1782. time in months and one of his breeding season gestures). He stopped about 8 feet in front of me facing me, lowered his head and sang his full song again. He moved still closer and sang. He now began to wander about the place singing at frequent intervals. I offered him a mouse, but he was far above such mundane affairs as eating. He sang frequently until about noon, when other affairs de- manded my attention. One wonders whether, if the stormy weather had not inter- vened, he might not have sung on the third, fourth or fifth. Dates of Rhody's first-heard songs of theyear. I have looked up back notes to compare the dates of Rhody's initial song for each year, beginning in 1935. That is the first full song heard by me. The dates are: 1935........January 31st. (He came here in April 1934 and was in song then). 1936........ " 15th. 1937........ " 3rd. (In some of the references to these dates, made without looking up the notes, I have reversed 1937 and 1938 unin- tentionally). 1938........ " 4th. 1939........ " 6th. It is possible that he sang earlier in '35 and '36. I was not really listening for it very closely. Anna Humming-bird patient is killed. About 11 o'clock, Rhody was then singing, Julio came and told me that something had happened to the hummer. I found him wedged between the wires of his cage in the cloister, headless. Jays had been here; also a sparrow- hawk and also Rhody, though I do not know that any of them had been in the vicinity of the cloister. I had seen the hummer alive and well and had placed some "worm juice" in his bottle just after 10 o'clock. Rhody was accounted for during all but about 15 minutes of this period. He may have been guilty, but I do not think so. Per- haps "wishful thinking"; but Rhody would have swallowed the whole bird ordinarily and he could easily have drawn him out through the wires. I have seen both jays and sparrow-hawks eating birds on the place. I went to look up Rhody--he was still singing in the orchard- at once. There were no humming-bird feathers about him. The head could not be found. The body was cold and rigid. Maybe the little fellow is better off, although there is a possibility that he might have been able to take care of himself if he had been liberated. January 7th Fine weather continues. Neo gathers and places nest- ing material. At 9:45 I was giving worms to Neo and N2 at the sage patch, when Neo suddenly lost interest in worms, began to gather nesting material, carried it through his passageway in the fence down into the "chaparral" on the bank and up into an acacia armata (Kangaroo thorn) within a few feet of his nest No.1 of last year. This is his first observed nesting reaction of the year. It seems to be abnormal thrasher procedure at this season and does not mean that he intends to build now. Neo's mate (N2, Longtail) took advantage of his preoccupation to get her share of the worms. Spots, the towhee competed with her actively. Neo returned, looked at more nesting material, but decided in favor of worms.