586 I located Brownie (supposedly) in the top of a cypress at Robinson's, about 250 yards away, singing at intervals. He would not come down and come home. I place "starting platform" at Sta. A. Shortly after, both thrashers came into the glade, where the usual scene, followed by desultory action at Sta. C followed. When this ceased I examined the place carefully and found but one loose twig at the site. I decided to see if they would accept a starter in the form of twigs placed by me, as they had rejected the screen placed a span away. I tied a forked twig in the exact spot which seemed most favored, so placed as to give a foothold and a place of lodgement for the first twigs. I also cleared out above it slightly to give head room, then went off on another errand. On my return, about noon, both thrashers were working there, using proper starting mater- ial, and not a heterogeneous mixture, seeming to indicate by this fact that they meant business. When I sat down, both came to me for a good feed, then returned to work actively (and made their contribu- tions stick repeatedly), selecting twigs carefully and of large size. A little later they were still at it. 1:30 P.M. Still at it. Brownie does not hesitate to place twigs within about 3 feet of my face, which is the nearest I can get without a platform. They have already, today, made more showing than in all of the many days preceding. Speculation. If this is to be "the" nest, it looks as if they might really have started much earlier in the season if it had not been for foundation difficulties. On the other hand, however, today might be "the" day. If so they have barely missed another thirteenth something or other. Reaction to death mouse. About 5:20 Dr. Reynolds suggested that we test the thrashers' reaction to a mouse just caught (and killed) within our hearing. Con- sequently we took it to the glade. The thrashers came in a few minutes- B's behavior. Brownie approached it warily where it lay on the ground, aimed a peck at it, which missed through excess of caution, and beat a hasty retreat