Sept., 1916 
FROM FIELD AND STUDY 
203 
Notes from the Vicinity of Los Angeles. 
Aphriza virgata. Surf-bird. May 1, 1915, I took a bird of this species close to the 
pier at Hyperion, where it was feeding with a flock of gulls. On my approach the gulls 
flew, while the Surf-bird practically ignored my presence. 
Calamospiza melanocorys. Lark Bunting. One taken October 29, 1914, on Rancho 
La Brea, not far from the fossil beds. This furnishes an early fall record of a species 
that is far from common in this part of the state. It was in company with Gambel 
Sparrows and Linnets. 
Stercorarius longicaudus. Long-tailed Jaeger. On January 26, 1916, I took an 
immature female of this species from the pier at Hyperion. This is apparently the sec- 
ond record for the California coast south of Monterey Bay, and the seventh for the 
state. 
Oidemia americana. American Scoter. A female was taken November 24, 1915, on 
the sand under the pier at Hyperion. It was caught alive while napping, with head 
under wing, but was in good condition as to plumage and flesh. This is the most ex- 
plicit record we have of the species for this part of the coast, but I suspect that if sys- 
tematic work were done among the sea-ducks, this scoter would be found less rare than 
it is supposed to be. 
Rissa tridactyla pollicaris. Pacific Kittiwake. A dead bird was found on the beach 
near Hyperion, on March 8, 1916. It had been torn to pieces by buzzards, but one wing 
and the skull were saved. On the same date I saw three birds that I am certain were 
Kittiwakes; they kept by themselves, usually over the surf close to the beach, but were 
too wild to be taken. 
Puffinus tenuirostris. Slender-billed Shearwater. Remains of one bird were found 
on the beach near Hyperion, on December 15, 1915, and the skull saved. Buzzards had 
destroyed the skin. On December 5, 1915, a picnic party found a dead bird of this spe- 
cies on the beach some miles north of Santa Monica, and brought it, with apologies, to 
Dr. John Hornung. He has given me permission to record the occurrence here. — L. E. 
Wyman, Museum of History , Science and Art, Los Angeles, California. 
Variation of the Broken-wing Stunt by a Roadrunner. — We have all observed and 
admired the simulation of a broken wing by birds desiring to decoy us away from their 
nests or young. This instinct, for such it must be called, seems to crop out in a great 
many species, and it is always with interest that I observe the details of the perform- 
ance on the part of a bird not hitherto found displaying it. 
It was, therefore, highly interesting to me to be able to watch this performance 
as demonstrated by a Roadrunner (Geococcyx calif or Manus ) . I had found a nest of 
this species with the bird on, situated ten feet from the ground in the crotch of a syca- 
more tree in the Santa Ana River bottom near Colton, California, on May 10, 1916. As 
I was climbing near the nest the bird hopped to the ground. Immediately it began to 
squirm, scramble, and drag itself away across an open space and in full view. The bird 
was simulating a broken leg instead of the conventional broken wing! The bird held 
its wings closed throughout the demonstration though frequently falling over on its 
side in its enthusiasm. The whole performance was kept entirely in my view, the bird 
gradually working away from the tree until it was some 35 feet distant when it imme- 
diately ran back to the base of the tree and repeated the whole show. I had been so 
interested up to now that I had failed to examine the nest which when looked into con- 
tained five young probably a week old. When I got to the ground the bird continued its 
stunt rather more frantically than before and in order to encourage the bird I fol- 
lowed, and was pleased to see it remain highly consistent until I was decoyed to a 
point well outside the grove. Here the bird suddenly ran away at full speed and in 
a direction still away from the nest. 
Now while this variation of the broken-wing stunt as performed by a running bird 
as compared with a flying species is perfectly logical, it had never before come to my 
notice. I have noted many times the decoying instincts as displayed by the Patagonian 
Rhea (Rhea darwini) in Patagonia, but this bird instead of simulating a broken leg 
simply pretends that it is in a weak and deplorable condition; wobbles and staggers 
with much art, and decoys dogs, foxes and eagles away with great success. Also the 
Rhea uses its wings ostensibly to keep its balance. So the details of the Roadrunner’s 
subterfuge are entirely original. — J. R. Pemberton, Colton, California. August 12, 1916. 
