The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-07-09
A STRANGE BIRD.

An interesting story respecting the
habits, under peculiar circumstances,
of the chapparal cock, commonly known
as the 'troad runner - is related by a
California lady, who takes pleasure in
reproducing any interesting matter re-
garding the natural beauties of her ma
tive State: 1t appears that family
named Davies, being engaged in olive
culture. occupied the "Old Mission at
San Diego. around which is a dense
growth of cactus, passing through
which, one day, Mr.. Davies heard
strange noise resembling the sound
made by pair of pigeons billing and
cooling, winding up with succession of
short. quick, jerky notes, thus-per-
root peT-root per-root The listener
searched until he discovered the cause
of his surprise, which was a nest of four
young birds of the species GeococcyX
Californionus He took them home,
and succeeded easily in raising them in
a coop. like chickens, the old ones feed
ing them. Their beautiful plumage
soon attracted the attention of a num-
Der of visitors to the Old Mission.
The birds were finally released, but
they regularly returned at night to the
coop and fingered around, becoming sat
isfed habitues of the barnyard. Two of
them died. The two remaining fought
until one vanquiShed the other, which
for a while repaired to the cactus, but
returned with the neSt-making season.
In the meantime the sole remaining
bird had become so selfish in its attach
ment to Miss Davies that it became a
nuisance to the household. 1t would
allow no living thing near her, showing
its jealousy by darting fercely at the
object of its hatred, pecking it furiously
with its hard bill, whether cat, dog or
I child. Oftentimes drawing blood, after
+ which il would retire satisfied. For its
/ own dainty consumption it would bring
/ in beetles, bugs, spiders. and when any
thing larger was captureG-fOT instance,
J a lizard or small Snake-it would fly to
I its mistress, strut around her until no.
ticed and petted for its enterprise. dur
ing which it coos like a parrot whose
/ feathers are being rubbed down. With
the returned mate it began nest on a
+ small table by the window in the young
lady's room. The nest-a most uncOm-
Portable affair, about the depth of a
. Soup-plate-waS made of large, rough
! sticks, some of them about ten inches
long. which they brought and laid on
the outside of the window-sill, if the
/ window remained closed, for the Occu-
pant of the room to add to the nest.
which she faithfully did, and the nest
was soon completed. the inner lining
being dry grass and straw. But one
egg was laid in this rude nest in its
present location, inasmuch as the male
ore day decided the fate of household
and home by bringing to his mate 2
large gopher snake. which twirled itsel!
around his beak more than half alive
whereupon, with peculiar nervous sen
satiOn, the lady Immediately removed
their lodging to the -cold ground
among the cactus. where the bird.
hatched a promising brood. and agair
brought them to the house for food like
/ chickens. The young birds are mucl
like young turkeys, and at full size are
about as large as half-grown turke,
hens. The ''road runner PARTICULAR,
mentioned never forgot its attachment
to Miss Davies. ami would follow ne
everywhere after its chicks were grown
they only parted when the family lef
the country, leaving the birds behind
which they now regret. FTn5ciSc
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