Evening star., 1949-03-23
This and That
By Charles E. TrdcetUell

l..
Dear Sir:
Quite good many years ago 1t seemed
to me a bright idea to dissect file Of
Geographic and file the articles by subject.
as sort of reference library. The file began
in 1922 and kept it up to about 1885. but
1t never paid enough dividends to make
up for the space in my small apartment, so
that am about to junk most Of it.
I'm writing this on the chance that some
Of your bird-loving friends might possibly
like the folder full of bird articles. They
are in loose-leaf form. of course. and not
new now. but suppose the birds are the
same. Some young enthusiast might pos.
sibly like to bind them into q book.
I'm not specially interested in birds
myself. nor much in dogs. and was some
thing less than interested in fishes when
those were the burden Of your song: but
always look at This and That to make sure
OF not missing anything about cats. and
have many Of your cat stories preserved in
a series of cat scrapbooks.
Sincerely yours, H. c. T."
We suggest that the bird articles be turned
over to the Girl Scouts, who, no doubt, could
make use Of them.
1t is the experience OF many that tearing
magazines apart to make fles Is loves labor
lost
Probably better way is to keep the maga-
zines whole. but to write on the outside Of
each copy the name and page Of the article
or articles liked.
In this way what one likes is always avail
able. whereas If one has to start at the
beginning and look through all the maga-
zineS-well, 1t Is just one of those things
that most people won't do.
In this way, countless attics get cluttered
up. as the old phrase had it. with files OF
magazines, seldom consulted.
-
ROCKVILLE, Md.
Dear Sir:
Il would like to thank you for all your
interesting and valuable lessons on the
everyday things.
LAS result of your writings I have come
to regard the blue jay as an American
trade mark, which brings me to the ques-
ton I wish to ask:
Gould you tell me where might be able
to get picture of the blue jay suitable for
a sign painter to use as a model?
THE finished likeness would be about z
feet high. The perching position would be
best.
II would greatly appreciate any help you
can give in locating one of these fine birds.
Yours very truly, E. r. G."
y
Plate 10, in Birds of America to be
found in the Public Library. and in most
of the bookstores, is an excellent painting
of our jay.
The jay. himself, is his own best model
Certainly any one who is going to paint
this bird ought to spend a little time
watching it.
Not only would he come to a greater
admiration of his model, but he would be
able to enter better into the spirit of this
bird.
The jay is bird with a spirit. no doubt
of that.
1t is bouncing bird, one combining spunk
with good humor and zest for living with
some of the better qualities Of family living,
too.
ARLINGTON, Va.
Dear Sir:
"A friend of mine had visitor in her
basement.
He was about the size of baby squirrel,
gray in color. with fiat tail an inch wide
and about inches long which curled over
his back
HE had no stripes and his fur resembled
mouton. Could he have been cross be-
tween a squirrel and chipmunk?
Very sincerely, H. L. Y"
This animal may be q flying squirrel
(There is no such thing as a cross between
squirrel and chipmunk)
The flying squirrel is gray-brown, white
below. hair soft and of moderate length
tail about as long as head and body, broad
but not bushy.
When it sleeps. it seems rolled up into s
fur ball. head near base of TAIL The tail is
spread over the body. doing duty as pillow
and coveflet." one naturalist said.