The Audubon Societies 



59 



attention and they begin the day's chase. With head held high and eyes 

 intent on quarry, they take short, quiet runs, hunting along the way. Their 

 time is employed thus, until simrise. when they take a sun-bath. When the 

 sun waxes warmer, they skulk under the porch or into the high weeds, and 

 wait for cooler hours. The wild, or undomesticated Road-runners never seem 

 to mind the heat, but my pets are much averse to it. About 4.30 p.m. they come 

 out and hunt until the first signs of dusk, at which time they retire. They 

 enjoy a lofty place of rest, and invariably get as high as possible in the cage. 

 The highest perch is often the means of pronounced disputes. 



A PET ROAD-RUXXER IX AX ATTITUDE OF FRIGITT 

 From a drawing by George Miksch Sutton 



I do not hesitate to say that the Road-runner is a most beneficial bird. 

 From actual count, a Road-runner's bill of fare is found to consist largely of 

 insect food, and most of the insects are decidedly noxious. In natural surround- 

 ings and ordinarily hungry, a Road-runner's menu is as follows for one day: 

 Hopping grasshoppers 263, flying grasshoppers 73, scorpions 17, sowbugs 28, 

 caterpillars 7, chrysalids 3, angle- worms 14, moths 39, butterflies i, centipedes 

 14, spiders 16, tarantulas 2, walking-sticks, 3, small toads 3, horned frogs 3, 

 green lizards 6, small lizards 8, and i mouse. Of course, this bird's diet might 

 have been much different another day, but their bill of fare is generally along 

 this line. I was indeed surprised at their enjoyment of toads, since most animals 

 and birds detest them so much. Much time is spent to see that toads are well 

 killed, but they are always eaten. A spider sometimes escapes by running upon 



