the honeysuckle on the fence, faced me at 10 feet distance and sang full song until I left about 12:20. He would occasionally come down for worms, then resume his former place and sing some more. At no time was there any sign of his mate, and there was no talk addressed to another bird; further, when in full song, he did not look off into the distance as if looking for N2. It was noticed that, usually, be- fore launching into a major effort, he "practiced" a few seconds in low tones--like a musician lightly running over his score before the curtain rises. It was also noted that he used his "vic'-to-ree" phrase sev- eral times. At 1:10 P.M. I went back, hearing him singing softly as I was on my way there. On arriving at my destination he broke into loud song again, then came down for hamburger. I now left him and started west to look up Rhody. I had gone about 100 feet parallel to the fence along the orchard path, when loud song broke out a few feet from me on the fence, to my left. Neo, whom I had already forgotten, had followed me. A wave of my hand, and he came down for worms, returning to the fence to sing sub-song. I now went all the way down to Rhody's night roost (without finding him) and returned along the orchard path, hearing Neo still singing sub-song while I was still perhaps a hundred feet from him. I could hear "torquita" phrases. When I arrived opposite him and stopped, he broke into full song. When I threw a cigarette away, he took the act as an invitation to come and have some worms, so was rewarded. (I have had him start for me instantly on his seeing me reach for my watch!) He went back to the honeysuckle to sing more sub-song and to preen when I left. Nothing had been seen of his mate, there was no talk as if she were nearby and he did not seem concerned by her failure to be present. This appeared to be his day "at home", for he could be heard here almost any time up to 3:30, at which time he was given centiped- es, and I went to see if I could find Rhody. Rhody was at his post on the west lot and quite pleased to be found, for he rattle-boed loudly, flew to the top of the fence and was given a huge piece of Hamburger. He was very hungry and I suspected that hawks had kept him in concealment. After wiping his bill almost continuously for 5 minutes he returned to his post. A sharp-shin spiralled down from high above, went up again, then disappeared to the east, Rhody watching him. In a few minutes a red-tail sailed low over Rhody's bush (20 feet up). (3:55). At 4:01 Rhody started for the ladder tree about 50 feet away and I returned to the house to get the car (as a movable observation post). R was not in his house at 4:11, so I went up to the lot to investigate. I found him 15 feet from the ladder-tree in a little trail he has worn through the brush, but facing away from the tree, semi-frozen; as if he had been frightened, had reversed his course suddenly and then remained motionless. I stood beside him. Without moving his body he turned his head slowly in all directions looking at every- thing but me, and reacting to all sounds--except those made by me. He was clearly frightened--but not of me. (As a digression: He was confirming innumerable observations which I have made on him, his youngsters and the whole local thrasher tribe, which have --every one of them--shown that, when one has once gained their confidence even partially, wild birds, in moments of real or suspected danger from an invisible enemy, do not apparently include the human being present amongst their enemies. I wish I could say that they seem to derive a sense of security from his presence under such circumstances but, I think, as a rule they do not, although these notes have re- corded a few instances where there have been exceptions to this rule, in my judgment).