1697. July 4th. Absent most of the day. Hummer was seen feeding one chick before I left. July 5th. Young thrasher again home--in the sage patch. Not very wild; parents absent, but N2 came shortly from the north, scripping. Rhody showing increasing tendency to loaf about the grounds instead of "incubating" in his house; also slightly renewed interest in his nest 3-38, where he cried repeatedly when I talked to him and would not come down. The Allen hummer was observed a few times only. Each time she returned from abroad--except when she immediately sat in the nest--she reached down into it as if to feed a young bird, but there seemed to be no response; she then entered the nest and sat there. July 6th. The hummer continued to sit in the nest, absenting herself occasionally and, on returning was not seen to feed her chicks, al- though she made the same futile gesture recorded above. This was during the forenoon and part of the afternoon. About 4:30 P.M. I reached down from a window above and part- ed the leaves above the nest with a fishing rod. The parent had just left. All I could see at about 8 feet distance was a dark blotch in the bottom of the nest and nothing moving. I got a long ladder and went up to investigate, finding both chicks dead. One was completely desiccated and about the size of a blue-bottle fly. The other, somewhat larger, had not yet stiffen- ed. It would appear from her actions up to this time that the mother bird has been unable to comprehend that her offspring are past all aid. It is thought that the second chick died on the 5th. I removed both. She was not again seen at the nest, even up to 10 P.M. Rhody continued his new loafing tactics outside the house. Neo, N2 and their single chick seem to be occupying the hill slope just north of this place. Scripping is frequently heard from there. July 7th. The hummer was not seen to visit the nest all day; but at about 3 P.M., as three of us were looking at the nest from the landing, two hummers (species not identified) skirmished through the nest tree and quickly disappeared. (This same female and mate renewing courtship?). Rhody was scarcely seen after about noon-time until about 5 P.M., at which time he wanted no mice. He slept in his house as usual. He had had a mouse at about 7 A.M. and later ate meat. July 8th. At 7:30 A.M. Rhody was still in his house, but at 8:30 could not be located until I heard him whine from his nest 3-38. I had not spoken to him, so the stimulus that actuated him was