Nor does it seem likely that Nova was the object of his quest, for I went to the nest and found her in it. Incidentally I did not see her at first and was parting the growth within about a foot of the nest before locating her in it. I retreated and she did not fly off. This is the closest approach to her as yet. What B was looking for was not determined. No eggs. 12:05. There has been fairly constant nest-sitting this morning on the part of both thrashers, Brownie usually calling and singing short songs when the change of shift is made and not always waiting for his mate to arrive before leaving. B vigilant. Twice I have gone to the nest when there was no bird in it, each time B coming quickly and settling in it; once on top of my hand with it soft cluckings, gently tapping with his bill; I suppose in mild protest However, he readily took the worms offered . No eggs. Treatment of young bird. When I was feeding one of the young, B came, took two worms, pushed them down its throat, pulled them out again, turned the youngster over on his back (not very roughly) and then walked deliberately, at the same time pecking him at selected points, but not hard. A little later he fed the same bird. About 3:30 P.M. I took a bird-cage to the glade and sat down by it, having dropped a few meal-worms into the sand on the metallfloor. Brownie was first to come, entered the cage and cleaned out all of the worms, thumping vigorously on the floor, seeming to like the noise. He went in and out several times and did not seem to recognise the cage as a menacing object. The darker and larger of the young birds went in a few moments later and was contented as long as I gave him worms. Once he got a little panicky when he had forgotten where the door was, but became calm when I gave him a worm, and stretched out contentedly in the warm sand. I closed the door and he was a prisoner, but did not know it. I let him out shortly and he did not hesitate to repeat.