The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-06-10
Strange Story of a California Bird.

Strange Story of a California Bird.
An interesting story respecting the
habits, under peculiar circumstances, OF
the Chapparral Cock (Geococcyx Califor-
n~ianus) commonly known as the "Road
Runner" Is related by a California lady,
who takes pleasure in reproducing any
interesting matter regarding the natural
beauties of her native State
1t appears that a family named Davies
being engaged in olive culture, occupied
the "Old Mission" at San Deigo. around
which is a dense growth of cactus, pass
ing through which, one day, Mr.. Davies
heard q strange noise resembling the
sound made by a pair of pigeons billing
and cooling, winding up with q success
sion of short, quick, jerky notes, thus
per root per root per root The lis
tener searched until he discovered the
cause of his surprise, which was a nest
of four young birds Of the species Geo
coccyx Californianus. He took them
| home, and succeeded easily in raising
them in q coop like chickens, the old
mes feeding them. Their beautiful
plumage soon attracted the attention of
IL number af visitors to the Old Mission
and notes of the captives have already
been given in the San Francisco papers.
The birds were finally released, but they
regularly returned at night to the coop,
and fingered around, becoming satisfied
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 re-
turned with the nest making season.
In tie meantime the sole remaining bird
had become so selfish in its attachment
to Miss DAVIS that it became a nuisance
to the household. 1t would allow no
living thing near her, showing its jeal-
ousy by dalting directly at the object of
It's hatred, pecking il iuriously with its
sharp bill, whether cat, dog or child,
oftentimes drawing blood, after which
it would retire satisfied. For it's own
dainty consumption it would bring il
beetles, bugs, spiders, and. when any
thing larger was captured-for instance,
il lizard or small snuke-it would ily to
its mistress, STRAIT around her until no
ticed and petted for it's enterprise, dur
ing which it cooed like Il parrot whose
feathers are being rubbed down. With
the returned mate it began n nest on Il
small table by a window in the young
lady's room. The nest-a most uncom-
Portable affair, about the depth Of a
soup plate-was made ct large, rough
sticks, some OF them about ten inches
long, which they brought and laid on the
outside of the window sill, if the win
dow remained closed, for the occupant
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 n egg was laid
in its rude nest in its present location,
inasmuch as the male II day decided
the fate of ''~household and home" by
bringing to his mate a large Gopher
snake, which twirled itself around his
beak more than half alive, whercUpon,
with a peculiar nervous sensation, the
lady removed their lodging to the ''cold
ground" among the c%actuV, where the
birds Matched a promising brood, and
again brought them 20 the house for
food like chickens. The young birds
are much like young turkeys, and at full
size are about as large as half grown
turkey hens. The road runner particu-
larly mentioned never forgot its attach
ment to Miss Davies, and would follow
her everywhere after It's chicks were
grown. They only parted when the
family LETT the country, leaving the
birds behind, which they now regret
Bulletin Nuttall Club.