The Audubon Societies 57 



effective precaution needs to be talien to prevent a too rapid increase in the 

 number of domesticated cats both in the country and about towns and cities. 



REFERENCES 



Darwin: Animals and Plants under Domestication, Vol. I, pp. 43-48. 



Keller: Die Stammesgeschichte unserer Haustiere, pp. 50-54. 



Lyon: Alimentary Parasites of Felis domestica. Science XXIV (1906) |). 31,5. 



Sellmann: Tuberculosis in Cats. Berlin, Tierartzliche Wochenshrift, 1903, No. 

 7, pp. Ill, 112. 



Petit: Tuberculous ulcerations on the face of cats. Rec. Med. Vet. 8 series. 

 1902, No. 22, pp. 651, 652. 



Von Ratz: A new tapeworm of the cat. Centralblati fiir Bakteriologie, erste Abthei- 

 lung. No. II, 12, p. 465 and No. 21, p. 664. 



Nickerson: Paragonimus in a Cat in Minneapolis. Science XXXIII, 19 11, p. 271. 



Skrzynski: .\ new microbe pathogenic to cats. Annales of Institut Pasteur, 1908, 

 XXII, p. 682. 



Nuttall and Graham-Smith: The Bacteriolog\' of Diphtheria, p. 280, The natural 

 disease in cats. 



Osborne: The Cat and the Transmission of Disease. The Chicago Medical 

 Recorder, May, 1912. 



SUGGESTIVE METHODS OF BIRD-STUDY: 

 PET ROAD-RUNNERS 



By GEORGE MIKSCH SUTTON 



iiy the end of the spring of 1914, I had two Road-runners, much to the 

 apparent dissatisfaction of both birds. When both were fairly well fed, their 

 attitude toward each other was quite friendly, but when hungry there were 

 but few moments of real quietude. Strange to say, they often seemed to enjoy 

 lighting each other, even if they did generally come to an end of their bout 

 somewhat frayed, and minus several feathers. Yet they enjoyed each other's 

 company, for if they were separated the}^ invariably seemed eager to be 

 together again. 



It was later found that different degrees of hunger usually incited their 

 pugnacity in varying degrees, for when they were in well-fed condition they 

 lay quietly on the sand, side by side, kicking their feet, spreading their wings, 

 or making weird music. I should dislike to think that they were trying to kill 

 each other during these fighting periods, but I have not yet been able to e.xplain 

 their beha\'ior otheru'ise. 



Though I have often read of this species of bird uttering notes similar to 

 those of a chicken, or some such fowl, I have never heard them. The mos- 

 quito-like, rasping note is the only note made, unless it is a hoarse, rather 

 metallic grunt. Rolling or clapping of the mandibles, however, is of very com- 

 mon occurrence. 



Not any bird that I have studied can approach this species in the mar- 

 velous rapidity of the work of its digestive system, save perhaps the Belted 

 Kingfisher. Though I have never e.xamined the gastric fluid of the Road- 



