THE CALIFORNIA ROAD-RUNNER 5 



green, changing to purplish violet and green on 

 the upper middle tail feathers. The outer tail 

 feathers are steel-blue with green and violet 

 reflections. Everywhere, except on the rump, 

 the upper parts are streaked with white or 

 brownish-white, especially the wings — this 

 white and buff marking being produced by an 

 odd fringelike fraying-out of the edges of the 

 feathers. The peculiar bare space around the 

 eye is beautifully marked with blue and orange. 

 The only real somberness about him is the 

 brown, tawny, and white that covers his breast, 

 throat, and sides. Yet so intricately and won- 

 derfully placed are the units in this mosaic of 

 color that the bird appears almost as brown or 

 gray as the earth on which he runs. It is only 

 now and then when you are near to him that 

 you catch the iridescence and regal color spen- 

 dor of his coat. These color markings are the 

 same for both sexes and it is hard to tell them 

 apart. 



This strange cousin of the cuckoo has earned 

 his name from his apparent delight in sprinting 

 along roadways, especially when pursued by 

 horsemen or moderately slow-going vehicles. 



