BOAD-RUNNEB 313 



Road-runner. Geococcyx calif ornian us (Lesson) 



Field characters. — Of fairly large size (near that of Leghorn chicken) with tail 

 long, fully as long as head and body (about 13 inches) . General color effect of plumage 

 pale brown, with feathers of back broadly dark centered; tail chiefly black in color, and 

 with a large white 'thumb mark' at end of each feather; bill strong, slender, about 2 

 inches long; head with an erectile crest; feet and legs stout. Voice: A series of low 

 notes, mournful in effect, with descending pitch; also a low clattering sound, repeated. 



Occurrence. — Sparse resident of Lower and Upper Sonoran zones on western base 

 of Sierra Nevada. Lives in open chaparral of the foothills, and on the plains adjacent 

 to river-bottom thickets. 



The Road-runner was found only in small numbers in the Yosemite 

 region. One was heard 'singing' near Blacks Creek, west of Coulterville, 

 on May 10, 1919, but only one individual was actually seen by any member 

 of our party, and that near Lagrange, on December 18, 1915. There was 

 much hearsay evidence, however, of its occurrence near Pleasant Valley. 

 We were also told that it had been seen twice on a dry flat near El Portal ; 

 and Mr. Donald D. McLean reports that Road-runners are seen occasionally 

 in the. lower cailon of Bean Creek, east of Coulterville. 



At Pleasant Valley, on the morning of May 30, 1915, as we walked 

 out west of the settlement, we saw much evidence of the events of the 

 preceding night and early morning in the dust of the road. Besides the 

 abundant slender tracks of many smaller birds, such as towhees and 

 sparrows, we could see where Valley Quail had crossed or run along the 

 road in several places. There were tracks of a raccoon and of numerous 

 California toads; and spots where kangaroo rats had taken dust baths 

 or sought forage in the scattered chaff. But most interesting of all, because 

 not previously noted by us in this region, were a few tracks of a fairly 

 large bird, totally different from those of the quail. The impressions 

 made by the toes of each foot were in tandem alignment, two in front and 

 two behind, and the footprints were separated by considerable intervals. 

 The evidence was conclusive — a Road-runner had passed that way. 



Western Belted Kingfisher. Ceryle alcyon caurina Grinnell 



Field characters. — Size somewhat greater than that of Flicker; head big, tail small, 

 bill stout, and crest prominent. Color above, slaty blue; beneath, silvery white with 

 a broad belt of slate across breast. Female has also a belt, behind the slaty one, of 

 bright rusty brown, with extensions of this color backward along each side. Flight 

 rapid and usually in straightaway course up or down a stream. Voice: A loud grating 

 clatter or rattle. 



Occurrence. — Frequent along streams and about the margins of lakes up at least to 

 the altitude of Tuolumne Meadows, 8600 feet. Observed along the Merced River, in 

 nearly every month of the year, at many points, from near Snelling to and above El 



