(164) primarily to see if it would be possible to substitute soft food for worms, in part at least, as a food for the nestlings. As thrifty as the birds are as regards waste, they still do not have appear to have heard of the depression. Brown-eyes came at once without hesitation. I tried her on some special soft food soaked with water according to Mr.Brock's prescription for young birds. She took a little but wanted WORMS. I gave her some which she took to the nest. I then followed and offered her soft food in a spoon(so that it would not be broken up in handling and also in order to reach her better). After looking at it for half a minute or so, she took some which she ate herself, then stood up in the nest, turned around to face me and began gobbling it at a great rate, without giving any at all to the nestlings. Her economical instincts were again shown, as she picked up all the crumbs which dropped into the nest, while the spoon still held a good supply. While this was going on Green-eyes hove in sight with some sort of a large grub and all necks were immediate: stretched toward him, including Brown-eyes'. (The young had not asked for food while Brown-eyes was eating) G.E. gave the insect to one of the birds young and immediately crowded forward to get his share of the soft food, eating it himself freely. It was a pretty sight to see these two thrashers both eating out of the spoon at the same time, with a small forest of heads and neck below them. Green-eyes was the first to recognize this food as being probably good for the brood and began ramming it down their throats as he took it from the spoon. Soon they had had enough and the old birds stopped offering it to them and stared fixedly at me. I knew what that meant and departed, so we have another re demonstrated food resource for the youngsters. I am hoping that by helping out in this way the young birds will get used to me before they develop fear and that I may be taken into the family