The Birds of El Paso County, Colorado 513 



was on its back with the claws of both feet, clutched about the 

 quail's neck, and the latter was fluttering and struggling trying 

 to escape. The men jumped down into the gulch and picked 

 up both birds, the owl offering no resistance, but by this time 

 the quail was dead. 



On the same date an employe at the Giddings Ranch, 12 

 miles east of Colorado Springs, told Aiken that he had seen 

 Pygmy Owls attack half grown chickens in the farm yard, the 

 method of attack being to swoop down from a nearby tree and 

 strike the chicken in the head, and to follow this up by re- 

 peated passes until the chicken was disabled or exhausted. 

 These various occurrences show it to be a day owl. 



In 1884, a tie chopper working somewhere in the Ute Pass, 

 near Green Mountain Falls, cut down a hollow tree in which 

 were four young Pygmy Owls about two-thirds grown. Ont 

 was killed by the fall, the other three were brought alive to 

 Aiken, who kept them alive about two weeks. These birds were 

 nearly fully feathered. When first taken in the hand they 

 played possum, laying perfectly motionless, and it took a little 

 time to induce them to sit up on a perch. While they were 

 kept they made no cry nor any attempt to use their claws or 

 to bite, exhibiting none of the ferocity with which adult birds 

 attack their prey. 



Geococcyx californianus. Road Runner. Chapparal Cock. 



Resident ; rare. This odd bird is a resident the year round, 

 most of the records coming from along the Fountain Valley. 

 It has also been reported from the sandstone hogback just 

 north of the mouth of Bear Creek Caiion ; from near Glen 

 Eyrie, and has been seen several times on the mesa between 

 there and Colorado Springs. Also reported from Austin 

 Bluffs, Fountain, Bates Ranch, Barnes's Canon, Turkey and 

 Rock Creeks. There is a record fron) Palmer Lake. Where 

 tree cactus grows it frequents the places where it is, elsewhere 

 its is yery apt to be found albout oak brush. 



