Evening star., 1948-10-06
This and That
By Charles E. Trace,ueH
MCLEAN, VA.

Dear Sir:
THE last tand only letter I ever wrote to
you was seven or more years ago! That let
ter was regarding the bathing habits of the
cardinal bird. Remember?
My letter was In your column and it seemed
TO create quite stir. or interest, among other
bird Observers for a while: in fact, it was
very amusing to me to read the many different
views. opinions and experiences of others on
this subject which came in and were in your
column in answer.
MY statement was that had never seen
cardinal bathing. This observation was not
made by me originally, but it was called
to my attention by my very young grand
daughter. She was at the time Just 4 little
past five years OF age. She was just as much
interested in the feeding watering and watch
ing OF the birds as I was. It was her young
eyes and alert mind that called this fact (the
apparent non-bath1ng habit to my attention
Thus 1t is proven that (as believe you
have sometimes said) so often We look but
don't really see. Since the time Of my last
letter to you, have continued my bird feed
ing and watching, and have noted that the
mourning doves, too, dislike bathing in pub
nc,' so to speak, or at least I have never seen
them get into the bird bath, though they come
to feed here in my yard with all the Others
BlueJays, cardinals robins, quail, the brown
thrasher, towhee and many others, including
plenty OF sparrows. guess we wont be seeing
Jenny Wren again until next springtime.
have two warehouses; and there were families
In both houses; they are such happy. cheerful
little things
For the past two years I had small flock
OF beautiful, pure white pigeons-but that was,
indeed, sad, and to me almost heart-breaking
experience, as the place is surrounded by woods
and maybe you can guess? Yes, the hawks
seemed to think was raising pigeons just
for them to catch and eat
1.-The pigeons fed along with, all tho ofhar
wild birds, and seemed to cause no disturbance
or interference at all, until the hawks got
wise, then they were not only catching the
pigeons, but frightening all the other birds
away.
II had not wanted to raise pigeons to eat
or sell, but only for the delight Of seeing the
beauty OF their white wings flashing in the
sunlight as they circled round and round
well, If we love- we must also lose.
Il lost my dear husband, too, at that place,
SO I sold it as it was too large for me alone,
and too far out in the country This new
place I've purchased here in Mclean has trees
and large lawn, so I can still have bird
visitors, but in this location,N being more
thickly settled, I'll not be troubled with the
hawks, or at least I don't expect to- I came
here about the first OF June, and up to now
I haven't seen one.
I'm your article recently touching on gar
dening. you stated that the Dutch bulbs can
take it. Yes, perhaps, in regard to cold
severe weather, but If the bulbs can take it.,
they can also be taken
by the moles
Last fall planted at my former home
bed of over hundred tulip bulbs About %
came up. It wasn't the cold, 1t was the moles.
My terrier dug up and killed seven of those
creatures. She never ate the moles.
Sincerely, E. l.. NJ"
Some birds are shy bathers.
rThev will not he seen hathin0 much
such out -and-out fellows as robins, starlings
and sparrows but they will take their baths,
just the same
The cardinal is one of these. 1t loves to
take dip, when no one is looking.
1t will fly in and out of a spray directed
against the top of shrub or even perch in
the bush while the drops of water fall on it.
Tulips and other Dutch bulbs need protec-
ton not only from moles, at times, but also
from dogs The Boston terrier loves to dig up
and eat them.
Some squirrels do, too. Fortunately, not all
of them like the taste. One way to prevent
such depredations is to bury piece Of SCREEN
ing or chicken wire few inches below the
ground The bulbs can come up through this,
but the four r-legged creatures cannot dig down
as far as tulip bulbs must be placed.
Persons who wish the bright flowers next
spring should remember that the bulbs must
| be planted this fall. usually in October but
sometimes later, If kost does not intervene.