time heard from him and tending to confirm their being mates). I now was successful in inducing Neo to come back through the fence and come to me, notwithstanding the excitement. But the other one came after him and chased him away. Neo was losing. The pursuit went up into the tree over my head and there was much thrash- ing about there for a few seconds, followed by one bird coming out hurriedly, chased by the other. It was impossible to tell which was which. In the meantime a thrasher (identification was hopeless) had mounted to a climbing rose spray 15 feet from me--while all this was going on--and sang beautifully, without evident excitement, a long and varied full-song, ceasing only when one of the other birds momentarily seemed to threaten it. There may have been four birds present--I do not know. Gradually the scene shifted off to the east, at the Robinson's whence a medley of thrasher sounds--all musical-- proceeded, and at 10 P.M., I came in to write this note. I gained the distinct impression--which may be absolutely wrong--that Neo's mate(?) at one time, attacked the newcomer and that it was she who climbed the rose and sang while the two males contended- ed for her favor. It should be said, however, that this song was not like the Nova-like effort of hers yesterday, being deeper and more melodious. It is to be noted, also, that from all appearances, it was Neo that was getting the worst of it--yet, if his object was to drive the other bird away, that objective was attained. Take your choice! I could see no bands on any of these birds--and I looked for them. Before the fight I had also noticed that Neo showed some of his bluish under-down on his rump, that was not visible yesterday. More of the same, "only different." 11 A.M. Well, now, what does this mean? At 10:40 I went to the sage patch. A thrasher was sitting on the same rosebush above referred to. It came for worms; it was Neo with his broken-off tail feather. That was clear. I crouched at one corner of the sage and kept him with me through all the action that follow- ed-- a rare piece of good-fortune. Another thrasher appeared in the rose. I tossed it a worm, which was disregarded. However, it came down into the sage patch--Neo talking continuously. Once he went a little further into the patch toward the other bird. The talk chang- ed; but there was no haigh. He came back. I now heard thrasher talk ing overhead--Neo being with me. There were two thrashers there in plain sight, in the oak, 10 to 15 feet from me. Both were talking and moving about, interested in each other. Neo continued to talk, but remained on the job with me. One of the birds above whistled softly Brownie's "calling-the-dog". There was a tendency for one to follow the other as it shifted about. Suddenly they came together and a handful of feathers floated down--but no harsh sounds, (Neo still with me--talking--he knew what was afoot overhead--but he stay- ed on the job. Not his affair? His mate(?) not one of the two?). The two birds disappeared to the west. Neo soon followed. I could hear them mildly discussing matters in the orchard. I went there, but they had gone farther west and I could not hear them, (Rhody was sunning on the bank by the fig tree). I came in to write this note, having seen no leg bands and no fourth bird positively, though thinking that I did. 11:30. At 11:15 there were no thrashers at the last scene of operations. Rhody was now warming his back on the retaining wall that supports the earth around the fig tree, so I resolved to try my hand on him. Standing 6 feet from him, I coo, cooed to him;