Evening star., 1949-01-06
This and That
BIZ Charles z. TrdceDell
ARLINGTON, Va.

AhL1N11ON, va.
Dear Sir
''This card should really come from the we'll
fed feathered friends for whose good care your
column Is directly responsible. Since 1t Is also
directly responsible for the Joy have come to
have in watching them, this Is thank-you
note from me- too.
'"The two cats with whom we live would
thank you for the tolerance you advocate, and
II they still bird watch with tail tw1tchings and
hunting purrs, 1t seems they are more toler-
ant, too
"Juncos, nuthatches. htmice, jays, starlings
and sparrows-plus the downy woodpecker, are
our present boarders. The juncos were our
first guests last fall when we moved to Arling-
ton-or should say they were the welcoming
committee?
Best wishes TO you every day Of the year,
and again Thank you for all the pleasure
you have brought me and many others who
Sincerely, NJ B."
Thank you very much, and all the others
who sent cards and greetings during the hon-
days.
Birds were prominent on Christmas cards,
as also were cats, with dogs poor third.
Cards bore old American scenes, wreaths,
candles, everything. it seemed, except true
religious symbols, and this made very many
good people trifle angry
We do not think they should have been, for
the Christmas card Is undoubtedly q part Of
the purely secular celebration, just as are the
common greetings of Merry Christmas" and
Happy New Year"
1t is not realized by all people that Christ
mas really has tradition going much further
back than Christ. 1t is said that the wreath,
for instance, was originally put on doors to
warn the winter spirits of evil to stay away.
Even Christmas lights are said to come down
pekxl NH
fathers took over these symbols and trans
formed them in the new spirit of Jesus Christ
and Him crucified.
Surely the little birds in the snow nave
true part to play in the Christmas picture
Almost as much could be said for kittens,
nlpr,ies, rabbits and all the other small crea-
lures of this teeming word:
The love and kindness which should 60 OUT
to them is reflection of the Christian story
at its best.
And in the picture no bird, perhaps, should
plav more important part than the common
sparrow
It is basic bird in every yard where feed
ing takes place.
we have often called it the background bird,
because it is always there People VINO nrst
take up the indoor outdoor sport OF brd iced
ing sometimes grow angry over the presence
of sparrows, but in time they usually come to
accept them
Those who do not probably deserve the
Chinese judgment, applied to cat haters, that
they were rats in former incarnation; In this
case, probably worms eaten by sparrows IN
antiquity. No wonder, as humans, they do not
like SparroWs!
The common sparrow is pretty bird, whose
soft grays and browns, with some black, and
now and then a little white, look very nice IN
the snow.
Most of our wintering birds benefit from
background of white. The cardinal, OF course,
Is the most startling case Here Is beauty
whose feathers blend with any scene, but
seem particularly well set off by good snow
fall
In caring for birds in the snow, seeds and
grains are best kept covered, and up off the
ground. This will mean that q feeding station
on post or window sill has the best chance Of
helping the birds. This should not prevent
any one, however from putting out bread
crumbs in the snow. Half slices are best, and
they should be moistened with water or milk.
Even failures in cake baking or cooky max
ing meet the needs of the birds. Sometimes
this happens, even with the best Of cooks, and
then the batch is thrown away, but that Is
mistake; allowed to cool, especially II 1t con-
tains raisins, the failure may be converted
into good bird food.
Raisins make very acceptable winter food.
There Is mockingbird that ate up q whole
plantation Of poke berries, but when he got
through he turned to the back porch railing
for raisins, and has been enjoying them there
for several weeks. He has much competition
from starlings and sparrows, especially the
former, but has no difficulty in getting his
share, or more.