192 DENIZENS OF THE DESERT 



him. He started out full gallop after him and 

 chased the bird from one bush into another. 

 But that bird was such a good runner and got 

 under the bushes so quick every time, that he 

 kept that cowman guessin' all the time where 

 he was. Of course no bird can keep on runnin' 

 and dodgin' forever, and soon he got so tired 

 out he could n't hardly go no further. Just 

 when that cowman thought he had his bird, 

 what should his horse do but step into a badg- 

 er's hole while going full gait, and throw that 

 old man right into a choUa. Oh, but he was a 

 sight! All stuck up with dozens of prickly 

 choUa joints, and it hurt so bad that when we 

 came up to help pull 'em out he just yelled and 

 cried like a little boy. From head to foot his 

 clothes were pinned to his skin. That feller 

 don't go bird-huntin' and chasin' no more; no, 

 no more. He says that birds can run in the 

 bushes forever and[ never get bothered so far as 

 he is concerned." 



After hearing this interesting recital of this 

 bird's running abilities from Charlie, I was 

 anxious to get a sight of one. I shall never 

 forget that day when I first saw my Le Conte 



