The California Thrasher 
of the mother. The indications are 
that the male bird is accustomed 
to feed his chicks in this fashion 
while his mate is brooding; but he 
was far too bashful to visit his brood 
while I was about. 
On August 5th, after an absence 
of six weeks, while 1 was seated on 
the ground, Turk-fashion, with the 
Graflex in my lap, two California 
Thrashers advanced along the top 
rail of the fence with great show of 
caution, but also without sincerity 
of fear. They scolded me dutifully 
with that harsh, indescribable, beak¬ 
snapping note, schthubb, just as they 
heard their mother doing in a live 
oak beyond. They were the birds 
hatched in the live oak, for they 
each bore on one leg an aluminum 
band which my son had put on them 
just a month before. Their earlier experience had undoubtedly made 
them bold, for they came within five feet of me. At a later moment, 
when I turned loose my best screeps, the old mother hopped up excitedly 
over the ground and schthupped in her best manner, while I pressed the 
button. 
If Christendom went to war over the difference of a syllable (homo- 
Taken at Los Colibris 
Photo by the Author 
THE HUNGRY CHILD GROWN UP 
