleaning often.
One who likes the birds should never forget
to inspect the bird bath at least once every
day, and to clean it out and supply fresh water
A band of bathing robins or starlings can
flop all the water out in few minutes.
Wnlle 1t Is customary TO put the patn at
the rear of the yard especially in a corner. a
nice spot of interest may be created with one
close to the house 1t need not be pedestal
Lird bath, but simply wide shallow bowl or
pan of some sort placed on the ground or pref
erably sunken in it.
This spot will collect the birds as if by magic
Now and then some old turtle will amble
in. and sink his hot self into the water for
an immersion that may last as long as 80
minutes.
That odd head sticking out of the water is
a sight to see.
It may be realized that a bath to please
tortoise should be on level with the ground,
and not more than two or three inches deep,
at the most.
The weh-supplied yard will have two or
three bird baths, and even more, if they can
be worked in properly By properly, one simply
means whether they seem to fit into the land
scape There is no need to scatter them around
promiscuously. Every yard has several natural
places where such baths exactly fit in, look
well, and meet the need Of the natural crea-
lures Place the bird bath where it belongs,
if YOU have to take some time to decide.
Chickadees and nuthatches are among the
comparatively few up-side-down birds.
Very few birds are as short as two inches.
The only one we know hereabout of even
approximately that shortness Is the ruby
breasted hunmingbird. 1t is just over three
inches long, and has nice long bill, and In
doors might be thought to be dark.
The jay bends its knees" when screaming
because 1t wants to. 1t Is that sort OF
creature