Evening star., 1950-02-02
This and That
Bv Charles E, Trace,veU

startling with taste for petunias is
revealed in a recent note from e. E. W.,
who says:
Last summer had battle royal with
a starting, which won it, by the way
"It seems they like the taste of petunias
literally pulled them up, or ate tops of
large plants.
"They have a nest in building on K
street off my apartment. They let the
begonias and verbenas alone.
81 compared notes with tenant In that
apartment. She said her petunias disap-
peared, too, from the boxes on the opposite
side of the building. .rsr
"She never knew what happened!
st got pair of plastic pinwheels on sticks
for each box.
'But they did no good whatever.
"For 81 years I've had good petunias
and I suppose those marauders are waiting
for summer to come to resume the war.
st have no antipatl1y toward starlings
per se but this one is an exception"
Chalk up another instance of the intel
ngence of the bird.
Not only is it unafraid of whirling gadgets
set to frighten it, but it also knows where
some good vitamins may be had.
Fresh shoots of petunias. as of other
plants, contain much natural vitamin SUBJ
stance.
Be sure that starlings, large and smart,
know enough to find what is good for them.
Some years ago a lone starting vastly
amused patient at a hospital not far
from our correspondents apartment.
This single bird came to ledge every
day and there put on picture of starting
felicity, preening himself, stepping here and
there, craning his neck, making his feathers
glisten in the sunlight.
The patient, then convalescent, got so
much amusement out of watching this
startling that she forgot all about her
troubles. S w..
Since then the whole starting tribe has
been on her preferred list.
y
THIRTEENTH STREET.
Dear Sir:
81 applaud your column in defense Of
snakes am still grieving over the untimely
death OF my country custodian and fine
mouser, Erebus. sasse.ss ss
"This black snake had become very gentle
"He was almost affectionate, greeting his
mistress with swish of his long tail as
he scuttled off the front stoop, making a
quick getaway under the house.
During his tenure, the place was free
OF mice, horrid creatures chewing up every
thing from seeds to mattresses.
Once he managed to get into the house
and up in the attic. where he exuviated his
skin Chats the right world.
zone warm evening. when guests were
arriving for the week end, a city man
g1impsed the black snake undulating through
the tall grass.
"This man seized club and beat Erebus
to death.
"what sad ending for a loyal and
faithful pet who kept guard over my place!
GAS you said, most people hate and fear
snakes dating back to the garden of Eden.
Would that they had the wisdom Of a
serpent"
Snakes mostly ask to be let alone-in q
world where that is the last thing allowed.
it would sometimes seem. ss
Letting people birds, animals and fishes
alone seems entirely foreign to certain
human natures. If they cannot find any
thing else to say, they make critical reference
to anything they think unusual, such as
carrying an umbrella on dry day. etc.
Their hooks are always out for anything
and everything which they deem inadvisable
on the part of others. BY doing this they
usually manage to keep from being attacked
themselves, or at least that is what they
think. But they do, indeed, flee when no
man pursueth, and their efforts are mostly
wasted, or at best bring them only reputa-
ton for being Doors.
Letting the animals, the birds and the
bees alone might be a good plan. If 1T
could be achieved in practice there might
be some hope, some day, short of the eternal
shore. of finding peace on earth. Otherwise,
1t seems rathet forlorn hope.