The Bossier banner., 1880-07-01
Peculiarities Of the California Chap.
paraI Cock.

An interesting story respecting the
habits under peculiar circumstances, OF
the chapparal cock (Geococcyr Catltor-
nianusJ, commonly known as the ''road
runner" is related by California lady
who takes pleasure in reproducing any
interesting matter regarding the nat
ural beauties of her native State:
1t appeared that family named
Davies, being engaged in olive-culture,
occupied the .:OId Mission at San
Diego, around which is dense growth
of cactus, passing through which, one
day. Mr.. Davies heard a 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! per-
root! per-root! The listener searched
until he discovered the cause of his sur
prise, which was nest of four young
birds of the species Geococcy1 Cahfor-
nianus He took them home, and sue
ceeded easily in raising them in a coop,
them. Their beautiful plumage soon
attracted the attention of number of
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 sat
isfied habitues of the barnyard. Two of
them died. The two remaining fought
until one vanished the other, which for
while repaired to the cactus, but re-
turned with the nest-making season.
In the meantime, the sole remaining
bird had become so selfish in it's at
tachment to Miss Davies that it
became a nuisance to the hsuse-
hold. It would allow no iv-
ing thing near her, showing its jealousy
by darting tiercely at the object of its
hatred, pecking it furiously with it's
sharp bill, whether cat, dog or child,
oftentimes drawing blood, after which
it would retire satisfied. For its own
dainty consumption it would bring in
beetles, bugs, spiders and, when any
thing larger was captured-for instance,
lizard or small snake-it would fly to
its mistress, strut around her until no.
ticed and petted for its enterprise, dur
ing which it cooed like parrot whose
feathers are being rubbed down. With
the returned mate it began nest ON
small table by the window in the young
lady's room. The nest-a most un-
comfortable affair, about the depth of
-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 pres
ent location, inasmuch as the male one
day decided the fate of household and
home," by bringing to his mate large
gopher snake, which twirled itself around
his beak more than half alive, where
upon, with peculiar nervous sensation,
the lady Immediately removed their
lodging to the 'cold ground" among
the cactus, where the birds hatched a
promising brood, and again brought
them to 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" particularly mentioned |
never forgot its attachment for Miss
Davies and would follow her every
where after its chicks were grown; they |
only parted when the family left the |
country. leaving the birds behind, which |
they now regret.-Saa Francisco BuL-
letin.