The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1878-12-07

Runner and Chaparral Cock
This Lird lives among the thich
Mezquite (AlgarobiaJ bushes, anC
frequently crosses the path of the
traveller, running very rapidly
and disappearing among the
weeds; it is very shy and feet; il
Is often captured when young and
becUmes quite tame, willingly re-
manning about the house, and de-
stroying mice, which it catches
With the deXterity of a cat; il
also eats lizards, spiders, grass
hOpperS and large black beetles.
When closely chased, if On an ele-
vated point, it will sometimes fly,
but always doWnWards. Heer-
man says: " | once saw one cap
tured by a couple of dogs, their
appetites whetted by recent sue
cess in Overtaking and bringing
down a coyote, or prairie wolf.
Hotiy pressed, the bird would
gain upon his enemies while sail
ing down the mountain slope, but
taking to his feet on the first as
cent, this advantage Was again
soon lost, and the fugitive, worn
out, fell at length a victim to their
relentless determination" The
nest, laid on the branches of the cac-
tus, is formed of a few loose sticks
thrown negligently together,
and contains two, large, nearly
spherical, white eggs. we have
been assured by many old Califor-
mans, though never fortunate
enough to witness it, that this
bird, on perceiving the rattlesnake
coiled up, asleep, basking in the
sun, will collect pieces of cactus
and hedge him around with cir
Gle, out of which the reptile is un-
able to escapes and enfdSed by
the prickly points opposing him
on every side, strikes himself,
dying from the effects of his self
inoculated venom.
Picus laris.-A very shy bird,
found only among timber, and
seldom caught, alighting in the
tops of cottonwood trees, and
keeping a vIgilant lookout,
Centurus Uropygialis - Gila
Woodpecker.--The male has head;
neck and underparts broWnish
ash in color; an obscure band of
ye'loWish ash on he back OF the |
neck; a blood red patch On the |
head; back and wings barred |
with black and |
white; abdomen neai' vent yellow;
crissum and under-tai cGverts
white, barred with black; the CEN
trail tail feathers black on their
otter vhnp, with strip of white
commencing at the base and run
ming to a point at about two
thirds the length OF the feather;
lie inner varc3 barred and their
points black; the Two outer feati.-
ars WE:ita, barred with black. in>
ermediate 0ncs Hack; till Back;
'eet dusily; length nine inches;
'elnale wanting the red ratch on
he top Of the head, is otherwise
ike tlie male; its flight is in an ,
indUlating- line, like that Of other
)irds CT this class, and is accom- /
janied with It's peculiar notes,
resembling very much those Of ,
!Ee eastern red headed wood |
ecker, though often varied to a |
Oft plaiiitive cry as il hurt or /:
rounded. The giant cactus is |
requent!y fil'ei with holes bored |
ut by this BIRD. The pith of the t
liant is extracted unit: a chamber
f suitable size is obtained, when
he juice eXuding from the !,
rounded surface hardpn3, and
Jrms d smooth, dry coating to
he cavity, thus making a con- 9
enient place for the purposes of .
1cubation. On dissection, their
tonlachs show the White, geiatin-
re hc-7s-x- Csf "a I,1 go sfio Mont web iob =