Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
visit was
inspired by curiosity and a desire to repeat former pleasurable
experiences. I let him into the magpie cage to see what he would do
about it. He became frightened, watched the magpies closely, avoided
them and kept himself in a defensive attitude with bill pointed to-
ward them. All three became restless and Rhody wanted to get out,
but could not find the way. Finally all of them calmed down and
Rhody discovered the door. I thought he would bolt after his un-
pleasant experience and be shy for a day or two, but as soon as he
was outside the door he was completely normal, saw the mirror lying
flat on the ground, flirted about it a little, then came over to me
at the camera and ate meal-worms placidly. A mouse which I offered
him did not interest him. When I placed the mouse and a worm on the
ground beside me, he deliberately chose the worm. For the next half
hour or so his time was divided principally between the mirror and
the interior of the temporary cage where he again became absorbed in
watching the birds and trying to get in with the magpies again.
At 1:30 when I went out there again, he was near the cage and
again repeated his earlier actions, except that this time he was not
allowed to go in with the magpies. He did not touch the meat, would
have nothing to do with the mouse, but he did pick up a kinglet that
I found dead this morning and left in the cage. He picked the larger
feathers off and swallowed it before I could get a photographic record
of the action.
Nov. 3rd.
The usual early morning thrasher singing; also customary activities
throughout the day, followed by B's going to sleep in the nest for
the night, under the new roof.
Rhody's behavior normal, included his mirror dance, which he evi-
dently looks forward to.
Nov.4th.
More singing during the early morning hours than has occurred for