384 ZOOLOGY BIRDS. 



ported by other than hearsay evidence, upon which the statement, so far as 

 I can learn, now rests. 



Though the bird is naturally quite timid, I have passed by within 

 a few feet of one as it crouched low on the stump of a tree ; its 

 desire to satisfy its curiosity evidently holding it to the spot, though 

 it was plainly distrustful of my errand. The moment it finds itself the 

 object of attention, the bird moves quickly away, taking advantage of 

 the first covert it meets to hide itself from view ; and I have several times 

 been surprised at losing sight of a bird entirely in cover so thin that it 

 seemed impossible for a bird of half its size to conceal itself for a moment ; 

 yet the bird had disappeared, as it were, before my eyes, and no amount 

 of beating about availed to discover it again. It runs very swiftly, and its 

 speed has certainly received full justice at the hands of authors, if, indeed, 

 it has not been greatly overestimated. I was told by good authority that 

 the Apache Indians often successfully pursued them on foot, two or three 

 uniting in the chase and surrounding the bird, when they capture it with 

 their hands ; and of this statement I have no doubt. The idea that the 

 Chaparral Cock never flies, or that it does so only when suddenly fright- 

 ened or pressed by pursuers, is entirely erroneous. It flies easily and quite 

 swiftly. Several times I have seen it rise on one side of a broad ravine 

 and fly across to the farther side, and this when undisturbed it evidently 

 choosing its wings as an easier mode of locomotion than its feet. It 

 loves to meet the first rays of the rising sun, ascending for this pur- 

 pose to the top of the mesquite trees, and, standing erect on the topmost 

 branch, loosens its feathers, and appears to catch all the grateful warmth 

 possible, remaining in this attitude for many minutes. As though loth to 

 relinquish the enjoyment it thus receives, will allow a person to approach 

 within easy observing distance, provided he do so quietly and without 

 hostile demonstration. Its agility among the trees is quite surprising ; the 

 low branches of the mesquites are within an easy jump, and then, having 

 gained them, without a pause it hops from one branch to another so swiftly 

 as to seem to glide almost instantly from the lower to the topmost branches 

 of the tree, where it stands overlooking the country. It may possibly find 

 this ability to climb among the brushy trees of use in obtaining its food ; 



