Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-13
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TraceWeH

SIXTEENTH STREET.
Dear Sir:
There is one characteristic of the lowly and
much maligned English sparrow that I have
noticed personally. for years, though no one
else has spoken Of it in your column that
have seen, and that is, little friend sparrow
will let a woman almost step on him Che
seems to know she will not before he will get
out of her way, and then he will move only
q few hops, but let q boy Il am not so sure
flies.
II have seen this again and again. ever
since childhood, and now I am watching to
see If sparrows discriminate against these
awful Stacks.
"Of course, chidren's rushing ways frighten
them but II stop, they do not move till do,
and have never known sparrow to drop
his bill full Of food as came near They just
keep still and let me 60 by.
Birds and beasts are certainly clever about
humans. Sincerely yours, F. H"
There can be little question that most ami
mails and birds take more readily to the
quieter ways and voices of members Of the
feminine sex r
The big exception of course, is that genial
roughneck, the dog.
He likes men and boys best The rougher he
Is treated, within reason, the better he likes
them.
quieter voices Of women and girls.
No doubt birds do, too, although here 1t Is
not easy to be sure.
Downtown sparrows keep their ground on
sidewalks and in cutters against all corners,
both male and female.
1t is necessary for them to do so, of course,
II they are to get anything to eat.
1t is Just another instance of the adapta-
bility Of living things.
In the suburbs, on the other wing common
sparrows are the most skittish of all the
songsters
Sometimes this strikes an honest observer
as rather silly in view of the utter fearlessness
with which they greet all corners in the
crowded areas.
In our own yard, we have been feeding some
70 species, of and on, for almost 20 years
Among these, common sparrows have been
prominent, naturally enough.
At times they have monopolized the feeders
Undoubtedly most Of them are descendants
of sparrows that enjoyed hospitality at the
same places.
Yet todays specimens are as timorous As If
they had never seen us before, or had never
known a "handout" at the old stand.
Cats take to women much easier than they
do to men.
Here, we believe, it is the softer voice that
wins them.
How terrible it was, in the old days, that the
friendship of old women and cats should have
been regarded as peculiar!
Certainly, it was only natural that the ami
mai which likes comfort and a soft voice and
kind treatment should side in with an old
lady who had been left behind by life.
But what happened?
The kind old lady was called a WITCH and
the cat friend of the devil!
Even to this day, black cat, especially, is
mistrusted
1t is fortunate for birds that they have no
similar handicaps to bear. Mostly they are
welcomed by humans. who find in them en-
tertainment and inspiration. When they stop
to think about them, they realize, too. that
birds are good for their gardens, killing mil
lions of inimical insects and eating millions
of weed seeds annually.
In most suburban gardens, where there Is q
fair amount Of quiet, bird guests commonly fee
from all intruders, but II these seat themselves
and remain quiet, most of the birds come back
to a feeding station.
Those friendliest of flyers, the wood thrushes
and the song sparrows, also the catbirds, COM
monty come within few feet Of chairs in the
garden.
If sunken bird bath is close at hand, much
amusement will be afforded guests, as the
feAthered ones drink and take baths. Such
simple actions bring them very close to US al.
especially In hot weather.