the: WILSON BULLETIN 
A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY 
VOL. XXXIV MARCH, 1922 NO. 1 
OLD SERIES VOL. XXXIV. NEW SERIES VOL. XXIX 
NOTES ON THE KOAD-KUNNER AT 
FORT WORTH, TEXAS == 
BY GEORGE MIKSCH SUTTON 
More or less extensive notes on iny experiences witli pet 
Road-rnnners have appeared elsewhere f ; but since these only 
partly cover the gronnd of my experiences with this exceptionally 
interesting species, I feel it to be worth while to record some 
additional observations on the tame birds, as well as other notes, 
unpublished before, on the bird in its wild state. 
My residence in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, was 
from July, 1011, until July, 1014. During this time one of the 
most interesting birds enconntered, and at the same time one of 
the most difficult to study in its wild state, was the Road-runner 
{Geococcijw califoruianus) . Though the bird is well known 
locally, in fact one of the best known birds in that region, it is not 
an easy bird to locate, and a number of people who volnnteered 
to show me the Chaparral-Cocks ’’ failed in many attemjjts. 
And so it Avas some time before I had a cliance to become in- 
timately acquainted with the birds in question. 
The country about Fort Worth offers a pleasing variety; it 
is someAvliat rolling, Avith suggestions of bluffs in ])laces, back 
from the banks of the Trinity River. Part of it is rather 
heavily Avooded Avith decidnons trees and occasional bunches 
of live oaks. Suggestive of more arid conditions are frequent 
bunches of Iffdckly Pear Cactus Avhich sometimes cover large 
areas, and Yucca, aaIiosc charming ffoAA^ered spikes are among 
the most graceful of the prairie’s features. The Avooiled areas 
are almost Avithont exception along the streams, Avhich are for 
the most part rather intermittent, due to a rather fickle climate. 
We were fortnnate in living at tlie edge of the settlement for 
most of tlie time, and my notes on tlie AAuld Road-rnnner are 
* Thanks are due Mr. W. E. C. Todd, who has kindly offered valuable 
suggestions and criticisms. 
t Bird-Lore, Sept.-Oct. 1913, and Jan.-Feb. 1915. 
