BIEDS — CUCULIDAE — GEOCOCCYX CALIFOENICUS. 



73 



bill and other peculiarities. It is decidedly smaller taaurugirostris, the ciilmen straight at its 

 highest point, the anterior extremities of this nearly straight portion anterior to the nostril. 

 The colors are, however, almost precisely the same with those of mgirostris. Length, 12 

 inches: wing, 6.10; tail, 7.75; tarsus, 1.25; chord of culmen, 1.15. 



GEOCOCCYX, Wagler. 



Gtococcyx , Wagler, Isis, 1831, 524. 



Leplostoma, Swaikson, Classification Birds, II, 1837, 325. 



Bill long and strong, slightly compressed, and at least as long as the head ; head crested; loral feathers, and those at base 

 of bill stiffened and bristly. Nostrils elongated, linear. A naked colored skin around and behind the eye; the eyelids 

 ciliated. Tarsi longer than the toes ; very stout. Wings very short and concave ; the tertials as long as the primries. Tail 

 'onger than the head and body ; composed of ten narrow, much graduated feathers. 



This remarkable genus is represented in the United States by a single species known as the 

 Paisano, Chapparal Cock, or sometimes Eoad Runner, on account of its frequenting public 

 highways. Its very long legs enable it to run with very great rapidity, faster even than a 

 very fleet horse. A second species occurs in Mexico, the G. afflnis of Hartlaub. This is 

 smaller and differently proportioned, as shown by the following table of measurement : 



Comparative measurements of species. 



GEOCOCCYX CALIFORNIANUS. 



Paisano: Road Runner; Chapparal Cock. 



Saurolhtra californiana, " Lesson, Complem. Buff. VI, 1829, 420.— Is. Ann. du Mus, 1835, 121, PI. ix." 



Gtococcyx variegata, Wagler, Isis, V, 1831, 524. 



Saurothera botlae, (Blainville,) Lessok, Traite d'Orn. I, 1831, 145. 



Diplopterus vialicus, (Light.) Boie, Isis, 1831, 541. (No description.) 



Gcococci/x !)ia/tcus, Hartlaub, Rev. Zool. 1844, 215. — M'Call, Pr. A. N. Sc. Ill, July, 1847, 234. — Bon. Consp. 

 1850, 97. — Ib. Consp. Zygod. in Aten. Ital. 1854, 5. — Heermann, J. A. N. Sc. Ph. 2d series) 

 II, 1853, 270.— Newberry, Zool. Cal. and Oregon Route, 91, P. R. R. Rep. VI, 1857. 



Saurothera marginata, Kaup, Isis, 1832, 991 ; tab. xxvi. (Fig. of head and foot.) 



Ltplostoma longicauda, Swainson, Birds, II, 1837, 325.— Gambel, Pr. A. N. S. I, 1843, 263. 



Gtococcyx mtxicanus, Gambel, J. A. N. Sc. 2d series, I, 1849, 215, (not of Gmelin.)— Cassin, 111. I, 1855, 213 ; 

 pi. xxxvi. 



Sp. Ch. — Tail very long; the lateral feathers much shortest. An erectile crest on the head. A bare skin around and 

 behind the eye. Legs very long and stout. 



All the feathers of the upper parts and wings of a dull metallic olivaceous green, broadly edged with white near the end. 

 There is, however, a tinge of black in the green along the line of white, which itself is suffused with brown. On the neck the 

 black preponderates. The sides and under surface of the neck have the white feathers streaked centrally with black, next to 

 which is a brownish suffusion. The remaining under parts are whitish, immaculate. Primary quills tipped with white, and 

 with a median band across the outer webs. Central tail feathers olive brown ; remaining ones clear dark green, ail edged, and 

 (except the central two,) broadly tipped with white. Top of the head dark blackish blue. Length 20 to 23 inches. Wing 

 about 64. Tail, 12 to 13. 



//at.— Middle Texas, New Mexico, and California to Central Mexico. Seen as far north as Fort Reading, California, and 

 Fort Chadbourne, Texas. 



10 b 



