THE ROAD-RUNNER. 131 



If you are close enough to him, you will notice 

 that his wings are very short indeed. What need 

 has he of wings, with such legs? And his feet! 

 They are large and strong enough to run all day. 

 But notice his tail particularly. It is very long. 



L 



THE ROAD-RUNNER. 



As the bird runs he holds his tail straight out 

 behind, not touching the ground with the tip of 

 it, very much as his neighbor fox holds his brush 

 when he is on the run. If you stop suddenly 

 and hide in the bushes, road-runner thinks you 

 are gone for good, and he concludes to slow up. 

 It is now that he makes use of his long tail. Up 

 it goes like a sail in the wind, and so, maybe, 

 helps its owner to come to a sudden standstill. 



