324 Bird-Lore 



[Observations from the live bird are always welcome and Master Logan seems to have 

 solved the problem of how to attract wild birds. It is of interest to know that the 

 Chickadee was well known to some of our North American Indians and named by them 

 in their own tongue. Indian children, so the annals of these peoples tell us, were crooned 

 to sleep with stories of the birds and beasts. Very few persons today, probably, possess 

 the keen eye and attentive ear of the savage, and this is one of the reasons why nature- 

 lore is more difficult for civilized races to attain. — A. H. W.] 



A Pet Road-Runner 



On April 13, while playing near a creek bottom with some boys, after the 

 adjournment of Sunday School, I came upon an old shattered-looking nest, 

 about seven feet from the ground, in an almost inaccessible tangle of mesquites, 

 little oaks, streckberries, and little elms. I took no special notice of it, however, 

 until, upon going up to it as near as possible, I noticed a long, iridescent tail 

 sticking up parallel to the limb on which the nest was situated. Upon shoving 

 in farther, the bird raised its head, put up its crest, and left the nest, at the 

 fearful rate for which this bird is noted. Of course I then determined to see 

 the contents of the nest, for it was the first one I had come across. 



I did not especially enjoy the thought of tearing my clothes, or skin either, 

 for that matter, but in I started. After breaking innumerable vines and rubbing 

 cobwebs out of my eyes, I found myself near the nest, and, upon putting my 

 hand in carefully, I discovered that there were ten rather large-sized eggs. 

 I had heard that they were white, but I was bound to see them, so I lifted myself 

 up as best I could, and secured a rather pleasing knowledge of their looks. 

 It was indeed a nest full, and I would not have been surprised if some had 

 blown over the edge in one of these Texan winds. But they did not, and on 

 April 14, the day after, on returning, I was delighted to find two of the birds 

 hatched. They looked exceedingly hungry, and tried several times to swallow 

 my little linger. Their mouths were blood-red, and their black-skinned bodies 

 were covered with long white hairs. On April 15 there were three birds; while 

 on April 17 there were eight birds, and only two eggs. 



During this time I rarely saw the parent birds, but once or twice I heard 

 the peculiar clapping or rolling noise, made by putting their mandibles together 

 and apart at a fast rate. 



By this time the more mature birds had also learned the sound, although 

 they were but about five inches long. However, from the first, they made an 

 incessant mosquito-like buzzing, which signified hunger. I say incessant, for 

 I never remember a time when they were not hungry. 



For nearly a week I did not visit the nest, but, on going. I found only 

 two very fine large Chaparrals; the rest had been lured away by the parent 

 birds. 



Being very desirous of ha\-ing one of these queer birds for a pet, I took 

 one from the nest, with the intent of raising it from that time on. Being doubt- 



