1200 R eats 2 rats without ritual. Rhody had two young rats today, eating them without going through any of his ritual. If he continues thus it will seem to indicate the waning of his mating instinct for the season. (?). The second rat was given him immediately upon the departure of two visitors about 5:30 P.M., from whom he had hidden,.coming out when they had gone and finding me himself at the shop. June 8th. R losing inter- est in mating? During the day Rhody had two rats, both of which were eaten without ceremony. He has been away during the middle of the day several times now. These may be indications of loss of interest in domestic affairs. June 9th. R eats rat with- out ritual. I was away (at the nighthawks' nests) from 5:50 A.M. to 5:15 P.M. Julio says R had one rat which he ate without display, and that he seemed to be away most of the time; but he was here as I drove in to the place. After a bath and a change, I sat outside for a time. Brownie, Spots (the spotted towhee with young), and Scar-face (the brown towhee--who also has young), came and found me successively,on their own initiative, to get worms. June 10th. R eats mouse with display. Curiosity? Rhody had a mouse at 7:30 A.M. with display again. About 6 P.M. he accepted my invitation to come to the shop and was interested in the various mice and rats I got out for him, but he seemed to be puzzled as to what I wanted him to do about them, since he was not hungry. He was willing to crouch and peer under doors and gates when they crawled under them, but seemed to feel that he had discharged his obligations as a guest after he had admired them and preened between offerings. Eating them was not to be considered. Curiously, at dinner time, I happened to look out a window, and there was Rhody with his bill against the pane looking in, like a child with its nose against the glass of a toy shop. However, he did not come in when invited. It looks as if his motives on these occasions were merely cu- iosity or a desire for entertainment, or perhaps, company. June 11th. R adds lining to 5-36. A hot morning. At 8 A.M. I did not see Rhody on the premises, but at 9 he ran quickly out of the interior compartment of the cage with a large sheaf of pine-needles in his bill. These he took directly up to nest 5-36 with such haste as to indicate a sudden and press- ing need for them there? June 12th. to 14th., incl. (Notes written on the 15th.). During this period there were no changes of consequence on the part of the thrashers and road-runner. B. Nova and brood home again Young thrashers solicit little for food. Brownie, Nova and the brood (though I am not sure that I have seen all three young birds) appear to have returned for good, or, presumably until they are chased away. They have now been out of the nest three weeks and are big and strong, yet their parents feed them constantly. Like all young thrashers, they solicit very little for food and seem to expect that, by remaining more