1676 May 11th. No considerable change in the Thrasher--Road-runner world today. The young thrashers, except for shorter and less curved bills, look fully adult, yet Neo continues to spoil them when off duty by waiting on them hand and foot. Due to his short tail and many absent feathers he looks smaller than they (and he may really be smaller). They are perfectly capable, from all appearances, of taking care of themselves. They dig, sweep leaves aside with profes- sional skill, run and fly well and, today one of them was heard to scrap for the first time, being incited thereto by the similar, approaching call of the hen on her way to the nest. It is observed that, when Neo is not at or near the nest, is the time when the youngsters are most apt to be absent also, and this rather confirms the impression which I have had for some time that it is Neo who leads them afield generally. There is still no shadow boxing and no chasing--no sign of impatience with them by either parent; although it should be said that N2 is now rarely seen with them. In the case of this brood there has been no tendency seen for the parents to divide the flock between them, as was observed with Brownie and his mates. Rhody continued to do the same things as yesterday. He played with the magpies often, loafed, preened, hung around us, and did one mouse, rejecting one that he had killed the day before. He was found in his eucalyptus house at 6 P.M. He had done a little work (lining) nest 3-38. May 12th. and 13th. During this period there were again no changes of consequence in the thrasher-road-runner world. Incubation of the thrashers continued regularly and Neo when off duty continued to feed his youngsters. These are now apt to be found any place about the premises, alone or together, and also on adjoining properties to the east, north and west. I have seen one of them make a good flight from the Nichols's place back to the top of the cage and, from there, glide down to the sage patch. On the whole they are becoming more independent, but there is still no sign of their parents' driving them away. Neo still seems to give them more attention than N2 and, when they are away, he can often be heard apparently calling to them in musical phrases-- perhaps at times when he has lost contact with them. However this may be, I have observed their responses to such calls from a con- siderable distance when Neo has been out of sight. At about 7:30 A.M. on the 12th. Rhody was given a mouse. He was not seen again until 1:40 P.M., at which time he was climbing up to his house in the gum tree carrying a large lizard. He remained here the rest of the day, retiring at 5:58 1/2 precisely. A warm day; temperatures running in the high seventies. On the 13th. he stayed home as usual and played much with the magpies; had two mice; was seen to do no nesting and went to cbed before 5:40 P.M. A warm day, like yesterday. May 14th. Heavy fog during the night. Rhody still (?) in his house at 7:30 A.M. 8:15 A.M. ditto. At 9 A.M., still foggy, he was just on his way up to his house again. At 10 A.M., still there.