Ornithological Notes. 11 



passing between the skin and the neck down to the breast and 

 back again, and then down to the lungs. 



There is found under the feathers of the Chiac-ka-laca a fly, 

 about the size of a common house fly, but very flat. This fly 

 is exceedingly annoying, for as soon as you commence handling 

 the bird they leave it, and are just as likely to get into the hair 

 of your head or down your neck as to return to the bird 

 or seek a new abode with some living individual of the chiac- 

 ka-laka tribe. This fly is so hard that I could with difficulty 

 kill it between my thumb and forefinger. 



Chaparral cock, the Mexican Paisano, Geococcyx viaticus 

 of Wagler. Often in my wanderings through the chaparrals on 

 the Eio Grrande, I observed piles of broken snail shells, and 

 always near some hard substance, such as a bone or hard piece 

 of wood, which had evidently been used in breaking the shells. 

 I made many conjectures as to the probable animal. I never 

 suspected a bird, that had left these evidences of their peculiar 

 habits. I heard at times — generally in the morning or evening 

 — a sound very similar to that made by some woodpeckers by 

 a rapid beating of their bill upon an old dry tree. This was 

 also a mystery, as I could find no woodpeckers near the place 

 the sound came from. Upon inquiry of a Mexican, I was told 

 that it was the Paisano breaking the snail shells to get at the 

 snail, which explained at once to me both the noise, as well as 

 the shells. I was afterwards so fortunate as to see a bird so 

 occupied. It took the snail in its bill, and beat it upon the 

 hard substance, striking faster and faster, until the shell broke. 

 This also explains the use of their large and strong bill. 



A few of these birds are to be found on the Eio Nueces. 

 They run with great speed, seldom taking to wing. I have 

 seen them on trees, apparently observing their vicinity. I had 

 a young one, about half grown. It refused to eat, and died. I 

 have seen some in coops, but never saw them feed, and doubt 

 if they do in confinement, though I have been informed that 



