UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS 
IN 
ZOOLOGY 
Vol. 17, No. 5, pp. 21-58, plates 1-4, 2 figures in text October 26, 1916 
HABITS AND FOOD OF THE ROADRUNNER IN 
CALIFORNIA 
BY 
HAROLD C. BRYANT 
(Contribution from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of California) 
CONTENTS 
Tintin OC Gi ony eee eee ene eee peat pec: 
DMlaybe rial) es cecccscesce ets nacceeccccsccncctseecnce: 
Life-history and habits ....................- 
Food of the roadrunner in California 
Vegetable food 
Animal food 
Kein Swamdquanbitvesy ots LOO dmb emis execs senescence ce er ran co see eeene nee a 
Variation of food according to time of year 
CS HO CEH i ELD] OE Oh ya eS a eee 43 
THOOMONMANG, GHEYRUS) Cosceeteercescete cee reeset sepa ee eRe See eae a MER ne Re Ear ee ey 43 
SHOU STEED ea tee eee eC een er 46 
ERGOT UUM Om C1 GO Cpr enter cere te ee cre, Mes cece EE «ok noo doe 5 chsacdsasauacozuceestce st euseeeutecetseesees 48 
INTRODUCTION 
Investigations of the food habits of birds have of late done more 
to afford birds proper protection than any discussion from a purely 
esthetic point of view. It seems to the writer, however, that the 
pendulum may have swung a little too far in the direction of the 
dollars-and-cents view and that the esthetic is being left too far in 
the background. Even to the economic ornithologist who is busy 
determining the money value of birds there comes a vision of a day 
when all true values will be taken into account and the monetary 
faetor will be given only its due share of consideration. Nevertheless, 
it is natural to emphasize the poimt of view which at the moment 
makes the greatest appeal, and that at the present time appears to 
be the economic. 
