1160 April 12th. B and R at work at 7 A.M. Brownie and Rhody were working on their nests at 7 A.M. Rhody continued his attentions to the magpies and still has not begun to call again for a mate. Nearly all of his time is spent about the place now. I am expecting him to begin calling any time. Archie or Terry seen in E. Oakland? Nothing has been seen of Archie and Terry since last noted here but Walter Moore told me today that his friend, Sturgeon saw a roadrunner in his backyard and tried to catch it He lives in the vicinity of School St. and Coolidge St.? April 13th. Left too early in the morning to check up on the birds. Returned about 2:30, at which time Rhody was in the cage intent upon the magpies. He went up into a tree near the one containing 3-36 and, on coming down, came to me when I spoke to him and took worms from hand. Next he picked up a twig, seemed to hesitate un- certainly and carried it up into No. 2 instead of No.3! Now what does this mean? He had never been seen to return to a nest after once leaving it and starting another. After a short time he reappeared on top of the cage, but, on seeing me carrying a live mouse by the tail, came down for it promptly. After killing it he ran directly to the mirror, after pausing behind me to bow, hroo and wag his tail as if in thanks. He held the mouse directly against his image in the mirror a moment while wagging, etc., then went toward nest 2, went up the tree, "thought" for a time, made up his mind to go over the fence toward 2-36. For a half hour, during which he moved only about 10 feet in three moves, he stood on the hillside quietly, looking and list- ening. Two or three times he performed his act, then carried the mouse, also, up to 2-36. Julio says that, at such times as he saw him working earlier in the day, it was at 3-36. Now what? B's nest. Brownie's nest from the outside, looks completed. The second nests of the season, if my recollections are not at fault, are always more quickly constructed than the first. April 14th. Two Hours and Twenty Minutes of Rhody. 11:25 A.M., weather dull, no shadows being cast. R away from home with twig. Up to 9 A.M. nothing had been seen of this kkk creature, but at that time I found him sitting on the bank of the S.W. corner of the lot to the west, 200 yards or more from the cage, with a twig in his bill, looking off to the south. R and snake. On the way I had noted a small gopher snake with head crushed by some vehicle, in the street. I went back and got it. It meas- ured two of my spans in length. (Without forcing, my span is some- what over 9 inches). The snake was still fresh and limp. I carried it to Rhody, who dropped his twig and came down the bank to get it at 9:05. (The following times are to the nearest minute). He began at once to "kill" it. When this operation was completed to his satisfaction, he desisted and hrooed once with a deep, humming sound, but did not show any evidence of intending it for a love-offering. At 9:19 he bowed his head and uttered the sound I have been waiting for: the first coo-song for many weeks, but it would not