“I never was so fortunate as to find the nest of this bird, yet I had frequent opportunities of witnessing its manners and habits in Texas, in New Mexico, and in California, between the years 1846-52.
“Of shy and retiring disposition, the G. viaticus is most often met with singly. I have, however, frequently seen the male and female associated during the later period of the year, as well as in spring and summer; the former, at all seasons, being easily distinguishable by his larger size and more brilliant plumage. Whether the pairs I thus met were mated for life, or for the year, or were merely accidentally living in company, I am unable to say—I simply state the fact; and I well recollect my fruitless efforts, in Texas, for several successive days in autumn, to secure a pair that inhabited a large chaparral near which I happened to be encamped at the time. The male was a remarkably fine bird, but evidently an old and cautious fellow; he would come just without the thicket, followed by the female—and there, with neck outstretched, cast a searching glance around; then, if an enemy appeared, even in the distance, he would instantly retreat to his impenetrable abode trebly fenced with thorns. In a little while, he would re-appear at another point, where, if the coast seemed clear, he would, closely followed by his mate, begin to search for grass-hoppers and other insects, but never venture more than a few paces from the border of the thicket. Thus it was impossible to approach him in open ground; and such was his constant caution and vigilance that, although I more than once lay in wait for the couple, which I regularly saw in the morning hours, I never succeeded in getting within gunshot.
“When suddenly surprised, I have seen this bird rise on wing and fly considerable distances, in order to gain close cover, the flight being effected by regular flappings, and executed, apparently, with ease; though the bird did not rise more than six or eight feet from the ground.
“The individuals that I killed in the fall and winter seasons, invariably were excessively fat, and their crops were usually filled with snails and various coleoptera. I do not recollect that I ever found in their stomachs the remains of lizards or other reptiles.
“The Paisano (countryman), as this bird is called by the Mexicans, or Corre-camino (run-the-road), as the native Californians designate it, is often met in the unfrequented roads that traverse forests of low brushwood, being enticed from its sombre retreats to the openings, in search of its favorite food. And here is often afforded the traveller an opportunity of witnessing its surpassing swiftness of foot. I have several times tested its speed with a good horse under me, and I have in truth been astonished at the almost incredible rate at which it passed over the ground. On one occasion, when approaching Limpia creek (W. Texas), with a small party, on my way to El Paso, I discovered a fine male Paisano in the open road, about one hundred yards in advance. For amusement, I put spurs to my horse and dashed after him, followed by one of my men. For full four hundred yards, I ran him along a road level and smooth as a floor; and over which, with straightened neck and slightly-expanded wings, he swiftly glided, seeming scarcely to touch the ground. And when, at last, he deemed it prudent to seek shelter in the thicket alongside, I had not reduced the distance between us more than fifty yards.
“I was told on the frontier that the Mexican rancheros do sometimes run down and capture the Paisano when they find him wandering on more open ground; and such I think is probable, for the one to which I have just referred was going, even to the moment at which he took cover, at a rate of speed that could not possibly have been much longer sustained; nor could he, I think, when so nearly ‘blown,’ have risen on wing. Such, at least, is the case with the wild turkey, which I have repeatedly captured in the same way, although his power of flight is greater than that of the Paisano.”
Capt. John P. McCown, of the United States Army, also observed the Paisano in Texas; and in his observations on the birds of that State, in the Annals of the New York Lyceum of Natural History, VI. p. 9, we find the following:—
“Often in my wanderings through the chapparel on the Rio Grande, I observed piles of broken snail shells, and always near some hard substance, such as a bone, or hard piece of wood, which had evidently been used in breaking the shells. I made many conjectures as to the probable animal, but never suspected that a bird had left these evidences of its peculiar habits. I heard, also, at times, generally in the morning or evening, a sound very similar to that made by some Woodpeckers, rapidly beating their bills upon an old dry tree. This was also a mystery, as I could find no Woodpeckers near the place where the sound came from. Upon inquiry of a Mexican, I was told that it was the Paisano breaking the snail-shells to get at the snail, which explained at once both the noise and the mutilated shells. I was afterwards so fortunate as to see a bird so occupied. It took the snail in its bill and beat it upon the hard substance, striking faster and faster, until the shell broke.
“A few of these birds are to be found on the Rio Nueces. They run with great speed, seldom taking to wing. I have seen them on trees apparently observing the vicinity. I had a young bird of this species, about half-grown, but it refused to eat, and soon died; and I have seen some in coops, and have been informed that they have been tamed.
“When approached, this bird runs very swiftly until near cover, when it stops and reconnoitres the intruder, gives its tail a flirt, and away it goes again.