WINGED LIFE 



183 



feet, while all the ground-birds of the desert 

 are just the reverse of this that is, deficient in 

 wings but strong of foot and leg. The road- 

 runner, or as he is sometimes called the chap- 

 arral-cock, is a notable instance of this. He is 

 a lizard-eater, and in order to eat he must first 

 catch his lizard. Now this is by no means an 

 easy task. The ordinary gray, brown, or yel- 

 low lizard is the swiftest dodger and darter 

 there is in the sand, and even in straight-line 

 running he will travel too fast for an ordinary 

 dog to catch him. His facility, too, in dashing 

 up, over, and under bowlders is not to be under- 

 estimated. The road-runner's task then is not 

 an easy one, and yet he seems to accomplish it 

 easily. There is no great effort about his pur- 

 suit and yet he generally manages to catch the 

 lizard. It is because his legs are specially con- 

 structed for running, and his head, neck, and 

 beak for darting. His wings are of little use. 

 When chased by a dog he will finally take to 

 them, but only for about fifty yards. Then he 

 drops to the ground and starts on foot again. 

 He will run away from a man, and sometimes 

 even a horse cannot keep up with him. Oddly 

 enough, he seems always to run a little side- 

 ways. The long tail (used as a rudder) is car- 



The ground^ 

 birds. 



The road- 

 runner's 

 swiftness. 



