1916 | Bryant: Habits and Food of the Roadrunner 41 
PECULIARITIES OF THE DIET 
The omnivorous food habits of the roadrunner have been amply 
demonstrated by the above results of stomach examination, yet it is 
desirable that some of the pecularities of the diet be emphasized. 
As has already been stated, one of the outstanding features is the 
apparent preference for one sort of vegetable food, the seeds and 
fruit of a certaim sumac. Furthermore, the roadrunner apparently 
turns its attention toward terrestrial vertebrates to a larger extent 
than does any other California bird, with the exception of the raptorial 
birds. As a destroyer of reptiles this bird probably takes first rank 
among all the birds, and without doubt in many places in this state 
the roadrunner is the worst natural enemy to which lizards and snakes 
are exposed. 
Many poisonous species of insects are eaten by the roadrunner. 
The scorpion is perhaps the most conspicuous example. In many 
instances the poison sae was found still attached to the tail of the 
scorpion inside of the roadrunner’s stomach. No evidence was 
obtained that ill effects are sustained by the bird from the poison. 
Bumblebees come in the same category, as does also the single taran- 
tula hawk taken. The latter is known to inflict a very painful sting. 
If such insects as the latter were carefully killed by the bird before 
being eaten, danger of being stung internally would be eliminated, 
but the poison would still be present. A partial explanation of the 
lack of ill effects may be that the poison is kept entirely within the 
alimentary tract of the bird and has but little chance to enter directly 
into the blood. 
That the roadrunner has great ability in stalking rapid-flying 
insects is illustrated by the fact that great quantities of cicadas are 
consumed (see pl. 4, fig. 5). Entomological collectors state that cicadas 
are difficult to capture. <A record of thirty-six cicadas in a single 
stomach certainly shows that this bird is adept in securing certain 
insects which other birds are not so successful in securing in quantity. 
Probably the roadrunner relies upon its ability to stalk the imsects 
rather than upon its speed on foot. 
It is highly probable that the roadrunner destroys more hairy 
caterpillars than does any other bird in the state of California. 
Stomach examination has given abundant evidence that this bird preys 
systematically upon these insects. The hairyness of a woolly-bear 
caterpillar appears to be an effective protection to it in most instances, 
but three of the roadrunners examined had eaten this insect. The 
