1679 This morning I heard Julio talking to Rhody near the sage-patch, out of my sight for the moment, and heard, several times repeated, a peculiar duck-like sound--not a quack--so went to investigate. Rhody was again crawling around near Julio, in and out of the bushes and making this (new?) sound, keeping about 10 to 20 feet from Julio. He soon went through the glade in the general direction of the tool-house, but stopped part way. I now went to fish out a mouse for him and Rhody followed to the tool-house, still with his peculiar sneaking gate and side excursions and again making that wank sound on ar- riving. To me, he looked frightened, yet he took the mouse and dart- ed off with it, eating it quickly. This somewhat nasalized wakh is like that of the young road-runners, Archie and Terry, but with the "nasalization" stronger--if my recollection serves. I do not now recall having heard Rhody use it before--certainly not for a long time. If I have, it will be in the notes somewhere--perhaps about the time he was beginning to take cognisance of A and T in the cage. I cross-examined Julio, who did not seem surprised by the occurrence at all. He said that that is the way Rhody "talks" to him and that he has been doing it for "oh, about two weeks when I give him a mouse". The whole thing is puzzling to me. Later in the day when I met him on the way to his nest, he turned about and came promptly and directly, trotting freely behind me with no fancy business whatever and got his mouse with bows, hroos and tail-wags; ultimately taking it to his house-nest in the gum tree. (About 5 P.M.) Sometime between then and 7 P.M. he had come down again for meat at the cage. This was a day of much house nest occupancy by him, but not so much as yesterday. He also again cleared the region about his nest of towhees and this time included a rabbit in his activities. It is difficult for me to free my mind of the thought of the element of fear in this peculiar, new behavior of Rhody's. It will bear watching. Referring now to the footnote on preceding page: J is an Asiatic. It is not impossible that his conception of kind- ness to animals differs from ours; but I have never seen the slight- est indication of any tendency for him to be anything but gentle with all birds. He will put himself to a great deal of trouble to help them when ailing. Yet a squirt with a garden hose or sudden boo might be enough to make Rhody fear him and at the same time, Regard him as a useful citizen in the matter of comestibles and be willing to subject himself to minor hazard when mice are in prospect. May 17th. Bright, sunny morning, unlike yesterday. As I passed the thrasher nest, Neo was incubating and N2 was scrapping off to the north. The two youngsters were not in sight. (7 A.M.). I heard Neo come from the nest, so went to look. One Chick after 16 days elapsed time of incubation from the laying of the first egg. Neo evidently saw me going back to the nest, so he returned without any fuss and settled upon my hand still in the nest, rubbing himself firmly down upon it as if it were to be treated like "any other" egg. He was perfectly calm about it and was not disturbed when my hand was withdrawn. At 8 A.M. Rhody came down from his house to warm his back. The stronger thrasher was seen. At 8:20, guided by his adolescent call (not the vip) Weak was located in the upper garden, looking no worse for his night out. He came to me for a few worms, three being enough. Neo's first brood has "manes". I overlooked recording that the three youngsters of this first brood of Neo's all have the "manes" noted in the case of a few young thrashers.