Evening star., 1948-02-27
This and That
Bp Charles E. TrdceUell
"TAKnMA pA

Dear Sir:
The person who wrote you not long ago
about how much he despised the song sparrow
was fool but then the world is full of fools.
Actually think he had something, though.
All the sparrows are too difficult to tell apart.
It is one thing hold against them
THE same applies to the warblers.
"We ordinary mortals have too much to do
to study either the warblers or the sparrows.
"A warbler is just warbler to me, and
sparrow is just a sparrow. But that doesn' t
mean that I do not enjoy them. do, but I
spend no time over trying to identify them.
Sometimes I think your readers are too
anxious to know what bird is that?'
What difference does it make?
"A bird is bird and if 1t spends its time as
a bird should and minds its own business OF
living and eating, that is all any one can ask
Of It..
IT know it is good thing to know the name
of bird, but think too many of your readers
spend too much time on it, and I'll bet they
end ,lp by having the bird fever, or something.
II believe my method is the best. I look at
the bird, wherever I find him, and note MS
colors and enjoy the appearance, but never
worry much about what he is called in the
books.
"In this way get real enjoyment out of him,
and leave the worry to these other good folks
perhaps should worry whether duck
billed Emporium is not a spoon billed holokokus
but to me 1t makes not the slightest bit OF d1f-
ference.
"Taking my mind off problems is the best
thing the songbirds do.
"I have found them a real medicine ut all
times of the year.
And for this good medicine I am indebted
TO two things-nature, and you Your articles
have turned me from one indifferent to bird
esting and helpful.
Many thanks" yours truly, I. D."
This column has stressed for long time that
it does not make much difference whether one
knows the exact name of a bird.
In this, however we are out-voted.
People do want to know the names. Some
are very unhappy about not knowing.
There is sort of soul satisfaction, to them,
In knowing
And by the truth, we have long been told, no
man yet has been harmed.
Certainly to know one Is looking at catbird
rather than a mockingbird, is good.
But for certain temperaments. such exact
knowledge Is bad.
So be guided, in this as in many other mat
ters, by your own ways of thinking.
So far, at least, no one has arisen to de-
mand that you prove that you know cat
bird from mocker, and a chickadee from
ttmouse.
All is fancy free in this sport.
Look at the brides, enjoy their appearance
and delight in watching them eat.
To certain persons, there is no greater sport
than watching others eat.
The faces of fine honest women come to
mind women whose great JOY it was and is to
feed others.
2 They may protest, now and then, against
the miseries of dish washing, but all in all
they get genuine pleasure out OF cooking and
watching people eat the work Of their hands
What l1andicraft cooking is to be sure!
1t is an art, benefit, a labor of love- 1t
makes for health and beauty, and also for
fatness. We can but hope that politics is
never allowed to take away Americas food
Some Of this food should be reserved for
Americas birds. They are responsible, IN 9
sense for our national harvest. share Of 1t
belongs to them.