O and C have developed a new trait, now that the jays are coming back, of scolding those birds with a long-drawn-out sound impossible to describe, but somewhat like Brownie's h-a-a-a-i-h ! Curiously, they seem to be entirely dispassionate about it ( if it is possible to scold without passion) and, whatever their feelings in the circumstances may be, they do not appear to apply to me also; for they will sit on me and scold. Both appear to respond to the alarm notes of any bird and instantly stop whatever they may be doing at the time and listen intently. Rhody saw, on the 6th, what was probably his first Eastern grey squirrel. ( It was my first at this place). He watched it keenly as it ran about from place to place and up trees, crouching low and even halting his march to the mousery on first seeing it. When it finally disappeared to the north, R followed to the fence and "pointed" for several minutes, but I could see nothing. To check up on Rhody I went to his roost tree, but he was already stowed away in his bunk at 5:04 with the sun shining upon him fully. (Sunset 6:33, temp. about 70°). ( I had to give the temper- at ure so that I could try out my new ° sign.) It is to be observ- ed that he is beginning to go to roost earlier now that the days are growing shorter; but it should be borne in mind that this does not also mean colder, because September is normally the month hav- ing--though by a small margin--the highest mean temperature, in this vicinity, due, presumably, to the fading out of the prevail- ing summer winds from the ocean. September 7th. So far this month has not been living up to its established norm and we have been having considerable dull weather. Persistent sheath on one of C's tail feathers. Chiisai now has one of those tail feathers where the sheath is persistent ( Aug.30th. notes). The barbs that have not complete- ly erupted from it are gathered in brush-like form beneath the rhachis--something I have wondered about--as it would seem to have bearing upon the angle that the "water-marks" and the "hunger- m arks" make with the vane in the perfect feather. From a mechan- ical view-point there is concordance of the angles of these marks. I went to R's roost tree at 4:45 P.M., thinking that that would be early enough to anticipate his arrival. However, he was already disposed in the house. (Sunset 6:31; temp.60°). Cloudy. Sept. 8th. R, out of sight, comes on call. He "protests". Rhody "answers". At 10:15 A.M. I heard spotted towhees scolding in the thick brush of the west lot. I went to the fence and called Rhody, sus- pecting his presence there. He soon came out, flew over the fence and followed to the mousery, stopping once to rattle-boo in pro- test (at my leading him so far without "loosening up"?). About 1:30 he was outside the fence to the north. I Boomed at him once and he immediately returned the compliment with one rat- tle-boo. On being invited to come over the fence, he accepted and took a piece of meat gently from hand. He wanted nothing more from me during the rest of the day and, when I had seen nothing of him for about an hour, I went to his roost tree. He was already in his house at 4:25 P.M. Again I was too late to time his retirement