May 18th. Rhody was out of his house before 8 A.M.; but at 8 A.M., was back in it. At 9 A.M. he discovered me feeding Weak and came to investigate, sneaking through the sage to approach the young bird more closely. I made him desist, offering as blackmail, a mouse at the tool house. He followed me quickly, ate the mouse at once, then carried a sheaf of pine-needles to his gum-tree house. The killing of a mouse by Rhody is really mercifully per- formed. The mouse is taken by the back of the neck, pinched hard and, if necessary, slapped on the ground. As a general rule its struggles cease almost instantly and there is usually no voluntary movement after the first second or two. Even reflex movements are as a rule, all over in about 10 seconds from the time the mouse is taken. Weak looks and acts about the same, but he does not at pres- ent vomit up worms that are cut up. Neither of the youngsters can be considered very proficient in handling meal worms. Since they left the nest there has been one constant point of divergence in their superficial aspects, and that is in their tails. Weak's tail has been more compactly folded and is more "spik- y". The other bird's tail tends to "part in the middle" and is spread more at the tip. Both have been present up to the time of this note (10 A.M.). 11:05. At 10:25 A.M. I went to the sage patch. The first thrasher to come was the stronger bird (Strong). He, for the first time, was seen to disgorge something; but he ate it again. Weak was now seen behind me and given cut-up worms. Neo now came from the nest, relieved by N2. It was his manifest duty to feed the nestlings, but as many times recorded in these notes meal worms are not given to the nestlings by the parents when they are very young. Neo was now confronted by a peculiar situation when I tossed him meal worms. He was being actively solicited by Weak and Strong; his duty was to feed the nestlings with something other than meal- worms. He probably also was hungry himself, as he had been in the nest a long time. It was (by precedent established by Brownie, et al) past time when the juveniles should receive some discipline. Rhody, also, had just passed through the glade a few feet away like a comet, unsettling local affairs. Neo was clearly confused, even after the mild excitement of Rhody's transit subsided. He apparently did not want the worms. (Too tough for the nestlings and not important that he should feed the juveniles). He picked up one or two and abandoned them. (Strange action of Neo). He ate one and left the rest and wandered about near me uncertainly, as if expecting something from me (More suitable food for the nestlings?). Solicitation by the youngsters continued. He fed one. The other he approached with a worm, then turned his back on it suddenly and displayed slightly and walked off stiff-leg- gedly two or three feet. He now picked up a few cut-up worms and ate them himself, then waited quietly near me, a few moments, then charged one of the youngsters (first time seen). This one faced him valiant- ly and "looked poison". Nothing happened for a few minutes, then a little more shadow-boxing with no blows landed. I got some ground- up meat. Neo and Strong ate it freely, but Weak refused it. Rhody now came bursting through the sage dispersing the gathering and chasing Neo a short distance. R retired to his house and the thrashers gathered again. Observations on them ceased.