BIRDS OF KANSAS. 319 



the outer anterior toe usually versatile, but directed rather laterally than back- 

 ward." 



SUBFAMILY COCCYGD^E. AMERICAN CUCKOOS. 



"Face covered with feathers; bill elongated, more or less cylindrical, straight 

 or curved. Tail of ten feathers." 



GENUS GEOCOCCYX WAGI,ER. 



"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 toes; very stout. Wings very short and 

 concave; the tertials as long as the primaries. Tail longer than the head and 

 body; composed of ten narrow, much graduated feathers." 



Geococcyx californianus (LESS.). 



ROAD-RUNNER. 

 PLATE XXI. 



Entered as an occasional visitant in the western part of the 

 State, on the authority of Mr. Charles Dyer, division superin- 

 tendent of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, at Las 

 Vegas, New Mexico, who writes me that in September, 1884, 

 he saw two of the birds near the railroad, and about fifteen 

 miles east of the west line of Kansas, and that he had seen them 

 quite often in Colorado, near the State line. The birds are 

 known to breed in Colorado as far east as Las Animas, and I 

 am inclined to think that they may occasionally breed within 

 the southwestern limits of this State. 



B. 68. R. 385. C. 427. G. 178, 148. U. 385. 



HABITAT. Northern Mexico; north to southern Colorado, 

 and California; east into Texas and southwestern Kansas. 



SP. CHAE. "Tail very long; the lateral feathers much shortest. An erectile 

 crest on the head. A bare skin around and behind the eyes. 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 white line, 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; the others clear dark green, all edged 

 and (except the central two) broadly tipped with white. Top of the head dark 

 blackish blue. Size generally very variable." 



