and body, has no duty to perform for its young and there are no exciting alarm callsto disturb it, knows whereits mate is and is without fear, then, I think, the three-quarter song is called upon to express its reaction to these stimuli. It will be noted that this set of conditions dovetails into an occasion when I have just given both birds all the food they want in the glade and there are no strangers present. This song, while less spectacular than the full song, is the one that keeps one on the alert for unexpected, new developments and in many respects the most interesting of all. It is heard very often at the present time, but practically never during the nesting season.+ ( I do not know whether "nesting season" is the technically correct term or not. What I mean by it is that period of time beginning with the building of the first nest and ending with the last feeding of the last youngster). Correct this Half-song the digging song. The half-song phase of the undersong is preeminently the digging song, although either of the other undersongs may be heard while digging, and the half-song often ends up in the three- quarter song. The thrasher is the greatest sing-digger or dig- singer in my experience. He does not always sing while digging, but I am inclined to think he seldom fails to do so if the results of his operations are agreeably up to expectations and he is without pressing anxieties at the moment. "Singdiggers" Quarter-song". The quarter-song phase often precedes either of the other phases before conditions have reached the point where more elaborate. expressions are required to match the rest of the picture. It also may follow either of them as the bird's activities decline and a state of repose is approached. Thus he may stretch out on the ground and become drowsy or perch on a low limb and take a seriesof short naps. The quarter-song becomes a preliminary of such inactivity and finally as the bird closes its eyes becomes a detached series of short bubbles and gurgles, often in reply to + Modify Slumber song.