1551 Nov. 28th. (Sunrise 7:03, sunset 4:52). A few thrasher calls and short bursts of song heard in the early morning. At 7:45 A.M. Rhody was still in his roost. (Clear, light northerly breeze, temperature 54°). I missed his exact rising time, but at 8:55 he was sunning at the sage patch. I squatted down about 4 feet from him. He took a step toward me and, facing me so that I could look down his throat, made strong efforts to dislodge a pellet without success, using one foot to "massage" his throat at the same time. (This is not new). His oral cavity (?) seemed to be trying to turn inside out. (Also not new). He did not seem to be disturbed about his failure and was bright and alert in appearance, responding at once to movements on my part which he associates with meal-worms. Con- sequently I acted accordingly and he caught skilfully all the worms I had with me then lay down facing the sun in a hollow into which he fitted snugly. He was at peace with the world, occasionally reaching out with his bill to touch, or pick up and drop, small ob- jects which could be reached without disturbing his repose. I made several short trips part way to the tool-house with- out arousing his interest sufficiently to cause him to follow. An occasional bee, fly or yellow-jacket passed close to him. These he watched with interest and, if close enough, he poked at them in perfunctory fashion, not really trying to catch them. I felt that he really did want a mouse, but was too comfort- able or too lazy to come and get one. His appetite was, so to speak, at the threshold. So I went and got him a small one and dangled it against his nose. (A small one so that he would not have to work too hard in disposing of it!) He took it and swallow- it promptly, but did move off with it about 18 inches. After a short rest there he shifted a dozen feet or so to the overhanging branches of a bush growing at the top of the bank on the upper side of the entrance driveway. At 10:30 he was still there, rest- ing and sunning. It is fairly clear, to mix metaphors, that the luxury of Capua is knocking the lumps off of Rhody's rugged individuality! At 11:00, as I drove down the road, he was still there, the top of the car passing about 2 feet from him. About 11:30 I drove up again without his moving. At 12 the milk truck even closer. He shifted 3 or 4 feet. After its return passage he returned to his former place in the bush. After a short time he came down to the bank itself. With the thermometer at 62° in the court it was hot enough on his bank to justify the spread-eagle pose, followed by neck-scratching and panting, then retreat to the shade of the bush. At 1:15 he was up in his former place--this time crying on seeing me; meaning fully restored appetite, which was demonstrated on his following to the shop and taking a large black mouse from hand. At 2:30 he was back in this same bush. As the footnote on page 1550 states, the identification of this thrasher as Longbill is uncertain: it will be necessary to have a good look at it when it is complete repose, in full light, in the open. Designate it temporarily as "X". Just now, while walking along the path by the sage patch, this bird suddenly appeared, ran along in front of me for a few feet and disappeared in the honeysuckle and roses on the fence. I approached carefully and tossed a few worms into the dense