Evening star., 1947-11-26

SD0rfCwS 90 nOC ike CleLl. 4Llcse UAoS AAS
the seed Of grass.
VERY truly yours, E. A. B."
NINETEENTH STREET.
Dear Sir:
IT have been reading your column and hoping
that some correspondent would bring out the
question would like to ask
Two years ago put up a box for the purple
martins and they filled 1t up promptly and
seemed very happy, but noticed that they had
left my box long before they had left other
places in the vicinity. They were very busy
again last spring only to leave, all at one time.
In late July.
AT the time they left some one on the place
saw q large blacksnake climbing down the pole
that holds the box in the air, so we assume
that the old blacksnake has been robbing the
boxes of the eggs or the young. We managed
to kill this one very easily, his lazy manner
indicating that he had been very well fed.
do you have = suggestion as to the method
of making my martin box snakeproof? I think
they are one of the most interesting birds Of all
that come to see us in the summer and they
perform . very valuable service
Yours sincerely, J. A. p"
n y
ARLINGTON, Va.
Dear Sir:
II believe you were mistaken in your column
recently when you referred to swifts and swal-
lows aS OTG ana tllc SdIlc, Cdll Ud1u
swallows swifts The swifts belong to the same
order as the humming birds, while the swallows
belong to an entirely different order.
Recently I have been to Reaches Run.
Besides pintails mallards, black ducks and
coots, there were two small ducks with dark
heads light bodies, and a white spot on the
side of the head. They were much smaller than
the pintails swimming with them. Were these
bufneheads? There was also grebe swimming in
his stiff -necked manner, and diving occasionally.
He had q thin neck. the front Of which was
white in contrast with the black OF the top OF
his head back Of his neck and body. Was this
probably the herned grebe or the cared grebe?
Which is the con,moner OF the two here?
Sincerely, M. T."
II X
Our first correspondents bird is the juneo,
or snowbird.
He always shows white, when he flies. He is
a hound" for grass seed. Surely there are few
more interesting birds. And the nice thing
about him is the way he drifts in and out
without fuss. He has no publicity agent, never
blows-his own horn, and takes life as 1t comes,
and finds its good
Not MANY martins are eaten by snakes. But
occasionally it happens. We would suggest to
our second correspondent that he try to keep
a better watch the next time. Blacksnakes are
easily seen. But he also might try greasing the
pole and affxing an inverted saucer OF tin or
other metal about feet high on the pole. The
saucer is funnel shaped, with the wide mouth
down. Sometimes this is used to keep squirrels
from climbing up into bird-feeding station.
The martin pole and house should be placed
well out in the open Also nice cat would
help keep down snakes. Many cats are mighty
snake killers.
Our third correspondent is right, and scores
bull's-eye. Swifts belong to the order of Mar
crochires Hummingbirds belong to the same
order hut To n different family.
Swallows belong to the order Passeres. and
here we find the purple martins cliff, tree and
other swallows.
Both swifts and swallows have small triangular
bills, large mouths, and long wings and both are
insect-eating and take their prey while flying
The horned grebe Is the one fairly common
hereabouts. The cared grebe is a bird Of the
West, sometimes brought to bird sanctuaries
The horned Rrehe shows white In his winter coat