1224 July 8th. Rhody came for his mouse to the shop at about 9 A.M.--full ritual. He was around most of the day. There was a surprise rain. In the fruit growing district near the south end of the Bay, it is said to be the first on this date in 63 years. Rhody took refuge under his shelter at the old oak. Late in the afternoon he was invited to the shop for a mouse; he came obediently, but seemed to think that the mouse was not a necessary part of the picture, and while he watched it run about, made no effort to catch it, soon retiring to his shelter, although it had ceased to rain. Brownie is beginning to stay home more and brings Nova with him. He is sprouting new tail covers. He is slightly lame again--in the right foot. His two mandibles are again of the same length. July 9th. Up to 11 A.M. Rhody has not been seen here, though he has been in the street and at the Scamells* and on the west lot. Brownie (11:30 A.M.) has been back and forth between here and the territory to the east several times this morning, singing at both places. On his last return here he was followed by Nova. (I suppose it was she). 12:30 P.M. Brownie has been singing vociferously from a fence post to the west of my west line for the last half hour. He would not come to me and was apparently concentrating upon another bird down in the canyon. (Defending his eastern and western frontiers?) This song is not up to his highest musical standard, but it con- tains phrases that I do not recall having heard from him before, as well as familiar ones. About 5 P.M. Rhody entered the cage to get meat. He took two pieces of meat, which is unusual with him. I then got him a live mouse, thinking he probably would not have capacity for it and the meat too, but he gobbled it without benefit of ritual of any kind, and did not even go to his nest. He then left in the direc- ton of his night roost without even looking at the magpies. I wonder if he has been looking for a mate so intensively as to over- look the matter of food during his absence. About 5:15 Brownie came for worms. After he had all he wanted for himself he took two, held them in his bill and turned his head about looking for a customer, making his "blue-bird" call. This was followed by his whistle (consisting of three rapidly repeated, rising notes) ending with the kissing sound. In making this latter sound, the presence of the worms in his bill, keeping it partly open, did not interfere with the production of the sound at all, yet it is one which we associate with vibrating, plastic "reeds". While still at my feet he sang a soft, sweet sub-song, then moved ten feet to a low limb, swayed on one foot, and gurgled. At 5:35 (now) he is singing full song from the direction of the old oak. It is not of the imperative quality of the one at noon. July 10th. to 12th., incl. Rhody hung around all day on the 10th., half the day on the