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BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



an early morning, the cuckoo, or call, may be distinctly beard two hun- 

 dred yards away across a ravine ; once heard and fairly caught, you will 

 always remember it. This time of the day is the best to secure them ; 

 eisiest done by arousing their curiosity. Approaching the neighbor, 

 hood of the Cuckoo's call, which you can only do by listening, as you go 

 on, you stoop low in the chaparral and imitate their notes, or that of a 

 mating bird. As soon as he catches the unusual sound, if on the alert, 

 you will see him in a second before you.. A friend who for a long time 

 resided at Brownsville, Texas, informed me that there and generally 

 along the Lower Rio Grande the Mexican name for this species is "Cha- 

 cha-la-ca",[*] which they say are the hona-fide noteguttered by the Cuckoo, 

 being ordinarily known among the Texans as the Eoad-runner; and 

 that several had been taken while young from a nest and had grown 

 perfectly tame under the care of one of the natives, when they greatly 

 resembled the Magpie {P. meJcmoleuca var. kudsonica) in the traits which 

 become promioeut on changing their wild nature to that of a domestic 

 bird. For bright buttons, or anything of brass or glittering, they had 

 an insatiable craving, and would sacrifice the interests of their best 

 friends to satisfy their unnatural appetites. One of the pet " Cha-cha- 

 ia-cas" unfortunately, at a favorable opportunity, got his eye upon a 

 breast-pin within reach, belonging to his owner, a fair Mexican belle, 

 promptly "went for it", and bolted it whole. The Mexican love for 

 jewelry, brass-plated or genuine, was, however, too powerful, and the pet 

 Cuckoo was sacrificed. 



In New Mexico, I found them called by the native inhabitants Faisano, 

 by which, too, he is known farther up the Rio Graude in Western Texas. 

 It signifies a "countryman", and is said to arise from his wildness, fre- 

 quenting only unsettled places, and keeping away from the sight of 

 man. It is traditional among them that he not only has a natural an- 

 tipathy for all sorts of small snakes, devouring them with much gusto, 

 but that he does not hesitate to attack the Rattler {Grotalus confliientus), 

 and gets the best of him in the fight. 



The examination of the stomachs of the pair showed in the male 

 Dragon-flies {Neuroptera), Grasshoppers, [OrtJioptera], and a good quan- 

 tity of hemp-like woody fibre similar to the scrub-oak. The females 

 showed a Lizard {Cnemidophorus gularis) and a great quantity of similar 

 fibre, of which at times they must partake largely. 



[* It may be worth while to remember that this name, under various spellings, is 

 generally applied, or supposed to apply, to a very different bird, namely, Ortalidavetiila. 

 —Ed.] 



