WEEKLY REPORTS--M. Howe. Written during the two and one half months' experience: July 3 to 10, 1965. Fourth Week

During the early part of the week, work was still going on in the sea pool to get the sump properly concreted. Saturday morning the electricity was off and somehow the small tank by the sea pool was half drained. Having no power made it impossible to fill. I have purchased a fifty-foot flexible coil hose for a vacuum upstairs and it works as a siphon. I dropped it over into the tank, and filled the tank from the water upstairs. It is a very good emergency measure. I find that the vacuum takes out more water than the regular outflow upstairs.

I have also discovered that Peter's reluctance to go outside is not due to too narrow a space, or the doorway . . . rather it is due to the water being too shallow next to the elevator. (On the south side of the elevator the passageway floor is slightly elevated so that Peter would have to pass over a hump in the floor). I raised the water to about twenty-four inches . . . and he goes outside on his own. Peter was outside one day . . . and I closed the top part of the Dutch door arrangement, assuming that he would not go under the door . . . as I wanted him to stay outside so I could clean inside uninterrupted by his presence. Not so! Peter very willingly came in under the door . . . went back out again. As long as he has enough water . . . he moves freely.

We spent a lot of time outdoors, I gave him several non-recorded lessons on the balcony and played with him while floating on the raft.

I have begun working with Peter more and more at times other than feeding. When I am not going to give him a lesson at feeding time, I make feeding as dull as possible. I simply dump the bucket of fish into the water and leave him alone. He eats all the fish, but I do not speak to him, stroke him, etc. I find that more and more Peter is humanoiding to or at me to get attention. I respond as often as possible. I will be in bed, or cooking, and if Peter speaks to me in humanoid, I drop what I am doing and go to him, or else try to engage him in conversation. I do not respond to his attention-getting clicks and whistles. They mean nothing to me and I make that clear.

Peter is more and more interested in games, and often starts them himself. He can toss the ball, bunt with some accuracy to me or at me, and I find that I am suddenly necessary to his game . . . he seldom plays with these objects by himself. We play two games. One is "fetch" . . . Peter brings me the ball cloth, or bunny, I throw it out, he dashes to it and brings it back to me. The other is catch . . . he hits the ball into the air to me, I can often catch it, and I toss it back to him. He is very willing to toss it back to me. There is no hoarding, or "keep away" instinct. [It is well to note that this is Margaret's special use of the word "instinct."]

I can come into the room, find Peter sitting at the mirror and the ball floating at the other end of the room. I can say "ball" to Peter several times and if he wants to play, he can go and get it . . . and does. It is hard to tell if he can make the distinction say, between the ball and the cloth, he will often get the ball. He seems to prefer the ball and I am not sure he isn't simply ignoring what I say in doing what he wants to. When this happens I ignore the ball, continue asking for the cloth, and if he will not get it I drop the whole thing.

John Lovett came during the week and took black-and-white photos. I have some on file, with the contact sheets but had sent the rest to Dr. Lilly. They are good shots and are an excellent record of the progress here. (See photos in this report.)

Recording sessions with Peter have improved. He is finally able to listen again! I have a nice system with him of hushing him. When he is wrong I simply put my fingers gently on his beak or over his blowhole and he is still. I repeat . . . and he follows. He seems to have lost the impatient squealing that was so annoying and we are working much better together. I have not yet gone over the tapes of this week so I cannot report.

I am not capable of using these tapes as I would like to. But I know what should be done and what I would like to do. I think that I will simply continue making the tapes and going over them as best I can . . . and at a later date I will have to take several days and perhaps get someone in who can properly re-record. Listening to all the tapes is endless and I will make re-recordings of those parts that show progress. This must be done but it can wait.

Peter has become sexually aroused several times during the week, and I have thoughts and questions on this that follow in a separate paper.