(410) the kissing sound) and also the ting -tong of the bell song. lasted for This^20 minutes, more or less. Included also were phrases of her own song previously noted--in fact by far the larger portion --and a new one: Walk up ting-ting At 11:35 I went directly to the dormitory tree. Brownie was dozing contentedly on her very elementary "nest" at B. When I spoke to her she responded with a few soft gurgles and twitters. As I stood there quietly, she seemed suddenly to realize that she had been caught loaf- ing on the job and began to shake the twigs within reach of her bill, but soon stopped as I moved off, so as not to interfere with whatever it is she has in mind--if anything. I am wondering, since I discovered this retreat , if this is not where the thrashers have been some of the times when I could not also find them and^when they have so suddenly faded from the picture. Ventri loquism. 12:30. At 12:15 I went to the glade, hearing undersong coming from that direction. Both birds were up in the old oak. A passing truck with missing motor silenced them. In a few minutes I heard what seemed to be three-quarter song coming from the dormitory tree, and had left the glade on my way to investigate when I realized that it was in the old oak beside me. I stopped and soon saw Brownie on a horizontal limb, not 15 feet from where I had been sitting, eating a yellow-jacket. When she had swallowed it the song was resumed. I had been completely deceived, notwithstanding that I am perfectly familiar with the ventriloqual ( or quill?) characteristics of the undersong and had already been fooled once before this morning. I went back to the glade; Brownie dropped down beside me (It is surprising how softly they can come down considering their small wing area), one bird ate from one hand the other from the other hand. Brownie sat on my knee ( where I would hold a book) and repeated the phrase quoted below: