10 
THE WILSON BULLETIN— March, 1922 
ever, when I found his neck to be literally packed with a striped 
race-runner, whose broken off tail was now forming part of the 
lining of the nest. Thanks to the assistance of kind friends, I 
was able that season to raise the two young birds, attend school, 
and also make observations on Road-runners in the held — which, 
taken altogether was rather a full program. 
On Mav 2 I observed two birds at a distance which may have 
been going through courtship antics, though I shall possibly 
never be sure of this. At any rate, early in the morning, just 
as the sun was bringing things into sharp contrast, golden yellow, 
against deep shadows, I came upon an adult Road-runner in the 
very top of a dead tree, a perch I had never before seen used. 
His wings were spread, and he may have been preening and 
taking a sun bath, but circumstances have led me to think 
otherwise. Now and then lie bowed, and affected a close ex- 
amination of his feet, only to raise his head again, drop his 
wings, lift them again, and spread his tail. I was so interested 
in him that I forgot myself, approached a bit too close, and 
before 1 knew it was discovered. He looked at me a brief in- 
stant, and then, without wings spread, leaped from the dead 
branch to the next lower one, whence on outstretched wings 
he sailed to the ground. I rushed up to where he had been, and 
was surprised to see two birds scuttling rather noisily off through 
the vines, and up to the higher portions of the hill, i firmly 
believe that I missed what would have been a rare sight — court- 
ship antics of the male Road-runner before the female. And 
now I have never seen them ! The sun bath is a common practice 
with this bird, however, if one may judge from their actions 
in confinement. With the young birds scarcely a day passed 
that they did not open their wings, lift their scapulars, and give 
their backs a sun hath. The attitude is rather ridiculous. 
Upon going again to the nest from which I had taken the 
oldest young, I found the three remaining birds in good con- 
dition, and the egg still unhatclied. From a nearby vantage- 
ground l patiently waited for over two hours for the coming of 
the adult birds, and though 1 am sure that one or both re- 
turned to the vicinity, I never saw either, and fearing that the 
welfare of the young birds might be endangered, I retired 
quickly. Shortly thereafter I returned to find one adult steal- 
ing rapidly up to the nest along a horizontal branch. Upon 
seeing me again it swallowed what it had in its month, and 
dashed away. The young birds were certainly hungry when I 
