WEEKLY REPORTS--M. Howe. Written during the two and one half months' experience: July 17 to August 1, 1965.

Rather than dealing with this as a weelky report, I am going to write at length about several topics that have come to notice during these weeks. An interesting thing has been going on, as observed by Dr. Lilly involving Peter and his "mouthing" with me. I will recount what goes on.

When Peter and I first became involved in ball playing, we worked nicely into a game where, several feet apart, we bopped the ball to each other, calling it "catch." Peter slowly, subtly, would toss the ball shorter and shorter distances . . . I would have to step towards him to pick it up. This soon moved into a game where I would stand just in front of Peter and really put the ball into his mouth. He would lie on his side . . and gently close his mouth on the ball, releasing it to me. Soon he would hold the ball in his mouth . . . lie on his side, and I tentatively took the ball out of his mouth and began slightly rubbing his gums as I did so. Peter laid dead in the water, eyes partly closed. I was willing to accept this form of mouth play. Previously I would go into a rage whenever Peter opened his mouth in playing a game. Now, however, because Peter was so still and gentle, obviously a little entranced, and because the ball was in his mouth and he could not possibly bite down on me too hard, I was willing to play his way. Note that in the beginning Peter would keep the ball in the front of his mouth . . . mouth open only slightly and not able to close at all. Slowly, Peter began to roll the ball back in his mouth until his jaws were full open and he could close them several inches with the ball still inside. At this point I held back a bit until Peter convinced me, by his gentleness and trancelike fixation, that this was "pleasure," not "fool Margaret" period. I felt a little silly, and was delighted that Peter had devised such a subtle, gentle method of getting me over my fears of all those teeth. So we had arrived at point one . . . Peter "dead" with ball in mouth, slightly open, with me stroking lips and gums. Once step one had been established, Peter slowly moved on to the next step. And that is what happened . . . I had no idea of the end result of ths play . . . I was along for the ride to see the results of Peter's increased gentleness and my diminishing fear. Peter led the way.

His next move was, during the same sort of play, to slowly sink in the water with a ball toward the front of his mouth and his jaws slightly closed. All slowly and gently, Peter would run the open tip of his mouth up and down my leg. I, meanwhile, was keeping an eagle eye on the ball and as long as it remained in his mouth I knew that he could not bite down and thus I allowed the play. This, then, became step two in Peter's plan.

Next Peter gradually moved the ball in his mouth so that his jaws were fully open with the ball still in the back of his mouth. Now he would sink and go through the up and down the leg business; only this time his full set of teeth were running up and down my leg instead of only the tip of his mouth. I again kept an eagle eye on the ball . . . my "safety factor," held my breath as the teeth ever so gently went up and down my legs, and allowed this play. (Peter is estimated to be about five to six years old, his teeth still have the childish very sharp tips to them and are just beginning to be worn down. They are skill capable, however, of drawing blood.)

All of the above happened over several weeks; it has been a slow, gradual buildup. Peter woos me into position and once we are started he seems to completely relax, eyes fully or partially closed, rolling on his side . . . obviously having a marvelous time. My only reaction at this point was to hold my breath and watch the ball . . . I am not an active member at this point.

Peter is not through. During the above, the ball slowly, seemingly, "accidentally" drops out of his mouth. At first I demand that he take it back before I will let him go on with the teeth . . . but soon he is so obviously involved in his fun, and the ball just seems to slip out of his mouth, and again I take a big breath and let Peter continue, his jaws open up and down my leg with no ball. My safety factor is gone and I can only let the play go on for a few seconds at a time.

Peter continues pressing this game . . . and slowly I gain confidence. I no longer demand that the ball be there in the beginning of the game to make me feel better. Peter simply approaches me, mouth open, rolling on his side; I stand very still, legs slightly apart, and Peter slides his mouth gently over my shin. His mouth opens all the way and he begins up and down my leg. Then the other leg. The whole knee is in his mouth.

At this point it occurs to me what has been going on. Peter is courting me . . . or something very similar! I began to take an active part in the play. After several minutes of Peter "stroking" me gently with his teeth, I compliment him vocally, soothingly, and rub him as he turns to be stroked. Several minutes of this and Peter is back stroking me. I still hold my breath a bit but Peter has convinced me that this is a perfectly legitimate game among dolphins, and with the toning down be gives it for my benefit, it is actually a very pleasant feeling!

Two things about all this stand out in my mind. One is the over-all way Peter was able to woo me, to teach me that I could play the game. I had many fears . . . Peter obviously realized them and found ways, and props (the ball after all was a very convenient tool) to reassure me. Peter has worked long for this contact . . . he has been most persistent and patient. [Notice that Peter used a tool in a rather sophisticated way in order to induce Margaret to accept certain kinds of attention.] Second is the mood in general of the play. This is obviously a sexy business . . . all it really involves is physical contact. The mood is very gentle . . . still . . . hushed . . . all movements are slow . . . tone is very quiet . . . only slight murmurings from me. Peter is cons-tartly, but ever so slowly weaving his body around . . . eyes near closed. He does not usually get an erection during this, but does present his tummy and genital area for stroking. I find that once Peter does have an erection, his mood usually changes completely and he gets so rambunctious I have to leave him. Perhaps this is his way of involving me in some form of sex play without scaring me away.

I feel extremely flattered at Peter's patience with me in all this . . . and am delighted to be so obviously "wooed" by this dolphin.

Several other points have come up during these weeks.

For several days there have been groups of from four to six persons at the laboratory. They all saw Peter. They were all dry, standing outside the flooded living room, dangling arms over the wall. This is going back to the "dolphin in the tank-human leaning in" idea . . . and I do not like it. Peter fell back into the old business of squirting up at the people and various dangling arms and heads. And the people? Usual reaction . . . saying "no" in a high-pitched, giggly voice, and ducking down, only to pop up seconds later and dangle again, inviting more squirting.

This is all very fine, and people are flattered and Peter finds it a game but I refuse to allow it. It is boring, eventually annoying, and completely out of line of what I am trying to do by living with Peter. I stop this business by getting in with Peter (and I have been outside with the people) . Peter began to play with me . . . and although he was still very aware of the "outside" people . . . he no longer focused on them. Enough said . . . Peter is not in a cage and will not be played with, teased, observed, stared at, or anything else by "outside" people. You are several months too late, people, Peter has outgrown you. [And so has Margaret.]

I went to San Juan and purchased several new toys for Peter. I will introduce them one at a time. I have removed all balls from his rooms, and have given him six "toy" fish. They are red, plastic, about nine inches long, they float, and I can push them gently and they glide on top of the water. Peter began bopping them . . . has collected them together several times . . . and slowly we are working out "toy fish" games. The real butterfish I now term "fish in bucket," as a contrast. Occasionally I play with the fish and a ball explaining "ball" and "toy fish." Peter's "toy fish" comes cut as two clear separate sounds, but no pronunciation yet. I am working on "toie." I have not spoken to him yet of color . . . but I do count the fish with him. Slowly these new objects are becoming part of his life. I will discuss the other toys as I use them.