Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-10-07
characteristics of the Condor.

PROFESSOR james Orton's paper at the
Troy meeting Of the Association for the
Advancement of Science, contained the
following interesting account of this won
derful bird: "Fffty years have elapsed
since the first specimen reached Europe,
yet to-day the Exaggerated stories Of its
strength and size are repeated in most Of
our text books, and the very latest orni-
theological work leaves us in no doubt as to
its relation to the other vultures. Mo-
credits the assertion of the old geograph.
er, Marco Polo, that the condor can life
an elephant from the ground high enough
to kill 1t by the fall nor the story of the
traveller, so late as 1880, who declared that
a condor Of moderate size, just killed, was
lying before him, single quill feather of
which was twenty PAGES long Yet the
statement continues to be published that
the ordinary expanse of full grown con.
dor is from fifteen TO twenty feet, whereas
it is very doubtful If itever exceeds or
even equals twelve feet, l have full
grown male from the most celebrated To-
cality in the Andes, and the stretch of its
wings is nine feet. Humboldt never found
one to measure over nine feet and the
largest sDeeimen which Darwin ever saw
was 81 feet from tip to tip. An old male
in the Geological Gardens of London
measures II feet. 1t is not yet settled that
this greatest of ulclean birds is generally
distinct from other Vultures. Its usual
habitation is between the attitudes of 10,-
coo to 10000 feet The largest seem TO
make their home around the volcano Of
Cayanibi, which stands exactly on the
equator. They are most commonly seen
around vertical cliffs, perhaps because
their nests are there; and because cattle
90 sI.a1xr 81, fa1I
seen except around q large carcass. 1t is
in vast circles. Its flight is Slow, 1t
never flaps its wings in the air,
but it's head is always in motion,
as if in search Of food below. Its mouth
is kept open and its tail spread. To
rise from the ground it must need run for
some distance then it flaps its wings
three times and scars away. A narrow
pen Is therefore sufficient TO imprison it.
In walking the wings trail on the ground
and the head takes crouching position.
Though a csrrion bird it breathes the pur- i
est sir, spending much Of its time soaring
three miles over the sea. Humboldt saw
one fly over ChiniborGzo. I have seen
them sailing at least 1000 feet above the
crater of Pichincha. Its gormandizing
power has hardly been oVerstated. / have
known a single condor, not of the largest
size, to make away in one week with a
calf, sheep, and dog. 1t prefers car.
rion, but will sometimes attack live sheep,
deer, dogs, &C. The eyes and tongue OF a
carcass are the favorite parts, and first de-
voured next the intestines. never
heard an authenticated case of its carry
ing off children, nor of its attacking adults,
except in defence of its eggs. In captivi-
ty it will eat everything except pork and
fried or boiled meat. When full fed, 1t is
exceedingly stupid, and can be caught by
the hand but atother times it is a match
for the stoutest man. It passes the great
er part Of the day sleeping, searching for
prey in the morning and evening. 1t is
seldom shot (though tits not invulnerable,
as once thought), but is generally caught
in traps. The only noise it makes is hiss
like that of goose-the usual trachGll
muscles being wanting. 1t lays two
white eggs on an inaccessible ledge.
1t makes no nest proper, but places
few sticks around the eggs. BY
no amount Of bribery could l tempt an
Indian to search for the condor's eggs,
and Mr.. Smith, who hunted nearly twelve
years in the Quito Valley, was never able
to get sight of one Incubation occupies
about seven weeks, ending in April or
May, Qn Patagonia much earlier, or about
February --. .-tg A.. .-r,. i. .-s II. -