The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-03-24
THE PENDULUM BIRD.
Rare Specimen OF the Feathered Tribe
Found Only in wyoming.

| A Raro Specimen OF the Feathered Tribe
Found Only in Wyoming.
The Wyoming pendulum bird is what
its name indicates natural time
keeper. measuring off an hour at three
different periods Of the day, with the
regular tick, tick, tick of the clock or
watch. and sway of the pendulum.
This feathered freak of nature, in
general appearance and characteristics.
appears to be combination of quail
and snipc. It is considerably larger
than the quail of our boyhood days.
who so musically announced himself as
bob White" and indeed, in size, the
pendulum bird nearly approaches the
| pheasant. In color it is coal black,
with under feathers of such soft and
thick texture as to almost deserve the
name of down, while its sturdy legs are
| fcathered to the toes. In body 1t is
| plump and round rs eminenly becomes
o quail and is furnished with u long
! and pointed bill which just as eminently
becomes a snpc. The bird is active of
foot Gas well us of w;ng), and 1t is SIM
| gular and lnughablc to see 1t moving
about on the ground with its short
| quail-like neck sporting the incongru-
Gus attachment of the long, snipe-like
bill.
To this long, snipe-like bill, however,
the pendulum bird of the Wind Noun
! tains owes both name and fame. 1t is
the most important, as it is the most
peculiar portion of the birds anatomy.
To that long bill is attached the natural
mechanism which enables the pendulum
| bird to measure off the hours and
proudly pose as the timekeeper of the
Wind Mountains. This bill is some
four inches in length. On the under
side and near the point of the lower
mandible rests hard. ball-shapcd sub
. stance about an inch in circumference,
, and in this ball is found the pendulum
of the feathered keeper of time. Three
times during the day does the curious
metamorphosis from bird to clock
take place, viz: at sunrise, at noon and
at sundown. AS the sun rises, as he
attains his meridian, and as he sinks to
his fall, the pendulum bird respectively
seeks some high perch, usually the
loftiest limb of tree, preparatory to
business. The hard ball on the under
side of the bill slips quickly and easily
from its place and hangs suspended by
a stout, cord-iike ligament; then sways
backward and forward the pendulum
in regular and rhythmical movement,
and on the mountain air comes the
tick! tick! tick! by which the hour is
exactly and faithfully marked of.
Though close investigation has been
made it has not yet been discovered
whether the "tick'' accompanying the
pendulum belongs to the pendulum
movement or whether it is q vocal effort
of the bird itself. 1t is probably the
latter, as the sound is very loud and dis.
tinct Gas clock-ticking goos). so much
so, indeed. that when a dozen or moro
of these birds are marking time ut once
the listener has little difficulty in
imagining himself in vast aggravated
watch and clock emporium.
While keeping time the pendulum
bird is deaf and blind to all else, at.
tending strictly (ns every well regu-
lated pendulum should) to the business
Oh hand. Apparently the bird can not,
or will not. break the enthrallment OF
its own rhythmical-if slightly monot-
onous-melody. The spell the bird
thus lays upon itself is very often a
fatal one, as while wrapt in the dis
charge of its singular duties the poor
time-keeper is readily approached and
slain. Indeed, in almost every instance
where the pendulum bird falls victim
to the hunter it "ticks' its own death
knell. as generally speaking, this quail
snipe is possessed of most alert and
robust Judgment in regard to the
danger limit. Therefore Gas the flesh
of the bird is highly esteemed) as soon
as the well-known tick, tick, tick re-
sounds through the mountain ferns the
hunter generally abandons all other
game pursuit until he has satisfied his
longing for delicious quail-snipe fry.
The pendulum bird breeds in all re-
spects like quail, though the eye can
discern no difference in the appearance
of the male and female birds. 1t nests
on high ground, and makes perfect
glutton of itself in devouring the
many and delicious varieties of Wind
Mountain berries. On the other hand,
it also largely affects marshy spots as
feeding grounds, and uses its long Till
with snipe-like agility and persuasion
in capturing and manipulating the un-
lucky worm and the badly victimized
water spider.
Lovers of the curious approaching
the bizarre can thoroughly enjoy them
selves by visit to the Wind Mountain
haunts of Wyoming's pendulum bird.
Lander (Wy. T) Cor. NJ O. Times