Sutton, on Road-runner 
5 
vore. Since then I have wondered how I ever could have con- 
sidered him anything’ else, for I have found him to be the most 
rapacious and ever hungry of all my bird acquaintances. 
.From this time on I kept constant lookout for this species. 
It is apparently very keen of sight, and must also have very 
acute hearing, for rarely did I ever succeed in surprising one; 
more often it turned out that I was discovered first. Usually 
I succeeded merely in catching a glimpse of a fleet, graceful, 
slender creature gliding noiselessly away, perhaps never to be 
encountered again that day, even after prolonged search. There 
was one point of a hill where I frequently observed one, and 
where there may have been a nest. It was here that I had the 
one experience of actually flushing a Road-runner. Apparently 
there was no escape for him, save flight. With a mighty leap he 
threw himself several feet into the air, and without a flap 
sailed into the valley below on stiffly set little wings. The 
primaries curved up visibly during this unique act, and one could 
easily tell that he was resorting to methods not commonly used. 
I endeavored to find some reason for this bird’s flying here, but 
could not; though it was apparentl}^ more difficult for a Road- 
runner to run down a rough hillside than to progress over level 
stretches. I often found the birds running stealthily along a 
beaten path, or at the edge of a road; and individuals were 
often bold in hunting in the most open fields and prairies, though 
they always kept at a safe distance. My closest glimpses of wild 
Road-runners were always secured on or near the nest; but I 
once had the rare pleasure of seeing a bird steal down to a 
quiet woodland pool, take a long drink, and steal away again — 
as quietly as the shadows among which he moved. Several times 
have I heard the characteristic rattling noise, made by rolling 
the mandibles sharply together, when no bird was ever seen, 
though seemingly the noise was close at hand. This noise may 
be very sharp and alarming in quality — and is learned very early 
in life, since I have often heard young in the nest rolling their 
vindictive anathemas at the intruder. This performance in the 
immature birds is, of course, softer in quality, due to the un- 
hardened condition of the mandibles. Another note given by 
the adult bird is a coarse and rather reptilian grnnt, with a sug- 
gestion of a hissing squeal, which is apparently indicative of 
anger, since I have heard it particularly when I was at the 
nest. I have yet to hear the chicken-like noises referred to by 
various authors; but the adult birds occasionally make the 
