Perhaps the fact of Greenie's first batch of eggs having all been infertile is further evidence of her extreme youth when she first mated with B. This fits in also with her juvenile eye-color, dependent attitude toward B and more ready susceptibility to taming than N. Greenie, perhaps through youthful lack of experience, did not know that thrashers are not supposed to rear broods in October and November, consequently she complied readily with B's desires in the matter, while Nova, as a sophisticated old hen, knew all about established custom and refused to have anything to do with Brownie's late nest until many months had gone by and the proper season arrived. (One wonders which bird won the moral victory, B or N, in adopting nest 9 for the first brood of the year instead of nest 10, and what was back of it all). In the afternoon Mr. Engels came to study the birds. He says Brownie took crickets from his hand and he offered Rhody a salamander, but finally had to toss it to him. R took it, slapped it on the ground, but did not eat it; presumably because he was not hungry. A little later R was quite at home in the presence of both off us, having now apparently added Mr. Engels to his list of persona grata. Mar. 9th. Coldest morning. The coldest morning of the year, the minimum thermometer showing a minimum of 33. This is unreasonable as the coldest weather should have passed almost a month ago with certainty. Some years more than two months earlier. 3 eggs in thrasher nest. B sang frequently when off duty. About noon as he was taking Nova's place, I slipped my hand into the nest and managed to feel 3 eggs, B sitting on my hand and "talking" volubly in pantomime. Nova did not go away at once, contrary to her usual habit, but sat a foot or two off for several moments, presumably to observe affairs.