the factor that determines what shall be done with the last hour or so of daylight. (Sunset 6:13 P.M.). September 20th. Brownie's nesting reflex. Brownie's full song was first heard about 6 A.M. Several other thrashers were singing in the distance at the same time. About 7:30 he made his first call on me for worms. Nova was nearby. About 8:30 a patter of feet behind me where I sat at the oval lawn announced B's second application. While sitting on my knee he talked with Nova about 15 feet away eating seeds at a feeding station. His next move was to pick, shake and drop twigs and examine the nesting site that interested him on the 17th. There he tried to rearrange growing twigs to his satisfaction. Thereafter he, also, fell to eating seeds. This was followed by vigorous and successful pursuit of a yellow-jacket. It was eaten after prolonged preparation. Three and a Half Hours with Rhody. Long rest by R in another tree- rejects mouse. At precisely 11 A.M. Rhody followed to the mousery, but his earlier foraging must have been very successful, since the most he would do was to pick up a mouse and then drop it, then climb the acacia that overhangs the shop yard. (Temp. 80 deg.). There he remained resting for exactly 2 hours and 57 minutes. This acacia (Acacia melanoxylon) has denser foliage than the one he formerly used under somewhat lower temperature conditions and which he abandoned when the days became hot. The supposition is that the present tree gives him the optimum distribution of light and shade under the conditions prevailing during his stay there. Chooses meat. When he came down (Temp.73 ) he ran past me in the direction of the cage. I invited him to follow me for a mouse. He stopped and seemed to consider the matter, but the meat won. Hot surface effect in sun-fit. Temperature conditions then called for a spread-eagle sunfit. I have several times meant to record the impression that a hot surface also seems to favor this type of sunning, but have for- gotten until reminded of it again by his action. This act was followed by the usual neck-scratching, after which he joined me in the shade and topped off with wormaffor desert. Spread-eagle sunning seems to be attended by a certain amount of discomfort to the bird. It usually causes panting and pract- ically always a retreat to the shade. Its object may be, as I have surmised, to cause vermin (if any) to retreat to accessible regions; A hot surface on which to lie would seem to fit in with this theory. Sunfitting of spread type uncomfortable? R has some blue scuta. For some time it has been noted that the scuta on the anterior surfaces of his tarsi were in process of changing from yellowish horn color (by shedding?) to a light slaty bluish. (Brooks says: Horizon blue). All but about two of the 7 (?) or more are now bluish. In time they will undoubtedly change to horn color, since that is normal. (See p.1269) R now prefers mice. At 3:25 Rhody reversed his former attitude on the mouse question. I found him having a huge drink. After he had finished a rather long job he was more than willing to follow me. There was no finicky monkey-business about this mouse; he knew that he needed it and in no time Rhody's breast feathers were fluttering from the internal commotion. Drowning I suppose. No; Being swallowed alive.