(340) although clearly unintentional, was, nevertheless, amicably done. Brownie is losing those very small feathers at the base of the upper mandible. Both birds have had baths and look like scalded chickens just before being plucked. To look at them one would say that neither could be reasonably expected to utter any sound more pleasing than a squawk. 9:25. Snooty at this moment is inspecting the the feeding station for the finch tribe at the oval lawn. I do not know how long he has been "back". ( The "he" is purely rhetorical. I have to use some pronoun. I have no evidence of Snooty's sex which I can interpret.) He has lost the white mark on his bill, but his plumage is perfect as compared with that of his parents. Also his bill is still not quite so heavy and not so abruptly curved. While all of these thrashers have prominent ear-coverts, Snooty's are different from those of the other seven thrashers which I have repeatedly seen here at arm's length --or less--in two respects. First, the lower and the posterior edges are raised more above the surrounding feathers; second, they are assymmetrical, in that the one on the right hand side has, ever since he left the nest at least, projected above the surround ing feathers of the neck higher, giving the effect of a ruff. For the present, at least, this serves infallibly as a means of distinguish him ing from any of his nestmates in case they should appear at any time. In eye color and in grace of form he is a miniature of Greenie at his croundness of eye best, with the exceptions noted and, possibly also some difference in flatness of the crown of the head. He has just been taking worms from me, so I have had a good opportunity to look him over well. Before coming he deserted the food dish because there were too many yellow- jackets there,as his actions plainly showed. If their effect on thrash ers were comparable to their effect on me, the thrashers would undoubtedly be killed if stung--and I think they are stung. I was stung on the forearm about a week ago. The swelling, which reached